Obstructive Sleep Apnea – 3 Major Symptoms Explained

One of the most common and serious sleep disorders is Obstructive sleep apnea or OSA. The patient suffering from sleep apnea will experience disrupted sleep as well as a low level of oxygen in the body that forces them to start and stop breathing during sleep, making a loud noise. During OSA, the throat muscles intermittently relax and block while the tongue gets sucked against the throat causing the disruption of oxygen flow.

One of the major signs of sleep apnea is drowsiness during the day and excessive snoring. Even though most people ignore the symptoms when minor, but experienced oral and maxillofacial surgeon Dr. Richard Rolle suggests that the patient should consult a doctor immediately when these following symptoms start showing up.

Excessively Loud Snoring

Mild snoring can often get ignored. But if you or your loved ones are snoring excessively, then it is a reason to worry. This type of snoring is usually loud enough to disrupt the sleep of the patient as well as for others. So, if you wake up regularly due to your own sound of snoring or your partner is complaining about your loud snores, you need to drop by at Rolle Oral and Facial Surgery. They deal with oral and maxillofacial issues and they can treat this for you.

Gasping or Choking When Waking Up

As the airway gets blocked, it causes disruption in your sleep routine. The patient of OSA often wakes up gasping for air or choking as the tongue gets sucked in the back of the throat. A closed airway leaves a very little amount of oxygen to help in breathing. As a result, you might feel like choking and coughing. This can be potentially serious and will need treatment.

Excessive Drowsiness

As the sleep in the night will be not sufficient and mostly disturbed, it is most likely that the patient will find it difficult to stay awake during the day time, when they are working or studying. It can affect their regular life too.

If you see these symptoms in your or your loved ones, book an appointment with Dr. Richard Rolle Jr. and he will take care of you.