Professional Treatment for Sleep Apnea in Lethbridge
LETHBRIDGE SNORING AND SLEEP APNEA CLINIC
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a serious and life-long medical condition that can impact every aspect of your life and patients may be unaware of their situation. Symptoms of sleep apnea can seem innocuous, so if you experience chronic loud snoring, lack of energy, restless sleep, post-sleep dry throat, or waking up with a choking or gasping sensation, you should consult with a sleep specialist immediately. Contact us at London Road Dental today to make an appointment for a free consultation and take home sleep study.
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What is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a disorder that involves brief pauses in breathing while you sleep often due to the narrowing of the upper airway. Pauses can last for over 10 seconds and can occur over 5 times an hour. This causes the oxygen flow to the brain to decrease. When your brain senses the problem, it awakens the individual to resume breathing. This partial arousal from sleep prevents you from sleeping well.
The main symptom of sleep apnea is snoring. While many people think snoring is nothing to worry about, this is often incorrect. If sleep apnea is causing you to snore, you could experience sleep deprivation along with other complications such as increased risk and higher chances of:
- Lowering levels of oxygen in the blood
- Developing high blood pressure or diabetes
- Experiencing irregular heartbeats
- Having heart attacks and strokes
What Causes Sleep Apnea?
The most common type of sleep apnea is OSA. It is caused by the airway being blocked and obstructed or due to extra tissue in the back of the throat. Those who have undergone weight gain may be at a higher risk for OSA. While 5-50% of adults suffer from OSA, children with large tonsils are also at risk.
Central Sleep Apnea (CSA) is a less common form of sleep apnea. The symptoms are the same as OSA but the cause is often associated with specific medications and brain or heart disorders. It is the result of nerve and brain signals failing to communicate to the muscles to effectively breathe.
How do You Treat and Test for Sleep Apnea?
Typically, sleep apnea is treated with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines. CPAP machines are attached to a mask that delivers pressurized air to prevent your airway from becoming blocked. The air pressure delivered prevents the pauses in breathing and subsequent low quality sleep. The mask is worn over your mouth, nose or both, and most patients are able to get used to the feeling after a few nights. If after a few weeks you still are not comfortable using a CPAP machine, we offer other effective treatments for sleep apnea in Lethbridge.
When testing for Sleep Apnea, London Road Dental uses a simple take home test called the MediByte Jr. from Braebon. The MediByte Jr. will test the severity of your sleep apnea, and then we will retest it again once you have your appliance in.
SomnoMed Oral Devices Treat Sleep Apnea in Lethbridge
SomnoMed Canada provides treatment solutions for sleep-related disorders including obstructive sleep apnea, and snoring. SomnoMed was commercialized on the basis of extensive clinical research. Supporting independent clinical research, continuous innovation and instituting medical manufacturing standards has resulted in the SomnoDent line of oral devices becoming the state-of-the-art and clinically proven oral device for obstructive sleep apnea. At London Road Dental, we provide custom, adjustable SomnoMed oral devices to help you sleep better and breathe easier. These devices are made with high quality materials that offer premium comfort for patients who want to improve their sleep quality.
Learn more about Sleep Apnea
Schedule a Sleep Apnea Consultation at Our Lethbridge Clinic
If you have sleep apnea and have tried using a CPAP machine with no success, there are other treatments available.
We offer custom SomnoMed and ProSomnus oral devices that prevent your airway from becoming blocked and allow you to sleep better.
If you aren’t sure whether or not you have sleep apnea, we offer take home sleep studies to help you find out.
For help reducing the symptoms of your sleep apnea, contact Lethbridge’s London Road Dental.