Oral Sleep Apnea (OSA)

OSA is one of many forms of a group of disorders collectively referred to as "Sleeping Disorders." As their name suggests, Sleeping Disorders prevent you from getting a good night's rest (or sleep).

What is the cause behind these Sleeping Disorders? Any number of things can prevent you from getting good restful sleep. Some people cannot stop their mind from racing after a day of work. Their thoughts (and worries) keep them awake at night. Some people have problems with their muscles twitching and jerking around. An example of this is Restless Leg Syndrom (RLS). Some people are on drugs or medications which affect their sleep cycle (too much caffeine, etc.).

People with Sleep Apnea cannot get restful sleep because they cannot breath adequately in their sleep! Imagine you are sleeping and your partner comes up to you and without flat out awakening you gently pinches your nose and covers your mouth when you are sleeping so that you cannot breathe. After a few seconds, due to the rise in the level of carbon monoxide in your blood, your subconscious kicks in causing you to fight for and eventually get a breath of air in. You do this by changing your sleep position or jerking around. As you struggle to breathe in, your natural sleep cycle gets interrupted. This can (and does) happen without you being fully awakened. People who suffer from sleep apnea don't know they have this condition because they are not awakened in the middle of the night.

Simply put, patients with sleep apnea cannot breathe in their sleep well enough to be able to sleep undisturbed. So, what can be done and more importantly, does something need to be done?

Research has shown that people who suffer from sleep apnea have more medical problems. They visit their doctors more, spend more on healthcare services and medications and lose more time from their work and family as a result. They usually develop high blood pressure, heart disease, weight gain, diabetes, Alzheimer's and many more. They are more prone to get into an auto accident (falling sleep behind the wheel). Imagine an air traffic controller, a bus driver or the ship's captain falling sleep on the job! Scary. They are also less productive at work since their mind is foggy and they cannot focus on the task at hand. A project might take them 3-4 times longer to finish. And perhaps the scariest of all is that sleep apnea kills you a little bit every night. Your quality of life is reduced and your longevity also suffers.

Treatment for sleep apnea depends on the severity of (and the cause). Most people suffer from Oral Sleep Apnea. The severity of the illness is determine to doing a "Sleep Study" (or a Polysomnogram). The polysomnogram allows your doctor to determine the severity of your disease. For mild and moderate cases an oral appliance is the recommended therapy. For severe cases a CPAP is necessary. Lifestyle changes promoting a healthier body weight and dietary habits are also useful, but not enough by itself. Dr. Eslampour has had rigorous training in treating patients with Oral Sleep Apnea. He can discuss your treatment options with you and recommend the most effective treatment protocol. Click here to schedule your consultation.