Frequently Asked Questions:

What is snoring and sleep apnea? (back to top)
Snoring is a noise that is the result of air forced through the throat when the opening has been reduced from the soft palate, pharynx and the base of the tongue relaxing and falling together during sleep. Snoring can be barely audible or the intensity of a jet engine. Obstructive sleep apnea, the most common type of apnea, snoring is present, but with the added detriment that tissues will completely close the airway and the person stops breathing during sleep. This may occur up to hundreds of times during the night. During an apnic period, a cessation of breathing, the person will partially wake to a lighter sleep so the body can breathe again, but the individual is rarely aware of these awakenings. So, the individual with sleep apnea does not get to experience the deep restorative sleep and may suffer serious medical conditions that certainly should be evaluated if one suspects they have the disease.

How do I know if I, or a loved one, have sleep apnea? (back to top)
First of all, snoring is often the early warning sign for future sleep apnea. Both, snoring and sleep apnea are initially recognized by the audible noises during sleep. An individual may further notice that their bed partner stops snoring for brief periods resuming snoring with a load gasp or choking noise as they begin breathing again. Witnessing these episodes increases the likelihood that they have sleep apnea.
Other symptoms that someone with sleep apnea may experience are excessive fatigue during the day and they fall asleep easily such as when riding in a car or when sitting quietly in a public place. One must realize that not everyone with sleep apnea has all of the symptoms or the same symptoms. Symptoms may also include poor memory, difficulty concentrating, irritability, weight gain, impotence, personality changes and marital discord.

Who is susceptible to snoring and sleep apnea? (back to top)
Millions of people in the US have sleep apnea and have no idea they have the disorder. There are some common risk factors associated with the development of sleep apnea, but this is certainly not universal. Males are effected about twice as often as females and obesity and larger neck sizes certainly increases one’s risk of developing sleep apnea, but anyone may develop the disorder as there are no socioeconomic boundaries, child to senior citizen, any race or nationality, being heavy or thin, tall or short, having all their teeth or having no teeth.

What problems are possible if left untreated? (back to top)
The noise of snoring and sleep apnea sometimes results in loss of a bed partner! Many presenting for an evaluation are prompted to do so from their partner as the partner is unable to sleep due to the loud snoring. However, sleep apnea has been strongly linked to many serious medical conditions such as high blood pressure, heart attacks, fatal cardiac arrhythmias (irregular heart rhythms) such as those Reggie White experienced, strokes, diabetes, impotence and headaches. People with sleep apnea may also encounter weight gain as they have difficulty exercising due to the excessive fatigue, altered mental sharpness such as poor memory, personality changes and irritability, and decreased sex drive.

What should I do if I suspect that I, or a loved one, have snoring and sleep apnea?
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A person with a snoring condition or suspecting sleep apnea should see someone that specializes in sleep medicine. The provider should be a member of the appropriate academy, a physician should be a member of the Academy of Sleep Medicine and the dentist should be a member of the Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine. If a person would like to be checked for these conditions they should ask their physician for a referral or they can contact our office.

What does the exam consist of? (back to top)
Usually, the doctor initially will have you complete a quick questionnaire and perform a brief exam. If you are found to have snoring only, the doctor should offer several options as possible solutions. If sleep apnea is suspected a more thorough questionnaire and more detailed exam should be performed along with a sleep study.

What treatment options are there for snoring and sleep apnea? (back to top)
The most common treatment for a person experiencing snoring without apnea is an anti-snore dental appliance that frequently completely eradicates the snoring. There are a variety of therapies for sleep apnea. The recommendation for severe apnea is a pneumatic medical device know as a “CPAP” that forces oxygen into the airway maintaining open passages while the person sleeps. Just this year the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, in response to recent research, has approved sleep apnea dental appliances as appropriate initial therapies for mild to moderate sleep apnea. These devices have a high effectiveness rate and are preferred by patients over other therapeutic options due to comfort and ease of use. Additionally, there are surgeries that in some situations may be of benefit for snoring and sleep apnea. One should discuss these with their doctor for more specific information of the various surgeries.

Is this a lifetime problem? (back to top)
Unfortunately, snoring and sleep apnea are most often lifelong conditions. The good news is that there are effective treatments to manage snoring and apnea. Although the condition can be eliminated in few cases, or if not completely eliminated, significantly reduced with behavioral and lifestyle modifications.

What are the lifestyle changes that may improve sleep apnea? (back to top)
As mentioned before, a person may improve, or even eliminate their sleep apnea through measures such as weight loss. Losing weight reduces the excess tissue in the airway resulting in a lessened risk of the airway closing off during sleep. Other behavioral changes include reducing alcohol and sedative medications that may increase sleep apnea.

Is sleep apnea covered by insurance? (back to top)
Coverage obviously depends on the individual insurance an individual has, but the majority of patients will find that they are covered for the majority of sleep apnea related costs. The doctor’s office staff will help the patient in finding out what type of coverage is available with their particular policy.