What's New
December 2011 Blog
Do You Snore?Do you or someone you know snore? According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), nearly 50% of all Americans snore. Snoring is created by the vibration of the pharyngeal soft tissues as air passes through an airway that is too small to allow for smooth unimpeded flow. Did you know that snoring is the number one symptom of a lethal disease called sleep apnea? To give you a better understanding of the term, “apnea” comes from the Greek word meaning “without breath.”
Sleep apnea is a serious condition that should not be ignored. This disease actually causes you to wake up numerous times an hour while you sleep. More specifically, obstructed sleep apnea, (OSA) is a situation in which the entire upper airway is blocked, causing airflow to stop. Ask someone to observe you while you sleep. They will notice shallow breathing and possibly even pauses while you sleep. This may look disturbing. The breathing interruptions can last anywhere from a few seconds to a couple of minutes, per breathing episode. This causes the individual to get restless sleep and feel extremely fatigued during the day.
What makes sleep apnea so dangerous? Many individuals have sleep apnea and have no clue that they suffer from it. Untreated sleep apnea increases the chances of heart attack, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and even sudden death by 46%! According to the Center for Disease Control, (CDC), 20% of the U.S. population will have sleep apnea by 2012. Even more staggering, 90% of the population will go undiagnosed. If you or your sleep partner suspects that you may have sleep apnea, please contact our office immediately.
Snoring is no longer a laughing matter. Since snoring may be a symptom of sleep apnea, it should be taken very seriously and therefore consider treatment without hesitation.
