Okemos, Lansing, East Lansing
Waking up daily with headaches makes it challenging to focus and stay on task. Although stress can cause headaches, there may be an underlying condition. Our Okemos sleep apnea dentist, Dr. Christine Tenaglia, shares on the blog today what could be causing your daily headaches and the treatments available to reclaim headache-free mornings so you can get more done.
What is sleep apnea?
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a serious disorder where you cease breathing for 10 seconds or longer multiple times while sleeping. Unfortunately, sleep apnea is very common, and most individuals are unaware of the condition because they’re asleep when it happens. In most cases, apneic episodes can occur 100 times or more in one night, causing frequent arousals and difficulty achieving or maintaining deep sleep. Therefore, our Lansing airway dentist explains that your body fails to receive the oxygen and rest it needs to rejuvenate and repair itself.
What are sleep apnea signs and symptoms?
The most common and noticeable sign of sleep apnea is loud snoring. However, even though you snore, it does not mean that you have sleep apnea. Additional signs and symptoms you may experience are intense morning headaches, excessive daytime sleepiness, trouble concentrating, decreased work performance, or falling asleep while driving. Our East Lansing sleep apnea dentist explains that many patients with OSA have partners that report them gasping for air or making choking sounds followed by silence. If you or your partner exhibit any signs or symptoms related to sleep apnea, Dr. Tenaglia encourages you to schedule an appointment for a sleep apnea screening in Okemos.
Why does sleep apnea cause headaches?
Breathing cessation is harmful to your overall health and wellness. As your body pauses its breathing pattern, it doesn’t receive proper oxygen flow. Unfortunately, oxygen deprivation can cause severe headaches and traumatic injury to your brain. According to spinalcord.com, you may lose consciousness between 30 to 180 seconds of oxygen deprivation, and brain cells begin dying at the one-minute mark. Therefore, our sleep apnea dentist in Okemos encourages patients who experience daily morning headaches, an inability to think clearly, or decreased awareness or judgment to contact our office for a sleep apnea consultation.
What are the risks of sleep apnea?
In addition to possible brain injuries, multiple health risks can occur due to OSA. For example, sleep apnea can contribute to hypertension, high blood pressure, heart attacks, and strokes when left untreated. According to our Lansing dentist that treats sleep apnea, sleep-disordered breathing can also result in family discord, depression, increased mortality rates, and sexual dysfunction. Furthermore, driving an automobile while drowsy could result in an accident that may claim your life or someone else’s.
What treatments are available for sleep apnea sufferers?
Your sleep apnea type and severity will help determine which treatment option is best for your condition. Dr. Tenaglia uses data from an administered home sleep study to provide treatments such as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), positional therapy, an oral appliance, or corrective surgery. Our East Lansing dentist that offers sleep apnea treatment explains that patients who lose weight can improve or remedy their obstructive sleep apnea as the loss reduces fatty tissue surrounding the airway. Even though the most common treatment for sleep apnea is CPAP therapy, most patients find the unit uncomfortable and cumbersome to clean or carry when traveling. Fortunately, dental advancements provide an additional and more practical method for treating sleep apnea, an oral appliance.
What is oral appliance therapy?
Oral appliance therapy is a natural treatment that improves airflow and reduces snoring while sleeping. The oral appliance is custom-made and designed to slightly shift your lower jaw into alignment to prevent soft tissue from blocking the airway. Users find that wearing an oral appliance is comfortable and convenient. Plus, it doesn’t make any noise, so that it won’t disturb your partner’s sleep.
Sleep Apnea Treatment in Okemos, Lansing, and East Lansing, MI
Daily headaches can be debilitating And keep you from accomplishing things. Then, when you include problems with concentration and memory, irritability, and daytime sleepiness, it can compound an already challenging day. Therefore, if you frequently wake up with headaches, it’s time to seek treatment with an experienced airway dentist in Okemos. Please call Tenaglia Smiles at (517) 347-6733 or contact us online to schedule a sleep apnea consultation and take back control of your days.