Sleep Apnea Treatment

Do you suffer from chronic snoring? This nighttime habit can be annoying for your bed partner or other members of the household, but it’s usually considered harmless. However, snoring may be an indicator of a more serious health condition: sleep apnea. If you’ve been diagnosed with sleep apnea by your doctor or a sleep specialist, please don’t hesitate to contact Dr. Joseph McCartin and the rest of our Chicago dental team. We provide patients from Beverly, Mount Greenwood, and other communities the help they need to rest soundly through the night.

What is sleep apnea?

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is characterized as a pause in breathing for 10 seconds or more during sleep. This happens because of airway blockage due to the size or swelling of passageways or the position of the tongue or jaw. When the air flow is reduced, the brain sends out an emergency signal that causes OSA suffers to wake up and readjust. While many patients may not register this brief rousing, pauses like this happen countless times each night leading to daytime exhaustion, painful headaches, tinnitus, stress, elevated blood pressure, and much more.

The good news when faced with a case of sleep apnea is that surgical intervention is not necessary in most cases. Many patients rely on a nasal mask (CPAP) that pushes air through nasal passages to keep them open. However, this device often further disrupts sleep and some find them uncomfortable. If you’ve been diagnosed with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea, consider visiting Dr. McCartin in Chicago. 

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