Does your bed partner claim you snore loudly at night, which keeps them awake? Or perhaps you wake up with frequent headaches? Or maybe you find yourself so exhausted by the afternoon that it's hard to focus on your everyday tasks?
All of these scenarios describe someone who may be suffering from sleep apnoea. This may sound like an overwhelming condition, but the good news is that Dr Amir and your team at Lumino Smiles can help you manage sleep apnoea and reclaim your rest!
What Is Sleep Apnoea?
Sleep apnoea is a dangerous sleep disorder that causes you to wake throughout the night due to an obstructed airway keeping you from breathing freely. You may be waking multiple times throughout the night without realising it, and in severe cases, it could even be hundreds of times.
The lack of oxygen and rest can cause several types of symptoms:
- Brain fog — You may feel forgetful or unable to focus
- Depression — You might notice feeling more moody or irritable
- Headaches — You may wake up with headaches or migraines
- Coughing — You might wake in the night coughing, choking, or gasping for air
- Fatigue — You might suffer from chronic fatigue or daytime exhaustion
Your Sleep Apnoea Evaluation at Lumino Smiles
The first step in reclaiming your rest is to meet with Dr Amir for an evaluation. He'll discuss your concerns with you and how to complete a sleep study to diagnose your condition.
Once you are diagnosed, Dr. Amir works closely with your general physician to determine the best treatment for your needs. Continuous positive air pressure (CPAP) therapy is the recommended treatment for sleep apnea. However, it requires the patient to wear a mask during sleep that delivers a continuous air supply, keeping the airway open for clear breathing.
Many patients find the CPAP mask challenging to wear during sleep, so Dr Amir may be able to help with a custom oral appliance you can wear instead. It's comfortable to wear and slightly realigns the jaw to open your airway during sleep.
If you'd like to learn more about treating sleep apnoea in Pascoe Vale, VIC, contact your team at Lumino Smiles.