Are you struggling with sleep apnea, and are you living in Bullard, Texas? If so, Bullard is a quaint and appealing rural community in eastern Texas located in Smith and Cherokee counties. People with any health condition in Bullard may experience the stress it puts on their sleep and their overall well-being. Supposedly, more than 20 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea and other sleeping disorders; including children and adults living in and around Bullard. Sleep apnea is known to be a cause of daytime drowsiness and can also be quite hazardous when left untreated. But the great news is that there are non-invasive options for sleep apnea management that are available to residents of Bullard.
What is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a potentially severe sleep disorder in which your breathing repeatedly pauses and restarts during the night. Obesity is a major contributing factor to the development of sleep apnea; with other contributing factors include narrowing of the airway, aging, and the consumption of alcohol or sedatives.
There are two primary types of sleep apnea: obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and central sleep apnea. OSA is the most common type, and it occurs when your throat muscles intermittently relax and block your airway during sleep. On the other hand, central sleep apnea is far less common, and it occurs when your brain fails to transmit the correct signals to your muscles to breathe. There are also other much less common forms of sleep apnea, such as complex sleep apnea syndrome, which is a combination of both central and obstructive sleep apnea.
The Consequences of Untreated Sleep Apnea
If sleep apnea remains untreated, it can develop into severe complications, including:
Options for Sleep Apnea Management
There are various non-invasive sleep apnea management options available to residents of Bullard. They include:
Positional Therapy
Those suffering from positional snoring and sleep apnea can get positive results from this therapy. This includes a collar worn to keep the patient from rolling onto their back, which can help reduce symptoms.
Oral Appliances
An oral device that is professionally fitted can be used to keep your throat opened and allow air to pass through. Intended to alleviate snoring, this device helps treat mild-to-moderate sleep apnea.
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)
A CPAP machine is the most effective treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. The device is used to keep your airway open while you are asleep and also stops the airway from collapsing. The device delivers pressurized air into a mask you wear on your face during the night. If used correctly, the CPAP machine has been shown to improve daytime drowsiness, quality of life, and motor vehicle accidents.
Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure (BPAP)
Some patients with Central Sleep Apnea may have greater comfort with a BPAP machine. The device also uses positive airway pressure, but the pressure is automatically set to a higher level when the device detects a pause in breathing.
Lifestyle Changes
Losing weight, the reduction in alcohol consumption and increasing physical activity all can improve the symptoms of sleep apnea.
Final Thoughts
Sleep is the body’s natural defense, and when we don’t get enough restful sleep we are unable to cope effectively with stressful situations, we experience health problems and an inability to concentrate or remember.Should you suspect that you or someone in your community who lives in Bullard has sleep apnea it is crucial to seek treatment immediately. There are several non-invasive treatments available, and we encourage those living in Bullard to fully explore their options.
Many of the staff members at Complete Sleep & Neurodiagnostic Center located in Bullard have treated numerous patients dealing with sleep apnea. Founded by Dr. Narayan V. Bhasker, MD and Lee Ann C. Walker, ACNP, CLNC, the dedicated staff has treated children and adults in Bullard and the surrounding areas with a variety of sleeping disorders. Our facility is stocked with cutting-edge diagnostic and treatment equipment, and the staff aims to ensure that patients have access to the care that they need.
Would you like more information on non-invasive sleep apnea treatment for patients of Bullard? We encourage you to reach out to our team at Complete Sleep & Neurodiagnostic Center today and we will help you to find an effective solution to deal with your sleep apnea.