Treatments for Snoring and Sleep Apnea
If you have sleep apnea, your breathing pauses while you sleep. Pauses can last from just a few seconds to minutes and can happen many times per hour—sometimes over 30. Chronic snoring is one symptom of sleep apnea, as well as audible choking noises. When you have sleep apnea, you don’t get as much deep sleep as you should. Untreated sleep apnea can lead to depression, irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, and weight gain.
Causes of Sleep Apnea
The most common type of sleep apnea is when the airway collapses or becomes blocked while you are sleeping. At Lakeside Allergy ENT, we try to find the underlying cause of this disorder to treat it properly.
Common causes of sleep apnea include:
- Deviated nasal septum
- Poor muscle tone in your tongue
- Large tongue
- Enlarged tonsils
- Excess tissue in the soft palate
- Nasal allergies
- Being overweight
- Smoking
- Chronic sinusitis
- Drinking alcohol before you go to bed
Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
Some of the symptoms of sleep apnea other than snoring include having no energy throughout the day, being tired all the time, having a headache in the morning, having a restless sleep, waking up to a choking sensation, waking up with a sore throat or dry mouth, memory issues, irritability, trouble concentrating, mood swings, and depression.
Most people are not aware that they have sleep apnea until a spouse or roommate asks about the symptoms.
Treating Sleep Apnea
Once our ENT specialists evaluate you carefully for sleep apnea, we can diagnose your condition and recommend the best treatment, including:
- Lifestyle changes, such as losing weight, quitting smoking, sleeping on your side, and avoiding alcohol and sedatives
- CPAP/APAP masks
- Oral appliance therapy
- Sleep apnea surgery, which could be a tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy, functional endoscopic sinus surgery, or a pillar procedure
Where to Find Treatment for Snoring and Sleep Apnea in Rockwall, TX
Lakeside Allergy ENT serves Rockwell and the surrounding areas in Texas. To find out more about treatment for sleep apnea and snoring, speak with one of our doctors today. To schedule a consultation, please call 972-771-5443.
