If you wake up several times a night, feel tired the next day, often have headaches, or awaken with a dry throat, you may be suffering from sleep apnea. Have you been told you snore? Do you clench your teeth while your sleep? Has someone said they heard you grinding your teeth at night? If you answer “yes” to any of these questions, it may be time for you to see a sleep apnea dentist in Miami Beach.
Over 22 million Americans have sleep apnea, so you’re not alone in your struggle. There’s no need to keep suffering from sleep apnea in Miami Beach because dentists who treat this very common condition are just a phone call away. Maybe you’ve been experiencing a persistent cough that has no apparent cause. Sleep apnea and coughing are very closely related because when you have sleep apnea, your airway collapses making breathing very difficult. A sleep apnea cough is very common, but it is treatable when you find a skilled sleep apnea dentist in Miami Beach, Florida.
What is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a disorder that causes someone to stop breathing for short periods of time throughout the night. Some patients with sleep apnea may stop breathing hundreds of times a night for 10 seconds. Sometimes the breathing stoppages may last longer causing you to wake up due to a lack of air.
When your airway is obstructed as it is with sleep apnea, your brain no longer receives signals to breathe, and you will cough or choke, sometimes jarring yourself awake. Imagine this taking place hundreds of times a night as you try to get a good night’s sleep! No wonder you feel so bad the next day. You were up on and off all night gasping for air.
The signs and symptoms of sleep apnea are numerous:
- Daytime sleepiness
- Lethargy
- Sleep apnea cough
- Dry throat
- Irritability
- Mood swings
- Difficulty concentration
- Nighttime sweating
- High blood pressure
- Decreased libido
- Decreased enjoyment in life
If you have any or all of these symptoms, it’s time to see someone who knows how to identify and treat sleep apnea in Miami Beach, Florida.
Sleep Study for Sleep Apnea
Once you’ve had a sleep study to confirm a sleep apnea diagnosis, treatment can begin. In the past, the only successful treatment for sleep apnea was a CPAP machine (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure). CPAP involves wearing a mask and breathing tube hooked up to a machine while you sleep. While CPAP works, it’s not the best solution for everyone suffering from sleep apnea. After a thorough evaluation, your sleep apnea dentist in Miami Beach will create a treatment plan suited for your needs and goals. You may be a great candidate for oral appliance therapy.
Oral appliance therapy often referred to as a “bite splint,” has been hugely successful in the treatment of sleep apnea in Miami Beach, Florida, so don’t let the thought of being hooked up to a CPAP machine for the rest of your life deter you from having an evaluation.
Can I Put Off Sleep Apnea Treatment?
If you are able to proceed with treatment for sleep apnea in Miami Beach, it’s recommended to do so sooner rather than later. If left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to a whole host of medical problems including:
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Obesity
- Type II Diabetes (known medically as Diabetes Mellitus)
- Cardiovascular disease including heart failure
- GERD (Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease)
- Depression
- Chronic sleep apnea cough
One very serious result of sleep apnea is that people who are exhausted have trouble focusing on driving. The concentration and alertness required to drive safely are severely affected by the troubled sleeping the night before. Many sleep apnea sufferers in Miami Beach have fallen asleep while driving or reacted too slowly to avoid a collision. For all of these reasons, it’s important to get your sleep apnea diagnosed and then start treatment with your sleep apnea dentist.
Get Sleep Apnea Treatment in Miami Beach Today
If you feel you have sleep apnea, please contact SoBe DENTIST™ today by calling (305) 535-2225, or you may fill out our online appointment request form. One of our dental team members will be in touch with you soon.
