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Obstructive sleep apnea is a common condition that causes frequent interruptions in breathing from an obstruction in the airway. If you\u2019re among the 22 million Americans living with the condition, you\u2019ve likely heard various information about the disorder. Unfortunately, much of what you\u2019ve heard may not be true. Don\u2019t let common misconceptions negatively affect your sleep quality or health. Here are 5 facts about sleep apnea myths you need to know.<\/p>\n
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Fact:<\/strong> Many people believe snoring and sleep apnea are the same, but this isn\u2019t accurate. Everyone snores occasionally, such as when battling a cold; however, if the issue is ongoing, it can be a symptom of sleep apnea. The two conditions are often found together because snoring is caused by vibrations of air as it passes by the soft tissues in the back of the mouth and throat. Since sleep apnea is caused by the narrowing of the upper air passage, it increases the likeliness of snoring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fact:<\/strong> It\u2019s true men are more likely to have sleep apnea; however, anyone can suffer from it, including women and children. According to recent studies, 6% of women have the condition after menopause, but females make up 45% of sleep apnea cases among adults. Many women don\u2019t realize they have the disorder because symptoms can manifest as insomnia, fatigue, and depression, which means it\u2019s often misdiagnosed since snoring isn\u2019t as common.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fact:<\/strong> The most traditional treatment for sleep apnea<\/a> involves a CPAP machine. It delivers a gentle stream of air pressure through a mask worn over the nose. Although it\u2019s an effective treatment, it has a low compliance rate because it can be bothersome. As an alternative, patients with mild-to-moderate sleep apnea can benefit from an oral appliance. The custom-fit device protrudes the lower jaw forward while sleeping to keep their airway open. It\u2019s a comfortable, convenient substitute for a CPAP, but it can also be used in combination with the machine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fact: <\/strong>Obesity is a leading contributor to the condition, but people with an average BMI can also experience pauses in breathing. Several factors contribute to the development of sleep apnea, including genetics, neck circumferences, and facial structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fact:<\/strong> Untreated sleep apnea causes more complications than just tossing and turning at night. It can have potentially deadly complications because you\u2019ll be at risk of several serious issues, such as cardiovascular disease and auto accidents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t let false information put your health or quality of life at risk. Get the facts from your sleep apnea dentist to breathe better and sleep soundly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n About Dr. Robert Dernick<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Dr. Dernick<\/a> earned his dental degree from the University of Texas Dental Branch at Houston before continuing his training in sleep-disordered breathing. He offers safe, effective solutions to treat sleep apnea. If you believe you have the condition or suffer from chronic snoring, contact our office<\/a> today to schedule a consultation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Obstructive sleep apnea is a common condition that causes frequent interruptions in breathing from an obstruction in the airway. If you\u2019re among the 22 million Americans living with the condition, you\u2019ve likely heard various information about the disorder. Unfortunately, much of what you\u2019ve heard may not be true. Don\u2019t let common misconceptions negatively affect your […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-160","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thewoodlandssleepdentist.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/160","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thewoodlandssleepdentist.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thewoodlandssleepdentist.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thewoodlandssleepdentist.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thewoodlandssleepdentist.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=160"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.thewoodlandssleepdentist.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/160\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":162,"href":"https:\/\/www.thewoodlandssleepdentist.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/160\/revisions\/162"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thewoodlandssleepdentist.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=160"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thewoodlandssleepdentist.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=160"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thewoodlandssleepdentist.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=160"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Myth #2: Only men can have sleep apnea.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Myth #3: CPAP machines are the only treatment.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Myth #4: Only people who are overweight are at risk.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Myth #5: Sleep apnea doesn\u2019t require treatment.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n