If you regularly wake up with a headache or a sore throat, sleep apnea may be to blame. Though common, without diagnosis and treatment, sleep apnea increases your risk of more serious health problems. At Advanced Surgeons, the expert bariatric surgeons regularly diagnose and treat sleep apnea. To make an appointment at the office in Valhalla, Carmel, or Poughkeepsie, New York, call the nearest office today or schedule online.
Sleep apnea is a group of sleep disorders that cause you to stop and start breathing multiple times throughout the night.
There are several types of sleep apnea, including:
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) causes the soft tissues at the back of your throat to loosen during sleep. Ultimately, this blocks airflow, causing you to wake up gasping for air.
Central sleep apnea occurs when your brain doesn’t send signals to the muscles responsible for your breathing.
Complex sleep apnea features aspects of obstructive and central sleep apnea. It’s rare but potentially life-threatening.
Symptoms of sleep apnea include:
If you have sleep apnea, you might also experience periods of insomnia (difficulty falling asleep).
Anyone can experience sleep apnea, but several factors may increase your risk, including:
You’re also more likely to experience sleep apnea if you have an underlying health problem like high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, or Type 2 diabetes.
Make an appointment at Advanced Surgeons if you’re overweight or obese and regularly wake up feeling tired or irritable.
When you’re overweight, fat deposits in the upper respiratory tract can narrow your airways, making it difficult to breathe. In addition, excess weight affects muscle activity in the region, reducing adequate airflow.
To diagnose sleep apnea, your Advanced Surgeons provider reviews your medical history and asks about your symptoms. Then, they refer you to a local sleep center for an overnight sleep study or they provide you with the necessary equipment to do a home sleep test.
Sleep tests and overnight sleep studies monitor your heart rate, airflow, and breathing patterns during sleep. They provide a safe and effective way to officially diagnose all three types of sleep apnea.
At Advanced Surgeons, treatment for sleep apnea focuses on helping you lose weight. By maintaining a healthy weight, you’re much less likely to experience breathing issues.
Depending on the severity of your symptoms, your provider might recommend:
If you have severe or life-threatening sleep apnea, you might benefit from a tracheostomy. This type of surgery involves your provider creating a new airway.
To explore the various treatment options for sleep apnea and obesity, make an appointment at Advanced Surgeons by calling the nearest office or clicking the online booking feature today.
