Snoring Relief Dallas Fort Worth
Snoring
Snoring can ruin a good night sleep for both the person that is snoring and the bed partner. This puts undue stress on relationships and it can be treated by a variety of means.
Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea occurs when there is decreased airflow due to upper airway collapse during sleep. This causes oxygen levels to decrease and it is a chronic stress on the cardiovascular system. Sleep apnea causes high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and mental impairment. The excessive daytime sleepiness may also lead to car accidents or occupational accidents due to falling asleep at inappropriate times.
Inspire Implant Procedure Dallas Fort Worth
Treat Sleep Apnea Without CPAP
If you have been prescribed CPAP but have difficulty then you may be a candidate for a new procedure to alleviate sleep apnea. The Inspire Implant is placed under the skin in a day surgery procedure. The device works by gently stimulating the muscles under the chin that stabilize the position of the tongue and throat structures during sleep. Learn more about this amazing and effective procedure.
Home Sleep Studies Dallas Fort Worth Irving Texas
Home Sleep Studies
Home sleep studies make the diagnosis of sleep apnea much more convenient and affordable than spending the night in a sleep laboratory, away from the comfort of your own bed. It provides a more realistic picture of how you are actually sleeping in your own environment. Patients check out the device from our office in the afternoon and take it home. It is worn on the wrist and has two probes on the fingers to measure oxygen and blood pressure. It is activated when you lie down to sleep and records information all night. You bring it in to the office the next day and the data is collected and interpreted at the time of your follow-up consultation that day.
CPAP Providers Dallas Fort Worth
CPAP stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. It is a first-line therapy for obstructive sleep apnea that has helped millions of people get relief from sleep apnea. The machine works by supplying the upper airway with enough air pressure to assist breathing and overcome upper airway obstruction during sleep.
Oral Appliance for Sleep Apnea Dallas Fort Worth
An oral appliance is a simple way to treat sleep apnea and works better in patients with mild apnea. The device fits snugly to the upper and lower teeth and positions the lower jaw a few millimeters forward. Bringing the lower jaw forward pulls the tongue forward as well and creates space behind the tongue, thereby relieve the obstruction. Patients must have healthy teeth in order to use an oral appliance.
Tonsils and Adenoids
Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy
Enlarged tonsils and adenoids can cause sleep apnea in children and adults. Our doctors will carefully assess each patient to determine if removal of tonsils and/or adenoids may be needed to treat obstructed breathing.
Nasal Breathing Issues
Nasal Congestion Contributes to Sleep Apnea
Many patients with sleep apnea have chronic nasal breathing issues that are contributing to the problem. Nasal obstruction causes mouth breathing and increases the speed of air in the throat. Faster moving air has lower air pressure and this physics principle causes collapse of soft tissues in the throat--resulting in apnea. Obstructed nasal breathing also makes CPAP more difficult to use in patients who are trying to use CPAP.
Seasonal and Year-Round Allergies
Seasonal or perennial allergies cause nasal congestion and blockage for millions of people. We provide allergy skin testing, medical management, and immunotherapy for allergy sufferers.
Chronic Sinus Problems
Sinus inflammation leads to blockages in sinus outflow tracts--which causes localized inflammation and swelling in the nasal cavity. We provide comprehensive management of chronic sinus issues and perform a variety of minimally-invasive procedures to relieve sinus obstruction.
Deviated Septum
The nasal septum is the thin vertical layer of cartilage in the nasal cavity that separates the nose into right and left sides. The cartilage sometimes has curvature (from abnormal growth or trauma) that causes chronic nasal airway obstruction. The condition is treated with an outpatient surgery called a septoplasty.
Enlarged Turbinates
Turbinates are the rounded structures on the sides of the nasal cavity. When the turbinates are enlarged and swollen it causes obstructed airflow. While the cause of the swelling are important to determine (allergies, sinusitis, etc.) it is also possible to directly treat the turbinates to improve nasal breathing. This can be done in the office with local anesthesia or at the time of surgery if other nasal procedures are being performed.
Structure and Function--Nasal Valve Collapse
The external bone and cartilage structures of the nose can also contribute to nasal obstruction. For example, an injury to the nose may cause fracture and deviation of the nasal bones (the upper 1/3) and nasal cartilages ( the lower 2/3). These structures can become weakened or misshaped resulting in a narrow air passage called the nasal valve. This type of nasal obstruction is called nasal valve collapse can also be relieved by the proper type of reparative procedure.
Non-Allergic Rhinitis
Some patients have significant swelling in the nose despite having no evidence of allergies on skin testing and no evidence of sinusitis on imaging of the sinuses. Nevertheless, these patients can have all of the same symptoms of nasal obstruction--which contributes to sleep apnea. Fortunately, this condition can also be treated with proper medical management and a procedure called posterior nasal nerve ablation.