Obstructive Sleep Apnea – Irving, TX
Personalized Treatments for OSA
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is estimated to account for 90% of all sleep apnea cases. Some patients view this disorder as a mere inconvenience, but the truth is that it can have dire impacts on your health and wellbeing throughout your life, including increasing your risk of developing serious medical issues like heart disease. Our community-trusted team of sleep experts at Star Sleep & Wellness in Irving offer proven treatments to eliminate the risk of OSA and allow you to reclaim your life and health. Call our office today to schedule a consultation for obstructive sleep apnea in Irving.
What Causes Obstructive Sleep Apnea?
Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when soft tissues block your airway and limits or even halts your breathing as you sleep. Typically, this is caused by the soft palate or tongue collapsing within the mouth and preventing proper airflow. As a result, your oxygen intake is limited, triggering your brain to cause you to suddenly wake. These occurrences of cessation of breathing are called apneas.
Other causes of obstructive sleep apnea include:
- Narrow nasal passages
- Enlarged uvula
- Deviated septum
- Missing teeth
- Enlarged tongue
- Recessed lower jaw
- Enlarged tonsils
- Fat accumulation around the neck
- Sleeping on your back
- Diabetes
- Genetics
- Genetic disorders, including Down syndrome
Possible Complications of Obstructive Sleep Apnea
When OSA remains untreated, over time it can lead to the development of serious health problems. Here are some long-term complications that can develop as a result of this disorder:
- Heart attack or stroke
- Chronic fatigue
- Heightened risk of drowsy driving
- High blood pressure
- Poor work performance
- Frequent headaches
- Weight gain
- Moodiness
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
When to See a Doctor About Obstructive Sleep Apnea
If you have more than one symptom associated with OSA, like chronic fatigue and loud, consistent snoring, that’s good enough of a reason to contact our office and schedule an obstructive sleep apnea consultation in Irving. Based on our evaluation of your symptoms, we’ll determine whether it’s necessary that you undergo a sleep study. This will allow us to gather more information about your body and health as you rest that will allow us to make a diagnosis of sleep apnea and determine the best treatment plan to address your issue.
Types of Treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnea
At Star Sleep & Wellness in Irving, we understand that no two patients are the same, which is why we offer more than one treatment option for obstructive sleep apnea in Irving. Based on your individual diagnosis, lifestyle, and other details that we’ll gather, we may recommend oral appliance therapy, CPAP therapy, or a combination of both to help minimize and eliminate your symptoms.
Oral Appliance Therapy
Oral appliance therapy (OAT) is becoming a more popular treatment option for obstructive sleep apnea for patients who don’t feel comfortable falling asleep with their CPAP machine. OAT uses a customized orthotic device that you wear in your mouth while you sleep. It’s designed to comfortably shift your jaw and mouth to open your airway by keeping soft tissues like your tongue and palate from collapsing.
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)
CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) therapy uses a machine that’s outfitted with a small mask that you place over your nose as you sleep. It will push air through your airways to keep them open and minimize the number of apneas you have throughout the night. While this is a highly effective and comfortable solution for some patients, others prefer OAT because they don’t have to sleep through the background noise of the device or wear a mask on their face.
Combination Therapy
Combination therapy utilizes both OAT and CPAP solutions to maximize airflow throughout the night. As you wear the oral appliance, you’ll also have a nose mask on. However, the CPAP machine will be at a lower setting, minimizing any noise disruption and making this treatment a great comprehensive answer to help you achieve optimal rest.
Health & Wellness Coaching
Our nurse practitioner, Katie Collier, along with our sleep doctors and license psychologist also offer health and wellness coaching to address common underlying problems associated with OSA, like weight loss, depression, anxiety, and more.
Surgery
Surgery is an invasive solution for sleep apnea, which is why we try to exhaust other options before resorting to it. However, for patients who don’t find relief from any of the solutions listed above, like those with enlarged tonsils or lymphatic tissues, we may recommend surgery to help eliminate their symptoms.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea FAQs
Who is Most at Risk for Sleep Apnea?
Certain groups of people are more likely to develop OSA compared to others:
- Men are generally more likely to develop sleep apnea than women due to anatomical factors such as larger neck circumferences and longer pharyngeal airways.
- Women who are pregnant or postmenopausal have an increased chance of suffering from the disorder.
- Being obese or overweight is considered one of the most common risk factors for OSA.
If you belong to any of these groups, it is extra important to be aware of potential warning signs of OSA. Letting the disorder go untreated for too long can have dire consequences for your health and quality of life.
Will My Sleep Apnea Go Away If I Lose Weight?
Weight and sleep-disordered breathing are often closely related. It’s estimated that around 70% of people with OSA are also obese. When you’re overweight, there may be an increased presence of fatty deposits in or around the throat, which can lead to the airway becoming blocked while you slumber.
For this reason, treatment for OSA often involves taking steps to help you lose weight. Studies show that weight loss can significantly reduce sleep apnea symptoms and may even resolve them entirely in certain situations. Of course, it’s still possible to suffer from OSA even after you have lost weight, so other measures will likely need to be taken as well.
Will Oral Appliance Therapy Make CPAP Therapy Unnecessary?
Some patients want to switch from CPAP therapy to OAT. This can sometimes be a viable option depending on how severe your sleep apnea symptoms are. An oral appliance can often be a great alternative to CPAP when it comes to treating mild to moderate cases of OSA.
That being said, if your symptoms are severe, an oral appliance by itself may not be enough to manage the problem. Fortunately, we’re able to offer our patients the option of combination therapy, allowing them to simultaneously enjoy the benefits of CPAP therapy and OAT. Thanks to the oral appliance, it may be possible to use the CPAP machine at a lower setting so that it doesn’t make as much noise. As a result, it will be much easier for you to get a good night’s rest.
Is Sleep Apnea Diagnosis and Treatment Covered by Insurance?
When it comes to treatment for sleep apnea, you can generally expect your medical insurance plan to provide at least partial coverage for sleep studies, oral appliances, and CPAP therapy. Of course, it never pays to make assumptions where insurance is concerned; you should double-check your plan to make sure that you fully understand your benefits. It’s also important to take note of the factors that can influence the amount you pay yourself, such as the deductible.
If you have questions about your insurance, we can review your plan with you and explain how you can maximize your benefits.