Sleep Apnea Solutions in Memphis:
Understand Causes,
Symptoms, and Treatments

Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder where a person experiences disrupted breathing during sleep. Individuals with untreated sleep apnea may stop breathing multiple times throughout the night. There are three main types of sleep apnea: obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), central sleep apnea (CSA), and complex sleep apnea syndrome. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most prevalent form.

OSA is characterized by brief interruptions of breathing during sleep due to an airway blockage. These obstructions occur when the throat muscles, tongue, tonsils, or soft palate collapse into the throat, leading to a significant drop in blood oxygen levels throughout the night.

It is always best to follow the recommendations of healthcare professionals, as they are the experts in managing sleep apnea. Your physician will recommend the most appropriate treatment options based on your sleep study data, body physiology, and specific causes of your sleep apnea.

There are three types of sleep apnea:

• Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) – This is the most common type of sleep apnea. It occurs due to a physical blockage in the airway, typically caused by the collapse of soft tissues at the back of the throat.
• Central Sleep Apnea (CSA) – This type involves the cessation of breathing due to the brain not sending the proper signals to the muscles involved in breathing. It is less common and typically not treatable with oral appliances.
• Complex Sleep Apnea Syndrome – This is a combination of OSA and CSA.

Common causes and risk factors for sleep apnea include:

1. Excessive body weight
2. Smoking
3. Family history of sleep apnea
4. Men are at higher risk
5. Eld erly individuals
6. Nasal congestion
7. Increased neck circumference
8. Use of alcohol or sedatives

Sleep plays an essential role in maintaining your physical and mental health. Having good quality sleep every day would help in elevating your quality of life and boost your performance. During sleep, your body undergoes healing enables you to recover from fatigue and other illnesses. Sleep deficiency has been proven to compromise your quality of life and increases the risk of chronic health disorders like heart failure, high blood pressure, and many more.

You can discuss your symptoms with your physician. Your physician or a board-certified sleep medicine physician will schedule a night sleep study at a sleep facility or a home sleep apnea test to assess your sleep. The data collected from the sleep study will be used to make a diagnosis. Based on the severity of the sleep apnea, your physician would recommend an oral appliance for sleep apnea management.

The type of sleep apnea device recommended for you will determine the cost of the treatment. Moreover, sleep apnea is a medical condition requiring collaborative work between your physician and Dr.Adatrow. You should always check with your insurance provider to know about your coverage and approach us for any questions you might have. Our team is always eager to serve our patients.

If a patient comes to our clinic with sleep apnea symptoms, dr. Adatrow will do a thorough screening of the patient for osa with a specific questionnaire and assessment of the patient’s airway. He then refers to a physician for examination. The physician performs a sleep study on the patients. Based on the research, if the physician decides that an oral appliance is an ideal treatment for the patient, the physician will prescribe an oral appliance. Following the recommendation of an oral appliance, our dental team will provide critical support for all your efforts. Dr. Adatrow collaborates with the physician through the entire procedure to ensure his patient’s effective treatment and well-being.

The oral appliance looks and fits like an orthodontic retainer and is worn while sleeping. The device will support and position the lower jaw in a forward position; this will help maintain an open airway and make breathing easier.

It is always best to listen to the professionals’ recommendations, as they are the field experts. Your physician will provide you with ideal recommendations based on your sleep study data, body physiology, and causes.

Snoring is a common symptom of sleep apnea. Choking or gasping sounds while sleeping, sleepiness or tiredness throughout the daytime, frequent waking up with gasping during sleep, poor memory, irritability, headache in mornings, inability to focus, and compromised productivity are common signs symptoms of sleep apnea. If you or your partner observe any of these signs and symptoms, there is a high possibility that you suffer from sleep apnea.

It is always best to listen to the professionals’ recommendations, as they are the field experts. Your physician will provide you with ideal recommendations based on your sleep study data, body physiology, and causes.

Snoring is a common symptom of sleep apnea. Choking or gasping sounds while sleeping, sleepiness or tiredness throughout the daytime, frequent waking up with gasping during sleep, poor memory, irritability, headache in mornings, inability to focus, and compromised productivity are common signs symptoms of sleep apnea. If you or your partner observe any of these signs and symptoms, there is a high possibility that you suffer from sleep apnea.

Your dentist best decides the type of oral appliance. Dr. Adatrow will assess your medical history and your sleep medicine physician recommendation and determine the kind of oral device that will give you the best results.

You will feel like a new person by getting your snoring or osa treated by the oral appliance. Initially, you will need some time to get used to the device. After your adjustment period, you will notice that your productivity during the day gets better. Your other symptoms and quality of life will improve if you adhere to all the instructions and use the appliance every night.

Sleep apnea or snoring guards have to be customized to fit your teeth and oral structures. Dr.Adatrow ensures that the sleep apnea device is in harmony with your oral structures to ensure the device’s maximum comfort and effective functioning. However, when you buy an over-the-counter device, it might not fit your oral structures well and lead to complications like jaw problems or tooth movement. Hence, we do not recommend over the counter devices.

You will notice that your snoring reduces, the focus gets better during the daytime and better quality of life. All these are indicators that the appliance is effective in reducing your sleep apnea. You can also discuss with your sleep doctor to schedule a sleep study to evaluate the results after using the device.