Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Causes of Sleep Apnea
When the tongue is causing restriction of the upper airway and causes air to stop flowing this is called Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). It is a common disorder that can develop into more severe respiratory or cardiovascular problems if left untreated. Symptoms of OSA include loud snoring, waking up to use the restroom frequently, feeling tired or falling asleep during the day and being 30+ pounds overweight with a large neck size.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
The Greek word "apnea" literally means "without breath." Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is very common. Left untreated people with sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep, sometimes hundreds of times during the night and often for a minute or longer. With each apnea event, the brain briefly arouses people with sleep apnea in order for them to resume breathing, but consequently sleep is extremely fragmented and of poor quality.
Snoring
Snoring is caused when the muscles and soft tissue in the throat and mouth relax making the breathing airway smaller. A relaxed and/or collapsed airway produces soft tissue vibrations during breathing and snoring is the result. Dr. Irwin has provided oral appliances that can greatly reduce or stop snoring for most people.
Snoring Appliance
A snoring appliance is a custom fit mouthpiece that is made from plastic and is easy to clean with a toothbrush. It is designed to keep the upper and lower jaw in place when the throat relaxes during sleep. This allows the air passage to remain open while providing a quiet and relaxing sleep.
