• Blogs

9 Sep, 2019

Why You Should Never Ignore Your Loud Snoring?

Do you believe your extremely loud snoring is just an involuntary sound you are making when you sleep? If so, we suggest you read this article to understand why the loud snoring should never be ignored because it is a major symptom of obstructive sleep apnea. You are advised to seek loud snoring treatment as soon as possible because if left untreated the condition of obstructive sleep apnea can expose you to serious life-threatening consequences.

You could become a victim of high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, depression, and even accidents by falling asleep at the wheel. Sleep apnea is a condition that affects more men than women especially African-Americans and Hispanics. Extremely loud snoring can get intolerable even for bed partners. You could be suffering from this problem because of obesity, bouts of awakening out of breath during the night, frequently waking up in the morning with a dry mouth or headache. However, none of the symptoms mentioned may always be present and therefore the best way to diagnose whether sleep apnea is present and the severity of the condition is to visit a sleep clinic or a dentist.

What Is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

This condition is caused by a blockage of the airway when the soft tissue at the back of the throat collapses and closes when sleeping. If you suffer from central sleep apnea your airway will not be blocked but the muscles do not receive a signal to breathe from the brain. Another form of this condition is known as mixed sleep apnea which is a combination of obstructive and central sleep apnea.

If you are a victim of obstructive sleep apnea you have multiple options for the treatment of this condition along with loud snoring treatment. You can visit a board-certified sleep medicine physician who may refer you to a sleep clinic for a study or even recommend a home sleep study that can provide an accurate diagnosis of your condition. However, in both cases, you will be required to spend a substantial sum of money simply for the diagnosis without taking into account other expenditures charged by physicians.

Sleep apnea is a common condition that affects 18 million Americans and the risk factors include being overweight, male, and over the age of 40 but the problem can affect people of all ages including children. Unfortunately, because of a lack of awareness by the people and health care professionals, a majority of the patients suffering from sleep apnea remain underdiagnosed and untreated. This is despite the fact that this serious sleep-related disorder can have drastic consequences.

How Can Sleep Apnea Affect Individuals?

People displaying sleep apnea signs such as loud snoring and not treating the condition will begin to suffer from high blood pressure and other cardiovascular conditions, weight gain, memory problems, impotence, and headaches. Untreated sleep apnea is also responsible for job impairment and motor vehicle accidents. Thankfully diagnosing and treating the condition is possible and several treatment options exist for people suffering from sleep apnea.

Which Treatment Option Should Be Considered for Sleep Apnea?

When you receive a referral to a sleep study physician and are recommended to undergo sleep study at a clinic it will be for a comprehensive diagnosis of your condition. The polysomnography tests conducted by sleep clinics are intrusive and expensive but are considered as the gold standard for diagnosing this condition.

You can opt for getting yourselves diagnosed by asking for a home sleep study test that is not intrusive but will provide effective results at lesser prices. The test is comfortable, nonintrusive and lets you undergo the diagnosis in a familiar environment.

You may be suggested to use a CPAP machine if you are diagnosed as a victim of sleep apnea. However, if you are only suffering from the problem of snoring without sleep apnea you may be recommended an oral appliance by the sleep physician that you can obtain from the dentist in Huntington Beach. This treatment option that was pioneered by dentists has proven itself as an effective method of treating snoring and sleep apnea with a simple device that appears like a mouthguard. You will, however, be required to undergo the diagnosis as suggested by the sleep medicine physician because a diagnosis for sleep apnea is best conducted by the methods mentioned above and will help you to get the treatment you deserve to overcome this problem.