Sleep Apnea Treatments in Glen Carbon

What is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep Apnea (SA) is a sleeping disorder that is characterized by repeated interruption of breathing during sleep. An estimated 22 million Americans have it, with as many as 80% of cases going undiagnosed.

The condition can cause significant complications that can cause negative health outcomes such as high blood pressure, stroke, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and liver problems.

Because SA interrupts the breathing cycle it also interrupts the normal progression of the various sleep states, each of which is vital for overall health. In fact, Sleep Apneamay be the cause of a high number of car accidents as a result of tired drivers who are unable to react quickly enough to traffic conditions.

If you are experiencing symptoms such as loud snoring, trouble staying asleep at night, or tiredness during the day, it is time to talk to your Chiropractor about getting the treatment you need.

What Causes Sleep Apnea?

There are three main types defined by their specific cause:

Obstructive SA: When you fall asleep your muscles relax, including those in the throat. This can cause the soft tissue in the throat to restrict and even completely obstruct the airway during sleep. It is the most common type.

Central SA: This type occurs because of a breakdown in the central nervous system where it fails to send the signal to breath while you are asleep.

Complex SA Syndrome: If a patient has both causes of SA listed above, then they are suffering from what is known as the complex type of Sleep Apnea.

Although anyone can have SA, even children, specific risk factors include:

• Gender: Males are more likely to suffer than females
• Obesity
• Age over 40 years old
• Gastroesophageal reflux (also called GERD)
• Neck greater than 17” around (16” for women)
• Deviated septum
• Family history

Sleep Apnea Symptoms

In order to properly diagnose Sleep Apnea, most doctors will recommend a sleep lab be done in a special facility. However, high quality video of your sleep at home in your own bed can also be particularly helpful for your upper cervical chiropractor to understand the many factors that may be interacting to cause or worsen the condition.

Sleep Apnea symptoms can vary, and everyone is a little bit different. Here is what to look for:

• Loud snoring, either persistent or on and off
• Sore or extremely dry throat in the morning
• Waking up throughout the night, or trouble getting back to sleep
• Headaches, especially in the morning
• Sleepiness during the day
• Moodiness, irritability, and/or forgetfulness

Traditional Treatments for Sleep Apnea

Primarily aimed at reducing or eliminating the symptoms of SA, the most common treatment for a diagnosed case of SA is to prescribe a special PAP machine that the patient wears at night. This loud and uncomfortable machine forces air through the nasal passages and down the throat, maintaining a pressure that keeps the airway open from obstruction by the soft tissue.

In other cases, a specially designed mouthpiece can be worn to push the lower jaw more forward, creating an open airway for more restful sleep. In more extreme cases that are resistant to other forms of treatment, traditional doctors may recommend surgery to remove excess soft tissue in the throat.

Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care and Sleep Apnea

The relationship between your spine and this sleep disorder has been studied extensively. All of the three types of Sleep Apneacan, in fact, be caused by misalignments or other pathologies in the spine, particularly the upper vertebrae, the focus of Upper Cervical Care Specialist Chiropractors.

Your brainstem plays a vital role in the control of involuntary functions, such as breathing. Subluxations in the spine can interfere with this important aspect of getting quality sleep. Upper Cervical Chiropractors use the latest in high quality and detailed 3D imaging to identify even the smallest problems, applying expert yet extremely gentle corrections to bring the vertebrae in your neck and top of your spine into precise alignment for optimal health.

Sometimes there is not a specific cause in the cervical or upper cervical spine, but natural treatment options may still be effective. For example, your Chiropractor may recommend that you change your sleeping position, use a specially designed supportive pillow to adjust your sleeping posture, or help you with weight loss as potentially effective treatments to open those airways and improve your sleep.

You or a Loved One May Be a Gentle Correction Away from Natural Relief

Remember that losing quality sleep night after night not only comes with serious health risks such as high blood pressure and increased chance of stroke, it also decreases your quality of life. Being tired all of the time not only increases risk for depression, obesity and lowers your overall immune system functioning, it keeps you from fully enjoying your life.

Often times it is our partner that may first become aware that our breathing is interrupted during sleep, indicating that Sleep Apneamay be a problem. If you or someone you love isn’t getting the sleep they need to thrive, consider calling Dr. Thad Vuagniaux of Upper Cervical Care of Glen Carbon at (618) 692-6992 to schedule a free consultation today.