• Posted on: Nov 15 2017

Snoring is something that millions of us do. In many cases, the disruptive sounds are made for only a short period. Perhaps a mild cold has caused the soft tissue in the airway to swell ever-so-slightly. Maybe allergy season is a time that snoring becomes a common problem. These instances of snoring are somewhat normal and relatively benign. But what about the “chronic snorer?” What about that person who snores night after night, and who also feels fatigued during the daytime due to poor quality sleep? In this instance, snoring is a symptom that needs to be investigated – and quickly.

When Snoring is Concerning

Snoring becomes a concerning problem when it occurs routinely. It is problematic when snoring routinely disrupts a person’s ability to get the quality sleep that is needed for overall health. You can discern the level of severity of snoring by looking at daytime symptoms, as well as the characteristics of snoring. A short list includes:

• Snoring is offset by pauses in sound.
• Morning headaches or a sore throat are the norms.
• Daytime fatigue inhibits productivity.
• Irritability, moodiness, or depression
• Falling asleep quickly when sitting down to read or watch television.

When such symptoms occur, there is the reason to believe that the underlying cause of snoring may be obstructive sleep apnea. This sleep disorder has a serious side because it does more than disrupt sleep patterns (which is significant in and of itself). Sleep apnea is a term that describes stopped breathing during sleep. Complete blockage of airflow. When this happens, no oxygen gets to the brain. Without oxygen, the brain panics, as it should, and delivers adrenaline to jolt the body to function properly.

We just described a standard apneic episode. On an average night, as many as a few hundred episodes may occur. That is a lot of oxygen deprivation and a lot of adrenaline, which means a lot of stress on all bodily organs. Ultimately, obstructive sleep apnea is a major health risk. Therefore, treatment is vital.

Treatment for obstructive sleep apnea may be obtained in our Grand Rapids dental office. To learn more about oral appliance therapy as an alternative to CPAP for obstructive sleep apnea, call 616-458-0631.

Posted in: Snoring & Sleep Apnea