Treatments for Sleep Apnea in Tampa

Sleep apnea is a common and serious disorder that disrupts your breathing while you are asleep. It can cause daytime sleepiness, poor concentration, and other health problems. The good news is that there are treatments for sleep apnea.

Identifying the Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

If you snore loudly and wake up feeling tired, or if your spouse or partner says you often pause or stop breathing during sleep, you may have sleep apnea. If so, your doctor will want to test you for it.

Your doctor will use a sleep study to check for sleep apnea Tampa, which can be done at home or in a lab. This test will use sensors to measure your breathing, heart rate, and oxygen levels while you are sleeping.

A sleep study will help your doctor make the right diagnosis and recommend a treatment plan to manage your sleep apnea. This includes lifestyle changes and using a breathing device, such as a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine or a mouthpiece.

Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common form of this condition, which happens when the soft tissue in your mouth or nose and neck relaxes and blocks your airway during sleep. This can happen due to enlarged tonsils or adenoids, obesity, certain medical conditions or medications, such as sedatives or antihistamines.

Central sleep apnea is less common and occurs when your brain does not send the signals to the muscles in your chest and upper airway that control breathing. It can be caused by medical conditions, such as brain disease or stroke.

Treatment of sleep apnea involves making lifestyle changes, using a CPAP machine or other treatment device, and consulting with your doctor to address any underlying health conditions that may be contributing to the problem. Your physician can also refer you to a sleep specialist for additional treatment options, such as surgery.

Lifestyle changes: Changes in diet and other aspects of your life can affect how much oxygen you breathe during sleep. These steps include losing weight if you are overweight or maintaining a healthy body weight, quitting smoking, avoiding alcohol, and taking other measures to reduce your stress levels.

Getting enough exercise: Get regular exercise, especially before bedtime, to boost energy and improve your mood and concentration. It also can help you avoid snoring and other symptoms of sleep apnea.

Staying hydrated: Drinking lots of water before and after sleep apnea Tampa can help you fall asleep faster, get more restful sleep, and stay alert during the day. It can also reduce your risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, and other serious health conditions associated with pearl dental Tampa.

Proper care for your CPAP machine or another treatment device: Cleaning and caring for these devices helps ensure that they provide the best benefits for you.

Work closely with your physician: Keeping up with regular visits to your primary care provider and sleep specialist will help you monitor the progress of your treatment plan. It will also allow you to share any ongoing or new concerns and challenges so that your doctor can adjust the treatment plan as needed.