If you have frequent feelings of fatigue, you may be suffering from sleep apnea, a sleep disorder that is hard to detect since it happens during sleep and can go untreated for years. We encourage you to schedule a checkup with our dentist if someone has pointed out to you that you tend to snore. Though snoring is not always linked to sleep apnea, it could be a sign of the disorder.
Since sleep apnea reduces the quality and duration of sleep, chronic fatigue could mean you should receive sleep apnea treatment.
The two main types of sleep apnea are that of obstructive and central sleep apnea, with obstructive being the most common form. It occurs when your airflow is blocked during sleep, occurring as a result of risk factors such as weight, genetics, and age, weight, or genetics, and the most common victims are, and most often affects males over the age of 40. Central sleep apnea disorder is a result of signals from the brain being lost instead of instructing the chest muscles to breathe. Sleep apnea of any kind is dangerous when not addressed.
Risk factors for sleep apnea including sleeping in the wrong position, having a small jaw or deviated septum, or tonsils and tongue that are oversized. Ignoring signs of sleep apnea could lead to conditions such as diabetes, heart attack, stroke, and high blood pressure.
For more information about how to treat sleep apnea in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, contact Pennyrile Family Dentistry at 270-632-6404 and schedule an exam with one of our dentists, Dr. Joseph N. Falco and Dr. Ryan M. Vonnahme.