Defining the Problem
Imagine hundreds of times a night having your airway shut down. The body having to desperately fight for breath. The heart pounding wildly, trying to send vital replenishment to oxygen-starved organs and tissues. Your body never having a chance to rest and rejuvenate. You wake feeling exhausted, no matter how long you have slept. This is the reality for millions of people suffering, often without knowing it, from Sleep Apnea. Serious, life-threatening health consequences can result if Sleep Apnea goes untreated.
But,what about snoring? If I snore does it mean I have Sleep Apnea? Often times, yes. But, sometimes that horrible, grating noise which might be continually disturbing your bed-partner is euphemistically called ‘Simple Snoring’ and not associated with Sleep Apnea. Of course, there is nothing simple about snoring or Sleep Apnea, especially for the one who has to endure it on a nightly basis. It is also possible to have silent apnea without a snoring component.
How Dr. Goldman Can Help
This complex set of issues is why it is important to identify exactly what the problem is before attempting to ease the symptoms. Using information gained from a sleep study coupled with careful in-office examination and history, a personalized solution can be offered. Vast improvements can be made in your night-time sleep patterns. Most often, airway problems resulting in snoring or Sleep Apnea can be improved in a in a gentle, non-invasive way without having to resort to surgery or uncomfortable forced-air machinery and masks.
Getting Started
1. Take a couple of simple tests, one which measures daytime sleepiness (this will give an indication of the quality of your sleep) and one which evaluates snoring (it is advisable to have your bed-partner do this test, since the one snoring is often not aware it is happening). Taking these tests can help you begin to learn more about your personal sleep patterns.
2. Schedule an initial consultation. This first appointment is important for both you and Dr. Goldman. You would like to explore options to effectively and comfortably treat your snoring or sleep apnea- and we would like to evaluate, based on our examination, which treatment option would give you the best results. We will listen to your history, ask you some questions about your health, lifestyle and sleep habits and do an initial examination of your dentition and airway. You will have the opportunity to see examples of various snoring and sleep apnea mouthpieces, to have your questions answered and to learn more about snoring and sleep apnea. Many people have been offered only the option of a CPAP machine and are thrilled to find that we can offer an attractive alternative. After the initial consultation, we would like you to have a better understanding of your sleep apnea or snoring problem and what treatments are available, other than surgery or CPAP equipment.
Medical insurance and sleep apnea treatment
If you are interested in sleep apnea devices for treating your apnea or snoring we will take a copy of your medical insurance card and get your primary care doctor’s contact information. Unfortunately dental insurance rarely covers sleep apnea treatment. The good news is that medical insurance almost always covers some or all of sleep apnea devices. Sometimes they even cover snore cure devices; especially when the patient has signs of sleep apnea along with their snoring. No need for worry, we will take care of the entire insurance paperwork process… from getting a pre-estimate to ensuring that you obtain the maximum benefit from your particular policy.
