Sleep apnea, a disorder that
plagues millions of Americans that is usually dismissed as nothing
more than a nuisance, should be taken less lightly because it has
real and significant consequences. The condition obstructs an
individual from normal breathing, preventing him from inhaling and
exhaling breath for a period of 10 seconds or longer. In a regular
sleep, a person suffering from the condition may experience this for
hundreds of times.
Several signs of sleep apnea
include loud snoring, brief pauses in breathing, and gasping. As the
breathing process is obstructed, oxygen levels in the blood drop and
the person is interrupted from his sleep to resume breathing. Not
getting a good night's sleep alone poses several problems to a
person's well being which includes getting morning headaches,
sleepiness in the morning, irritability, memory and learning
problems, and poor concentration.
People who suffer from this
problem should consult their physicians. Sometimes, they are advised
to wear a CPAP mask. More serious cases, however, may require
laser-assisted oral surgery. Oral surgeons will perform the procedure
if an analysis of a person's x-ray reveals that the level of
obstruction posed by a patient's facial feature may require clearing.
Sometimes, it is the shape
and position of jawbones that needs correction. This is a more
complex case that requires general anesthesia and may require at
least 2 full days of hospital rest.
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