NEW PATIENT FORMS
Logo Dovorany Orthodontics in Wausau and Antigo, WI

  438 EDISON ST.
ANTIGO, WI 54409
(715) 623-2373

  1405 KENWOOD DR.
WAUSAU, WI 54401
(715) 842-5688

  1405 KENWOOD DR. WAUSAU, WI 54401 (715) 842-5688
  438 EDISON ST. ANTIGO, WI 54409 (715) 623-2373
Logo Dovorany Orthodontics in Wausau and Antigo, WI

Sleep Apnea

Sleep Apnea, literally means “without breath” in Greek. It is when breathing stops for 10 seconds or more while sleeping.

Signs of Sleep Apnea:

  • Snoring that may disrupt the sleep of others.
  • Gasping, coughing or choking upon waking.
  • Waking with your heart racing.
  • Waking up tired after a full night’s sleep.
  • Waking up with a headache.
  • Feeling very sleepy during the day.
  • Falling asleep without intending to do so.
  • Problems with memory or concentration.
  • Feeling irritable, short-tempered.
  • Weight gain, inability to lose weight.
  • Acid Reflux in adults.
  • AD/HD and/or bed-wetting  in children.

Left untreated, sleep apnea increases the likelihood of illness or injury. It has been linked to obesity, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and even death.

Serious and life-threatening problems start when sleepers begin experiencing apneas (where breathing stops) and hypopneas (where breathing is shallow due to an obstruction). Breathing is usually blocked in the back of the throat when the tongue and muscles relax during sleep, and the lower jaw falls back toward the throat. The airway then becomes blocked.

Sleep Apnea
Apneas can last from 10 seconds to a minute or longer, and can occur hundreds of times per night.

The body’s oxygen level drops, which in turn, causes blood pressure to rise. The heart is forced to beat faster, which increases the pulse rate. The brain may cause the arms, legs or whole body to jerk in an attempt to wake the sleeper to resume breathing. The silence may end with a loud snort, cough or gasp. This causes the sleeper to wake briefly, and begin breathing. Once asleep again, the muscles relax etc., and the process repeats itself.