Snoring can be a sign of a more disruptive sleep issue. When you can’t breathe properly while sleeping, your body has a more difficult time renewing energy for the next day. With enough frequency, snoring can be a sign of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). Dr. Amin Samadian can help you get your snoring under control so you can get the good night’s rest you deserve.
How Does Sleep Apnea Cause Snoring?
Obstructive Sleep Apnea affects 33% of adults and occurs when your tongue and soft palate relax and block your airway. Snoring occurs when some air is allowed through, causing your tissues to vibrate together. While it may seem small, snoring disrupts your oxygen intake and prevents you from reaching all the restorative sleep stages. You may not know you’re not breathing properly, and each occurrence wakes you up enough to get you breathing again. These are called micro-arousals, which can happen in excess of 50 times an hour in the most severe cases.
OSA occurs more in men, overweight or obese people, those who have a thicker neck, smoke, or suffer nasal congestion. Treatment is vital to prevent the development of more serious conditions. OSA can lead to higher risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and more. OSA treatment can alleviate morning headaches, forgetfulness, moodiness, dry or sore throat, and extreme fatigue.
How Can I Stop Snoring?
OSA is diagnosed through a clinical sleep study. Because sleep clinics can exacerbate your unrest due to the foreign environment, Dr. Samadian is a big proponent of the at-home sleep study. The equipment records your breathing throughout the night and the results are interpreted for sleep bruxism (teeth grinding), OSA, and snoring. Once Dr. Samadian has the full report on your sleep patterns, he can design a treatment plan that best fits you.
The most common treatment is a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine, which provides a steady flow of air through your airway to prevent collapse or vibration. Patients have an array of mask configurations to find the most comfortable one, but they’re not always ideal. They can worsen claustrophobia, or patients who travel often may find a CPAP machine quite annoying, particularly through transportation logistics and ensuring their sleeping arrangements include a nearby electrical outlet.
Alternatively, Dr. Samadian can supply you with an oral appliance to treat your OSA or snoring. They fit over your teeth like a sports mouthguard—which also prevents bruxism—to shift your lower jaw forward and hold your airway open. Patients with milder OSA and snoring can often correct sleep disturbances and stop micro-arousals entirely with just an oral appliance. Others may need only the CPAP machine or require a combination of both. OSA appliances are 3D-printed in Dr. Samadian’s state-of-the-art in-house lab after being custom fabricated to position your mouth in the exact configuration you need to improve your rest. Compared to a CPAP machine, your oral appliance is far more portable without the need for electricity, and most patients consider them much more comfortable than a restrictive mask.
Neither treatment is painful, nor do they require any downtime or recovery. However, it’s crucial you adhere to your treatment plan each night for maximum benefit. Dr. Samadian will also monitor if or how your oral appliance may alter your bite.
What Results Can I Expect?
You can expect a fantastic night’s sleep almost immediately, and snoring may disappear entirely. No more sore throat when you wake up, and no more disgruntled partners who’ve had their sleep disrupted by your dysfunctional breathing patterns. You can peacefully dream knowing your snoring has stopped.
Take the Next Step
If you have questions about sleep apnea, we encourage you to schedule a consultation with Dr. Amin Samadian, proudly serving San Francisco, Main County, and the East Bay Area in California. You can count on him to help you make an informed decision. Call us at (925-254-2360) or fill out our convenient online contact form
