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Posts Tagged ‘sleep apnea’

Sleep apnea and heart failure: get the facts from London dentists

Sunday, March 27th, 2011

Sleep apnea is a potentially disruptive condition that affects the sufferer’s ability to sleep. It can have a significant impact on the patient’s life and ought to be taken seriously. Thankfully your dentist can help diagnosing sleep apnea so you can begin to deal with the condition.

If you are having a disrupted sleep because you keep on waking up, it might be that you have sleep apnea. Sleep apnea occurs when the muscles at the rear of the mouth relax to such an extent during sleep that insufficient oxygen is drawn into the lungs. At this point the brain will send a signal for the body to wake up because it is not getting enough oxygen.

The disruption to patterns of sleep can leave the sufferer experiencing extreme fatigue during the day. This can impair their ability to drive safely and operate heavy machinery. But perhaps the most serious potential complication is the increased risk of heart failure and strokes. This is because sleep apnea patients tend to experience hypertension because of their inadequate sleep.

High risk groups for sleep apnea are those who smoke tobacco or drink alcohol before sleeping. Those who are obese also have a greater chance of experiencing sleep apnea. Your dentist is ideally placed to diagnose sleep apnea because they have access to the muscles at the back of the mouth which can cause the problem.

There are a number of solutions to sleep apnea, which involve the patient wearing a device in their mouth while they sleep to ensure that the flow of oxygen to the lungs is unhindered. If you are worried about sleep apnea, don’t delay, make an appointment to visit your London dentist today.

Sleep Apnea and Heart Failure in Central London

Monday, January 24th, 2011

If you happen to live alone in central London, it’s very difficult to know if you have any problems when you sleep, such as teeth grinding or snoring. You may also be unaware that you suffer from sleep apnea too. Apnea is the term associated with erratic breathing or pauses in breathing as you sleep caused by the lack of airflow into the lungs. One of its more obvious manifestations is snoring, but more seriously, can lead to heart failure. The heart rate works directly off breathing. If you breathe faster, the heart works harder to push blood around the body. If you breathe slower, the heart rate drops, as it has less work to do to support the body. So imagine that your breathing becomes very erratic, then so does the heart rate which can cause it to fail altogether. It can be rectified however through various dental procedures. The most common technique is to force the jaw down and forwards using a mandibular advancement device, allowing more air into the lungs. A tongue restraining device works also allows more air to be taken in. These are generally used when monitoring the problems under medical conditions. The final technique used to alleviate this problem, places a screw to the upper teeth that can be adjusted to reduce nasal pressure. Whatever treatment your dentist advises, it needs to be treated immediately. Sleep apnea is being linked to the reason people die their sleep and even cot death.

Coping with sleep apnoea in London

Wednesday, November 24th, 2010

There is a very good chance that nearly all of us in London could go through life without even knowing that we suffer from sleep apnea, if we lived alone. It’s usually noticed by a long suffering partner. Apnea is a term used for abnormal pauses in breathing, or low breathing during sleep, lasting anything up to minutes at a time. Generally the problem is caused by the blocking of airflow into the lungs, which can lead to one of its more annoying manifestations- snoring. Diagnosing the problem correctly is done by monitoring sleep patterns at a clinic. This will decide on the type of treatment required. In extreme cases, surgery will be used, but if this can be avoided, there are several dental procedures and devices that can be used in the treatment of sleep apnea. The most popular is a mandibular advancement device that forces the jaw down and forwards to open the airway during sleep. Another device restrains the tongue to achieve the same affect. During the course of the treatment, the devices will be monitored, adjusted and replaced in order to continue the treatment and they have a better track record of success compared surgery. Another orthodontic technique involves a screw being applied to upper teeth and adjusted regularly to help reduce nasal pressure and promote breathing.

Most dentists will be able to direct you to the right course of treatment once the problem has been correctly diagnosed.

London dentist helps you sleep with apnea treatment

Saturday, September 25th, 2010

You may have heard the term sleep apnea in recent years as more and more is learnt about the condition. But you may not be aware of all the details of this potentially very dangerous condition. While it must be stressed that in most cases the patient will suffer no real serious health conditions as a result of sleep apnea, it is possible for it to cause fatal heart attacks and disease.

