Sleep Disorders

Sleep directly affects your quality of life and luckily most sleep disorders can be treated. Some people realize they have a sleep disorder when they find themselves waking up at night or dozing off easily during the day while others may never realize there is a problem. Common sleep disorders include the following:

Sleep Apnea

Sleep Apnea is a disorder in which an obstruction of the airway results in pauses in breathing during sleep. If left untreated, Sleep Apnea can lead to high blood pressure, stroke, and heart attack.

Snoring

Snoring is a common occurrence for many individuals especially men and people who are overweight. The noise of snoring occurs when airflow through passages in the back of the mouth and nose are blocked therefore meaning breathing is obstructed, which can be serious. Snoring can be a symptom of Sleep Apnea.

Sleep Treatments

A sleep study can be performed to determine if indeed a patient has a sleep disorder. Following the sleep study various forms of treatment may be administered including the following:

Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP)

A BiPAP provides different pressures as a patient breathes in an effort to keep the airway open and preventing apnea, or the airway from collapsing.

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)

A CPAP machine provides a constant flow of air into the airway keeping the airway open and preventing apnea, or the airway from collapsing.

Pillar Implants

Relaxation of the muscles in the back of one’s throat may contribute to Snoring and Sleep Apnea. The Pillar Implant procedure involves the surgical placement of small rods in the soft palate which leads to the hardening of the soft palate reducing relaxation and vibration of muscles in the back of the mouth.