How Oral Appliance Therapy Can Alleviate Snoring and Sleep Apnea

Snoring and Sleep Apnea: 

Many people who have sleep disordered breathing do not even realize it. Thankfully, The Center for Sleep Medicine is available to provide help for those in the Chicago area who want to improve the quality of their sleep. Positioning the lower jaw forward can affect getting a good night's sleep.

Why it is happening? 

Obstructive Sleep Apnea occurs when the throat completely or partially collapses causing interrupted sleep. Snoring occurs when the throat is partially closed and the air passing through causes the throat to vibrate. 

During sleep the tongue which is attached to the lower jaw can fall back into one’s airway cause difficulty in breathing which may not only be dangerous but often result in disturbing sleep throughout the night.

How Oral Appliance Therapy Helps? 

Oral appliance therapy involves the selection, fitting and use of a specifically designed oral appliance that maintains an open, unobstructed airway worn during sleep.  Custom made oral appliances are proven to be more effective than over-the-counter devices. 

                            

Oral appliances are designed to address this problem by re-positioning the lower jaw forward so the tongue is also forward and prevents the tongue from falling back into one’s airway. There are a variety of oral appliances available, which can be tailored to address the specific needs of the individual sleep apnea sufferer. Realignment of the lower jaw forward can have a surprisingly big impact on how well you sleep. Many people having sleep apnea are not even aware there is a problem.

Impact of Oral Appliance: 

Many people who snore severely report that their sleep partners appreciate not having to listen 
to noisy snoring because of the sleep specialist doctor's  treatment. 

As a result the quality of their partners sleep is improved as well. However, it is the task of a professional to study one’s sleep to identify what may be causing snoring or sleep deprivation.

Note:

Some sleep apnea sufferers grind their teeth or tense their jaws during the night. This is another area where an oral appliance may be useful to eliminate these habits.

The difference between going to bed…and going to sleep

General Sleep Problem:

Sleep deprivation increases the risk of poor concentration and fatigue during the day and increases the risk of having a car accident.  Sleep Apnea has been associated with high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke.   The Center for Sleep Medicine provides comprehensive diagnosis and treatment for those affected by poor quality sleep.

Men and women suffer from a number of sleep disorders including but not limited to insomnia, sleep apnea, and restless legs syndrome. These sleep disorders lead to sleep deprivation that impacts the ability to live a full and quality life. It can increase risk of falling asleep behind the wheel and sustaining a serious car accident that may be avoided with the correct treatment for the particular sleep disorder in question.

Sleep Disorder Treatments by Sleep disorder specialist: 

The Center for Sleep Medicine has a multidisciplinary, multi specialty staff of board certified sleep specialists. The Center’s staff has extensive experience in sleep medicine having practiced in other fields including neurology, internal medicine, pulmonary medicine, clinical psychology and pediatrics.

The process begins with a consultation with a board certified sleep specialist. Attended overnight sleep studies are conducted in a secure and clinical environment with the aim of monitoring brain waves, breathing, and behavior while sleeping. Based on a complete assessment, the sleep specialist will diagnose your disorder and prescribe an appropriate treatment plan.  It is not uncommon for a person to have more than one sleep disorder. 

Various treatment options are available that support undisturbed sleep. This includes treatment to address the many causes that may be responsible for insomnia and oral appliances as an alternative to CPAP therapy.  Sleep disorder specialists will discuss the treatment options available to you so you may live a fuller and greater functioning lifestyle.

The purpose of a consultation with a board certified sleep specialist is to develop a tailored approach to wellness and to determine the options available for symptom relief. Consulting with a practitioner can aid in determining the safest and best solutions to help patients experience a state of well-being. Quality sleep is possible with the right treatment.

To read more sleep disorder articles visit @ http://sleepmedcenter.com/articles.html