There are two types of sleep apnea called central sleep apnea and obstructive sleep apnea. The more common form of the condition is obstructive. This is caused b a physical malfunction where the soft palate actually collapses during sleep. This temporarily blocks the airway and leads to a guttural choking sound that many people often confuse with snoring. This will eventually right itself after about twenty to thirty seconds but can happen up to a hundred times a night, several times a week. As you can imagine, this is not idea and can be the underlying cause of many other health complaints such as fatigue, stress and anxiety. In children especially it can be responsible for under-performance in school and a lack of concentration.

There are other downsides, especially if the patient shares a bed. Sleep apnea can be very loud and often disrupt the sleep of partners and loved ones, putting strain on a relationship.

The other form of sleep apnea, central sleep apnea, is cause by the respiratory centre of the brain omitting to instruct the lungs to breath. This again causes a cessation of breathing that will eventually correct itself. This form of apnea is perhaps the more dangerous as it is not as easily cured. If you think you may be suffering from sleep apnea, you need to make an appointment with your London dentist who will be able to spot the tell-tale signs and recommend treatment.

Treat dangerous sleep apnea at London dentist

Friday, August 13th, 2010

Everybody knows somebody who snores and have been kept up at night by the noise. While snoring is an inconvenience (sometimes a rather serious one depending on who is doing the snoring) it is rarely more than this and even more rarely does it pose any kind of health problem. However, there is another kind of problem that affects people while they sleep that is not only very dangerous but can even be fatal.

Sleep apnea is often associated with snoring because it creates a similar sound but in reality the two conditions are quite separate. While snoring is the sound of breathing during sleep, apnea is the sound of the cessation of breathing during sleep, essentially choking. It can be caused in two different ways, either by a blocked airway due to a collapsing soft palate (known as obstructive sleep apnea) or as the result of a malfunction in the respiratory area of the brain (central sleep apnea).

In both cases, the problem usually resolves itself after about twenty to thirty seconds but because this can happen hundreds of times in the same night, it places a great deal of strain n the heart. It is often the underlying cause of stress, lack of concentration and poor performance at school or work. In extreme cases it puts so much strain on the heart that patients can have heart attacks. Sleep apnea sufferers often do not receive the treatment they need, either because they assume it is just snoring or because they have no idea the problem is even occurring. It does after all happen during sleep. London dentists are able to treat sleep apnea with special appliances or refer you to other professionals to treat the problem.

Learn more about sleep apnea at London dentist

Thursday, June 24th, 2010

Sleep apnea is a condition often confused with snoring that causes you to make loud noises during sleep. Whereas snoring is the sound of breathing during sleep, apnea is the sound emitted when breathing is interrupted and actually stops. This can be very dangerous and has links to several health problems and even sudden death form heart failure.

There are two main types of sleep apnea. The first is called obstructive sleep apnea and occurs when the soft palate at the back of the throat collapses temporarily blocking the airway. This then rights itself but the body is deprived of oxygen for a short time. This can happen many times during the night which you can imagine outs a great strain on the heart and doesn’t add up to a great night’s sleep. Obstructive apnea can usually be treated with a device from a London dentist. This device will need to be worn during the night to act as support for the palate.

The other kind of sleep apnea is called central sleep apnea and involves no physical blockage. The respiratory centre of the brain forgets to send the message to the lungs to breathe causing a temporary cessation of breathing. This is slightly harder to treat and will require an appointment with a sleep specialist.

One of the most interesting things about sleep apnea is that many people are completely unaware they are sufferers because it happens during sleep. It can have a huge impact on people’s lives, making them tired, stressed and even unwell without them knowing what is causing the problem. Ask your dentist for more information about sleep apnea.

London dentist breaks link between sleep apnea and heart failure

Saturday, April 24th, 2010

Sleep apnea is a condition that causes patients’ breathing to be interrupted many times during the night on several nights of the week. It has also been found to thicken blood vessels and increase the risk of many forms of cardiovascular disease. It can be particularly dangerous in patients who have already suffered heart failure or who are currently suffering from heart disease.

The condition is caused, either when the soft palate at the back of the throat collapses temporarily blocking the airways, or when the central respiratory area of the brain stops sending messages to the lungs to breath. In both cases the situation usually corrects itself after a few seconds but if this is happening many times during a night you can imagine the strain it will be putting on the heart.

This continual deprivation of oxygen is known as ‘chronic intermittent hypoxia’ and can affect the state of the patients’ blood vessels. It can also cause pulmonary hypertension which causes the heart to have difficulty when pumping.

