Sleep / Snoring / Voice Disorders
What Is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a disorder that impacts your breathing patterns during sleep. If left untreated for an extended period of time, sleep apnea can have detrimental effects on your overall health. This is because your brain may not receive the necessary oxygen it requires while you are asleep. Additionally, this condition can result in sleep deprivation or insufficient sleep, leading to feelings of exhaustion and depletion.
Two Main Types of Sleep Apnea
At Oasis Ear, Nose and Throat, the team diagnoses the two main types of sleep apnea and works with you to find a fitting, lasting solution. You might have:
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea happens because the tissues of your throat restrict your airway when you relax. This is the most common form of sleep apnea.
Central Sleep Apnea
Central sleep apnea has the same effect as obstructive sleep apnea, but your breathing difficulties aren’t due to any obstruction. Instead, your brain fails to send signals to your muscles to keep breathing.
The third form of sleep apnea, called complex sleep apnea syndrome, is a combination of the two.
How Can I Tell if I Have Sleep Apnea?
Both types of sleep apnea result in similar signs and symptoms. While you might not be able to detect your breathing problems without a recording, sleep apnea presents with irregular breathing, paused breathing, and gasping for air while you sleep.
Other symptoms and complications of sleep apnea include:
- Loud Snoring
- Morning Headaches
- Morning Dry Mouth
- Fatigue Throughout the Day
- Irritability
- Memory and Concentration Problems
You should contact Oasis Ear, Nose and Throat for an evaluation if you experience symptoms like these. Treating your sleep apnea can help you get better sleep and perform tasks like driving or operating heavy machinery more safely.
Which Treatments Are Available for Sleep Apnea?
The team at Oasis Ear, Nose and Throat, improves your sleep with advanced, research-based sleep apnea treatments. You might need to try more than one treatment before finding one that works well in your case. Options for sleep apnea treatment include:
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)
CPAP is a popular treatment for sleep apnea. You wear a device over your nose and mouth as you sleep that emits a steady stream of air pressure into your airway. The air pressure holds your airway open.
Oral Appliances
Oral appliances are another option for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea. A custom oral device can hold your lower jaw forward as you sleep to keep your airway free of obstruction.
Surgery
If conservative measures can’t treat your sleep apnea, the team might recommend tissue removal, jaw repositioning, or another surgery to improve your nighttime breathing.
Weight loss, smoking cessation, and treatment for underlying conditions worsening your sleep apnea can also help reduce your symptoms and improve breathing at night.
Book an appointment by phone or online today at Oasis Ear, Nose and Throat for effective sleep apnea treatment.
What Is a Voice Disorder?
Voice disorders occur when the quality of your voice changes in some way. Your voice might get hoarse temporarily, or it might sound deeper or softer than another typical person of your age and gender. At Oasis Ear, Nose and Throat, the team specializes in diagnosing voice disorders and providing treatment, if necessary.
Two Types of Voice Disorders
Voice disorders are a broad category, but they fit into two main subcategories:
Organic Voice Disorders
Organic voice disorders happen because of the natural structure of your larynx or vocal fold tissues. They can also happen because of certain neurological conditions.
Functional Voice Disorders
Functional voice disorders happen because of improper or excessive use of your voice. These include vocal fatigue and muscle tension dysphonia or aphonia.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of a Voice Disorder?
Dysphonia is a general term that refers to the many possible symptoms of vocal disorders, including abnormal pitch, loudness, vocal quality, or vocal effort. You may have one or many symptoms with your voice disorder. Common signs and symptoms of voice disorders are:
- Aphonia (Loss of Voice)
- Asthenia (Weak Voice)
- Hoarseness
- Breathiness
- Increased Effort While Speaking
- Tremulous or Shaky Voice
- Running Out of Breath While Speaking
- High Volume
- Low Volume
- High Pitch
- Low Pitch
Treating your voice disorder might alleviate some of your symptoms, but other vocal symptoms may appear as you make an effort to compensate for your original symptoms.
To diagnose your voice disorder, the team at Oasis Ear, Nose and Throat assesses your voice using a comprehensive assessment. They consider your medical history and lifestyle and might perform tests for certain conditions that can affect your voice.
Which Treatments Are Available for Voice Disorder?
The Oasis Ear, Nose and Throat team designs your voice disorder treatment plan according to the underlying cause of your voice disorder, its severity, and its effects on your day-to-day life.
For your treatment, the team might recommend some form of alteration to the structures that allow you to speak. These may include removing masses, growths, and other structural issues within your throat.
Another treatment option for voice disorders is voice therapy. There are several available approaches to voice therapy that aim to help you balance the factors contributing to the sound of your voice like respiration, phonation, and resonance.
If others tell you that your voice doesn’t sound normal and your symptoms don’t go away by resting your voice, call Oasis Ear, Nose and Throat to request an appointment or schedule your visit online today.