Information on Sleep Apnea at Mission Hospital

Always tired? A good night's sleep is crucial to quality of life.

If you wake up feeling tired after a full night's sleep, are sleepy during the day, or are told you snore loudly, you may be suffering from sleep apnea -- a serious disorder affecting more than 18 million people, many of them undiagnosed. At Mission's Sleep Center, we specialize in all kinds of sleep disorders and treatment, from insomnia to pediatric sleep services. If you or your sleep partner feel that you may be suffering from the symptoms of sleep apnea, consult your primary physician about a sleep study. You'll come in for an initial evaluation where a course of treatment will be established.

Complete our Sleep Center Pre-Screening Form and we'll contact you to discuss your sleep concerns.

What are the symptoms of sleep apnea?

Often the first signs of sleep apnea are recognized not by the patient, but by the sleep partner. Many of those affected have no sleep complaints. The most common symptoms of sleep apnea include:

Snoring
Daytime sleepiness or fatigue
Restlessness during sleep
Sudden awakenings with a sensation of gasping or choking
Dry mouth or sore throat upon awakening
Intellectual impairment, such as trouble concentrating, forgetfulness, or irritability
Night sweats
Sexual dysfunction
Headaches

Anyone can suffer from sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea occurs when the airway is partially or completely blocked during sleep, and can cause actual cessation of breathing for up to 10 seconds. And while people of any age or sex can suffer from sleep apnea - even children - certain factors can put you at a higher risk. Men over 65, people who smoke, are overweight, have high blood pressure or Type II diabetes are more likely to experience sleep apnea. If you suffer from any of these symptoms or risk factors, your doctor may order a sleep study, or polysomnography.

Diagnosis and Treatment

If your sleep study results in a diagnosis of sleep apnea, treatment can significantly reduce or eliminate your symptoms and include:

Lifestyle: Some treatments are behavioral - avoiding sleeping on your back, eliminating alcohol, or tranquilizing drugs, or weight reduction.

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure - CPAP: More serious cases can be treated successfully with a simple device known as CPAP - or nasal continuous positive airway pressure. Using a small mask secured to the nose, CPAP exerts pressure to keep the nasal passages and airway open during sleep, resulting in a return to normal, restful sleep patterns -- often for the first time in years.

Oral appliances: For patients with mild to moderate sleep apnea, dental appliances that prevent the tongue from blocking the throatand/or advance the lower jaw forward may be effective. These devices help keep the airway open during sleep.

Surgery: In some cases, surgery may be needed to reduce apnea episodes. There are many types of surgical procedures, some of which are performed as outpatient procedures. Surgery is reserved for people who have excessive or malformed tissue obstructing airflow through the nose or throat, such as a deviated nasal septum, markedly enlarged tonsils, or small lower jaw with an overbite that causes the throat to be abnormally narrow. These procedures are typically performed after sleep apnea has failed to respond to conservative measures and CPAP therapy.

Talk to your doctor about sleep apnea

You don't need to suffer with sleep apnea. If you have any questions, feel free to call us at 828-213-4670 between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

You can also fill out our secure Online Pre-Screening Form and a Sleep Center Representative will contact you about your concerns.

The Sleep Center does accept self referral but always talk to your Primary Care Provider about what is best for you. If you already have an appointment for a sleep study, be sure to print and fill out the Sleep History Questionnaire and bring it your appointment.