Effective Sleep Apnea Care

Sleep apnea is a medical condition that deprives the patient of crucial oxygen while they sleep. This often leads to serious health issues including strokes, heart attacks, anxiety, reduced libido, decreased cognitive ability, and depression.

The most common type of sleep apnea is called Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). OSA occurs when tissue blocks the airway, causing the patient to completely stop breathing several times while they sleep every night.

Dr. Huff will make sure you get the correct diagnosis and treatment for your sleep apnea.

Getting the Right Diagnosis

Heavy snoring is a common symptom of sleep apnea. If you frequently feel groggy or anxious during the day and your sleeping partner is bothered by your loud snoring, you could be suffering from sleep apnea. Dr. Huff will arrange for you to take a sleep test to find out if you have sleep apnea.

You can go to a sleep center for your sleep test, but many of our patients prefer to take it in the comfort of their own home using a portable device. The results of your sleep test will be reviewed by a qualified sleep physician.

We feature a number of effective treatments for sleep apnea. And if it turns out that you don’t have sleep apnea, Dr. Huff can still treat your snoring.

Your Treatment Options

Once you’ve received your diagnosis, Dr. Huff will recommend the treatment option that fits your lifestyle. Common treatments for sleep apnea include:

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)

A CPAP machine is one of the most effective available treatments for sleep apnea. It keeps the patient’s airway open during sleep by providing a steady stream of warm air through a mask that attaches to the patient’s face.

Unfortunately, many patients stop using their CPAP machine after less than a year of treatment. Patients commonly complain that their CPAP machine is loud, inconvenient, and it restricts their motion while they sleep.

Oral Appliance Therapy (OAT)

Many patients with mild to moderate sleep apnea find relief using an oral appliance. This is a small device that the patient wears while sleeping to gently reposition the lower jaw to keep the airway open. An oral appliance looks like a retainer.

Our patients tell us that their oral appliances are convenient and easy to use. An oral appliance doesn’t make any noise and it doesn’t require a power source, so you can take it anywhere. It’s a great alternative for people who want to live without restrictions.

Surgery and Medication

Sometimes, a sleep physician will prescribe medication to treat sleep apnea. There are also cases where surgery is used to remove excess tissue that’s obstructing the airway.