Sleep Apnea Treatment in Annapolis, MD

What Is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a relatively common sleep disorder that is defined by brief pauses in breathing while sleeping. Sometimes, the pauses can be minutes long, until you choke or cough and continue breathing normally. This can be very restrictive and make getting a good night’s rest very difficult. As you can imagine, it’s hard to get a diagnosis on sleep apnea because it happens when you’re asleep, so you may go months or even years without realizing that you have sleep apnea.

The sleep specialists at Annapolis Asthma, Pulmonary & Sleep Specialists provide diagnostic testing and conduct sleep studies for the diagnosis of sleep apnea. Since there are different types of sleep apnea, an accurate diagnosis is needed before a treatment plan can be formulated. Our board-certified sleep specialists will take the time to fully evaluate your sleep apnea symptoms in order to determine the treatment option that is best for you. To schedule a consultation at our sleep center in Annapolis, MD, please call (410) 266-1644 today!

What Are the Types of Sleep Apnea?

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

The most common form of Sleep Apnea is Obstructive Sleep Apnea, which causes an airway to be blocked or pinched during sleep, causing breathing to be labored. This can cause snoring, because something is physically blocking the air from passing through the airways. Obstructive Sleep Apnea is common in overweight people, because there are additional pressures on the respiratory systems throughout the body.

Central Sleep Apnea

Central Sleep Apnea is much more uncommon. This is the type of sleep apnea that occurs because of a neurological dysfunction that causes the brain to not send the proper signals to trigger proper breathing while asleep. It can be caused by a natural neurological dysfunction, or it can even be caused by medication, or as a secondary symptom of a different condition. If your sleeping stops while asleep, but there is no snoring or obstruction, it’s possibly Central Sleep Apnea.

Mixed Sleep Apnea / Complex Sleep Apnea

Sometimes, a patient will have both central sleep apnea and obstructive sleep apnea. In these cases, separate treatments may be needed to treat the obstructive side of their sleep apnea versus their central sleep apnea.

Side Effects of Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea, if left untreated, can cause very serious cardiovascular damage and disease. It also interrupts the natural balance of the sleep cycle, and makes it very difficult for your brain to actually regenerate you. This leaves you groggy, impaired, and prone to exhaustion-related accidents (car, machinery, etc.)

If you’re experiencing symptoms of Sleep apnea, it is very important for you to go to a sleep specialist and find a solution that works for you. If you do not treat your sleep apnea, you can cause irreversible damage to your body and require even more dire treatment.

Schedule Your Sleep Apnea Treatment in Annapolis, MD

For more information about sleep apnea and how it may specifically affect you in your daily life, contact our sleep specialists for a one-on-one consultation to review the severity of your sleep apnea and the treatment options available. Please call Annapolis Asthma, Pulmonary & Sleep Specialists at (410) 266-1644 to schedule your consultation at our sleep center in Annapolis, MD.