Sleep apnea can be diagnosed by your London dentist. They should be able to distinguish between the different types of apnea in order to provide the most effective treatment. Although in most cases, sleep apnea will not cause heart failure, it does increase the risk and will also be the underlying cause of many other health problems such as stress and anxiety. Treatment for obstructive sleep apnea will usually involve fitting some kind of dental appliance to prevent the palate collapsing during sleep but will vary on the individual.

London dentist breaks link between sleep apnea and heart failure

Monday, March 22nd, 2010

Sleep apnea is a condition that causes patients’ breathing to be interrupted many times during the night on several nights of the week. It has also been found to thicken blood vessels and increase the risk of many forms of cardiovascular disease. It can be particularly dangerous in patients who have already suffered heart failure or who are currently suffering from heart disease.

The condition is caused, either when the soft palate at the back of the throat collapses temporarily blocking the airways, or when the central respiratory area of the brain stops sending messages to the lungs to breath. In both cases the situation usually corrects itself after a few seconds but if this is happening many times during a night you can imagine the strain it will be putting on the heart.

This continual deprivation of oxygen is known as ‘chronic intermittent hypoxia’ and can affect the state of the patients’ blood vessels. It can also cause pulmonary hypertension which causes the heart to have difficulty when pumping.

Sleep apnea can be diagnosed by your London dentist. They should be able to distinguish between the different types of apnea in order to provide the most effective treatment. Although in most cases, sleep apnea will not cause heart failure, it does increase the risk and will also be the underlying cause of many other health problems such as stress and anxiety. Treatment for obstructive sleep apnea will usually involve fitting some kind of dental appliance to prevent the palate collapsing during sleep but will vary on the individual.

Concerned about central sleep apnea? See a Central London dentist

Thursday, March 11th, 2010

Sleep apnea is a condition that causes interruption of breathing during sleep. Many sufferers of sleep apnea are completely unaware that they have to condition because it happens when they sleep.

There are two variants of sleep apnea that are caused by different areas of the body. Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) occurs when the soft palate at the back of the throat collapses, temporarily blocking the airway. This causes a temporary cessation of breathing that will eventually right itself. This can happen many times a night, several nights of the week and can be the underlying cause of stress and anxiety during waking hours. It can also be very difficult for partners and loved ones to live with because of the associated noise. OSA can be treated with various appliances fitted to prevent the collapse of the soft palate.

The other kind of sleep apnea is called Central Sleep Apnea (CSA) and is caused when the respiratory centre of the brain omits to send a message to the lungs to breathe. This can be a very serious condition and is often indicative that the patient may be suffering from another serious health complaint. Because the area affecting CSA is the brain, it may be a sign that you are suffering from a condition such as Encephalitis or Neurodegenrative illness that is affecting your brain.

If you or a loved one is suffering or thinks they are suffering from any kind of interrupted sleep caused by cessation of breathing it is vital to make an appointment with a Central London dentist. They will be able to determine whether your sleep apnea is central or obstructive and put you in touch with the right people whatever the outcome.

Relief from sleep apnea at London dentist

Tuesday, December 15th, 2009

The word ‘apnea’ comes from the Greek for ‘without breath’, so in its most basic form sleep apnea means ‘sleep without breath’. It occurs in three forms called obstructive, central and mixed. Obstructive is by far the most common form of the condition but in all cases the condition means that people stop breathing repeatedly during the night, often for a minute or longer.

Obstructive sleep apnea, known as OSA, occurs when the airway is blocked by the collapse of soft tissue at the back of the throat preventing breathing. Central sleep apnea happens because the brain omits to send a signal to the lungs to breathe. This is caused by a malfunction in the central respiratory area of the brain. The brain will usually kick start the breathing after a certain point but it can result in disrupted and poor sleep.

Sleep apnea is a surprisingly common condition but sufferers are often completely unaware that there is anything wrong because it happens when they are unconscious. Various factors make the condition more likely such as being overweight and male but it can happen to anyone of any age and is not uncommon in children.

Untreated apnea can result in high blood pressure, cardiovascular problems and can have serious effects on the quality of life of sufferers. Treatments vary depending on the cause but for obstructive apnea, London dentists can make appliances that keep the airways open during the night. If you think you may be suffering from sleep apnea, make an appointment to see a London dentist to discuss your symptoms.