To have a good day, you must first have a good night. For many people, however, a good night is but a dream. If you or the person one pillow over snores, then you know what we’re referring to here. Night after night of interrupted sleep makes for exhaustion during the day. But that’s not all. Snoring may be a sign of a serious condition called sleep apnea. For sleep apnea and snoring treatment that results in peaceful nights and productive days, patients in the Jacksonville, FL, area turn to Dr. Scott Wagner at Eccella Smiles.
What is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a chronic condition that actually results in the cessation of breathing. The most common form is obstructive sleep apnea. In this case, the airway becomes blocked when soft tissue—like your tongue—relax during sleep and fall back, thereby interfering with breathing. A person with sleep apnea may not even realize what’s happening, but the brain does and signals the body to wake up in order to restart breathing. Believe it or not, this may happen more than 100 times during the night. That adds up to a lot of missed sleep. No wonder people with sleep apnea are tired during the day! Sleep apnea sufferers may also experience morning headaches, dry mouth or sore throat; difficulty concentrating; memory problems and a lack of coordination.
Solving Sleep Apnea
Fortunately, treating sleep apnea does not necessarily require surgery or a bulky CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine. The solution might be a thin, flexible mouthguard that Dr. Wagner prescribes to hold your jaw forward while you sleep, so your airway remains open. This oral appliance has worked for many patients who snore and/or have sleep apnea and may be an alternative for patients who have tried a CPAP and found it intolerable.
Schedule an Appointment Today
If you suspect that you or the person next to you who snores may have sleep apnea, then call Eccella Smiles. We will be happy to evaluate you. Located in Jacksonville Beach, FL, patients visit our office from across the nation, as well as from the surrounding areas of Ponte Vedra, Jacksonville, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach and St. Augustine.