If you are like most people, you may not be aware of a snoring problem until someone else tells you. And without diagnostic sleep testing, you could very well have the more serious condition of sleep apnea. which is characterized by snoring, interrupted sleep, choking halts in breathing, and gasping for breath. Patients with obstructive sleep apnea have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality, and current literature suggests it could also cause hypertension (high blood pressure). It’s been said that less than 5% of patients with sleep apnea have been diagnosed and treated.
There are some indicators that you may have a snoring or sleep apnea problem. If you find yourself with any of the symptoms below, you may want to consider testing for sleep apnea:
- Tired and foggy in the morning
- Sleepy during the day and may fall asleep easily during the day
- Difficulty concentrating and completing tasks
- Unable to think clearly and have memory problems
- Trouble breathing through your nose at night
- Snoring loudly at night
- Frequent pauses in breathing while you sleep
- Restless sleep
- Insomnia
To find out if you have obstructive sleep apnea, ask our office about the take-home sleep monitor. This diagnostic device is worn comfortably while sleeping with easy-to-read instructions. Just return the monitor to the office the next day, and Dr. Konig will study your report and inform you of the results. For mild to moderate sleep apnea, there is a custom-made oral appliance you may be able wear at night in place of the CPAP machine, which many patients cannot use or are CPAP intolerant. These dental sleep appliances are much more comfortable and tolerable than CPAP machines.
You are welcome to call our office, Ronald W. Konig DDS, FAGD, LVIF, a Houston dentist with special interest in sleep apnea care, and ask any questions you may have regarding snoring, sleep apnea, and the take-home monitor. 713-668-2289
