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Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Your Risks and Treatment Options

Do you wake up feeling tired? Have you been told that you snore? These signs and symptoms may point to obstructive sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea, also known as OSA, is a common condition that impacts the sleep — and health — of many adults. But with the right OSA treatment in South Florida, obstructive sleep apnea won’t be a problem for you.

What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

Obstructive sleep apnea means that your airway becomes partially blocked when you sleep, causing you to briefly stop breathing. This can happen many times each night and compromise the quality of your sleep.

What causes Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

The soft tissue in your throat that isn’t a problem while you are upright reposition when you lie down, causing your airway to become blocked.  OSA can be the temporary side effect of a cold and can become a problem during pregnancy. OSA can develop due to allergies or weight gain. Smoking, drinking alcohol, and taking some prescription medicines may worsen obstructive sleep apnea. In some cases, genetics are thought to play a role in OSA.

What are the risks associated with Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

If obstructive sleep apnea is a persistent problem for you, your health is at risk. OSA disrupts sleep, which can have negative effects on health and well-being, including:

• Weight gain
• Increased blood pressure
• Greater risk of developing diabetes
• Greater risk of depression and mood disorders
• Daytime drowsiness

And other health risks.

Your body needs deep restorative sleep to rest and heal. Your organs need oxygen. OSA can cause poor sleep and decreases oxygen levels, leaving you tired and less healthy every morning.

How is Obstructive Sleep Apnea treated?

Treatment of OSA involves keeping the airway open continuously during sleep. A CPAP machine, over-the-counter oral devices, and oral appliance therapy are popular obstructive sleep apnea treatment methods.

A CPAP machine requires the OSA patient to wear a mask throughout the night. Many patients stop using their CPAP machine, saying it’s too loud or too inconvenient.  Without treatment, their sleep apnea continues.

An over-the-counter appliance for OSA fits into the mouth and keeps the airway unobstructed during sleep. There’s no mask, no machine, no noise. But OSA patients have found that these boil-and-bite devices lose their shape after being boiled a few times, and can be uncomfortable. When a patient stops wearing their OTC sleep apnea device, their poor sleep quality returns.

OAT treatment from Dr. Maria Yazji Orthodontics is a good way to correct obstructive sleep apnea. An OAT device is custom-made for the OSA patient at one of our three South Florida offices. This device is worn every night, keeping the airway clear and letting the OSA patient get the restful sleep they need. An OAT device is made to comfortably fit each patient, retain its shape, and conveniently treat obstructive sleep apnea. Contact our Weston, Brickell, or Miami office for an OAT Treatment consultation with Dr. Yazji. Don’t let the risks of OSA harm your health — get treatment for your obstructive sleep apnea at the offices of Dr. Maria Yazji Orthodontics.

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