What is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a serious health problem. It is a sleep disorder that occurs when a person’s breathing stops during sleep. This means the brain, organs and body are being starved of the necessary oxygen. may not get enough oxygen.
There are two types of sleep apnea:
Central Sleep Apnea: when the brain does not send the signal to the muscles to breathe. This is neurological problem.
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA): it is caused by a obstruction of the airway, usually when the soft tissue in the back of the throat or tongue collapses blocking the airway.
Sleep apnea can affect anyone at any age, even children. Some risk factors for obstructive sleep apnea include:
- Being male
- 40 years of age and older
- Overweight
- Having a large neck
- Large tonsils
- Large tongue
- Small lower jaw
- Nasal obstruction due to a deviated septum, allergies, or sinusproblems
- Having a family history of sleep apnea
- Gastroesophageal reflux, or GERD
If left untreated, obstructive sleep apnea can result numberous health problems, including:
In addition, untreated sleep apnea may be responsible for poor performance in everyday activities, such as at work and school, motor vehicle crashes, and academic underachievement in children and adolescents. Call our office today at 832-487-0647 or come by and visit us at 3421 Burke Rd #1, Pasadena, Texas 77504.