Solutions for Sleep Apnea
Did you know that you could have sleep apnea and not even realize it? Current studies show that sleep apnea affects 2-9% of American adults, but not everyone who has it has been diagnosed. If you suffer from symptoms of sleep apnea, an accurate diagnosis can lead you to the right treatment.
Board-certified neurologist, Luay Shayya, MD, leads our team at Neurology Consultants of Arizona in Scottsdale, with the highest level of expertise for patients with sleep apnea. Our tests are comprehensive and thorough, and we provide you with an effective, personalized treatment plan.
We recommend that you pay attention to your symptoms, because sleep apnea can cause harm to your health.
Symptoms of sleep apnea
If you show signs of sleep apnea, you should schedule an appointment with our team. Here’s what you might experience:
- Fatigue
- Excessive sleepiness during the day
- Brain fog
- Waking up with a sore throat
- Dry mouth in the morning
- Snoring
If you have a partner who sleeps with you and notices any concerns, we recommend that you adhere to what they observe and come in to see us for testing.
Diagnosing sleep apnea
To diagnose you effectively, Dr. Shayya and our team perform a study on you to observe your oxygen levels, breathing, and air flow while you’re asleep. If you have more severe symptoms, we may recommend that you visit a sleep lab for deeper research.
Our test determines what type of sleep apnea you might have, which include:
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)
This type of sleep apnea happens when the airway to your throat is blocked, causing temporary stalls in your breathing.
Central sleep apnea (CSA)
This type of sleep apnea occurs when your brain fails to control the muscles that help you breathe, causing your breathing to slow and become more shallow.
Mixed sleep apnea
This type of sleep apnea is a combination of OSA and CSA, resulting in the symptoms of both.
Solutions for sleep apnea
Once we have a clear and accurate diagnosis, we make specific recommendations of treatment according to your condition. In some cases, your sleep apnea can be cured with changes in lifestyle, such as losing weight, quitting smoking, and sleeping on your side instead of your back.
We also might recommend a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or a bi-level airway pressure (BiPAP) machine. Both devices send air through a mask into your airway to provide a steady flow of oxygen to keep your breathing patterns consistent.
Another solution involves wearing a mouthpiece that holds your tongue down or your jaw in place to stop the onset of OSA. We may also recommend medications.
In more serious cases, we might suggest surgery to remove excess tissue and widen your airway to prevent air blockage.
If you suffer from symptoms of sleep apnea, come in to see us for an evaluation. Call our office today, or schedule an appointment online.