Sleep Apnea Northridge
You may think having sleep apnea means you snore a few times a night, and that is that. The truth is, sleep apnea is a much more serious disorder. Recent medical studies have linked sleep apnea to an increased risk of heart disease, pulmonary complications, stroke, and diabetes. Nearly 20 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea. Our Northridge sleep apnea expert hopes to raise awareness of sleep apnea so that patients will seek treatment and see their symptoms disappear.
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common type of sleep apnea out there. It involves a blocked airway, resulting in disrupted breathing patterns at night. When the tongue relaxes and falls to the back of the throat, it can be difficult or in some cases impossible to breathe. Our expert in sleep apnea in Northridge can determine if you have sleep apnea through administering an at-home or sleep center sleep test.
Symptoms of sleep apnea can include any or all of the following:
- Loud snoring
- Breathing cessation during the night
- Excessive daytime fatigue
- Frequent awakenings during the night
- Dry mouth or sore throat upon waking
- AM headaches
- Insomnia
- Trouble staying focused throughout the day
Visit our Northridge sleep apnea expert if you experience any of these symptoms and think you may have sleep apnea.
Northridge Sleep Apnea
Although sleep apnea tends to affect people of a certain type, it can often manifest itself in those who are not particularly vulnerable to the disorder. Common risk factors for sleep apnea are:
- Being overweight or obese
- Extra fat on the body, especially around the neck, can obstruct your breathing and lead to sleep apnea
- Being male
- Compared to women, men are twice as likely to suffer from sleep apnea
- Being advanced in age
- Older people, especially those over 60 are at an increased risk
- Being of a certain race
- For those under 35, blacks are more likely to have sleep apnea
- Being part of a particular family
- Having family members with sleep apnea ups your own risk
- Consuming alcohol or taking sedatives
- These substances relax your throat muscles, which can disrupt your breathing
- Smoking cigarettes
- If you smoke, you are three times more likely to develop sleep apnea
To find out more about sleep apnea or to seek treatment for this disorder, call to schedule a consultation with our expert in sleep apnea in Northridge.