Understanding Sleep Apnea: Symptoms, Causes, and How an ENT Can Help
Understanding Sleep Apnea: Symptoms, Causes, and How an ENT Can Help
- updated: Jan. 15, 2025
When you are not getting enough restorative sleep, the entire body suffers. Even when you have gotten what appears to be enough sleep, you may feel mentally and physically exhausted. One of the things that can affect the quality of your sleep is sleep apnea, and in Chicago, IL, Dr. Siva Elangovan of Resolve ENT provides the assistance you need to get a good night's sleep.
What is sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is a condition that interrupts airflow multiple times while sleeping. There are two types of sleep apnea: obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea. With obstructive sleep apnea, a combination of narrow airway passages in the nose and throat in combination with relaxation of the muscles in the back of the throat lead to obstruction of the airway. The brain doesn't get enough oxygen, which wakes the sleeper out of deep sleep into less restful sleep or wakes them up completely. Central sleep apnea, which is less common, results from communication issues between the brain and throat muscles, causing slower, shallower breathing.
Sleep apnea symptoms in Chicago, IL
Does your partner tell you that your snoring sounds like a freight train? Are you keeping family members awake with how much snoring you do? While there are other causes of snoring beyond sleep apnea, the pauses where the breathing stops obviously cause sleep apnea. You may also feel tired, even when you have had adequate sleep.
Sleep apnea causes
Sleep apnea is more common in men than women and additional body weight can be a major cause. It can also result from having narrow nasal passages, large tongue and a short lower jaw. Age is also a cause, with sleep apnea being more common in people in their 60s and 70s than in those who are younger. The position you sleep in can contribute; back sleepers are more prone to sleep apnea. Nasal congestion can also result in sleep apnea; not to mention cause daytime difficulties in nasal breathing and exercise.
How an ENT can help with sleep apnea
To determine if you are suffering from sleep apnea, it is essential to get a sleep study done to determine if you have obstructive sleep apnea. Here at Resolve ENT, we make the testing as simple as possible by giving you a watch sized device to complete the test in the comfort of your home – no need to sleep at a sleep lab overnight. If you are diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea there are many options for treatment. Some common solutions include using a CPAP machine which keeps the airways open by keeping a certain amount of air pressure within the airway at all times while other patients may benefit from using a mouthpiece that keeps the tongue in the correct position. At Resolve ENT, we aim to find the least invasive or bothersome solution to obstructive sleep apnea for each patient – ideally without having to wear a face mask all night. Our solutions typically involve improving the nasal airway so that our patients can experience both a daytime and nighttime benefit and if needed consider a mouthpiece to complement the improved nasal airway.
At Resolve ENT, we help you navigate the options and find the solution that fits you best. If you suffer from Sleep Apnea in Chicago, IL, Dr. Elangovan at Resolve ENT offers the help you need. Call our office today at (773) 828-3001.
Understanding Sleep Apnea: Symptoms, Causes, and How an ENT Can Help
- updated: Jan. 15, 2025
When you are not getting enough restorative sleep, the entire body suffers. Even when you have gotten what appears to be enough sleep, you may feel mentally and physically exhausted. One of the things that can affect the quality of your sleep is sleep apnea, and in Chicago, IL, Dr. Siva Elangovan of Resolve ENT provides the assistance you need to get a good night's sleep.
What is sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is a condition that interrupts airflow multiple times while sleeping. There are two types of sleep apnea: obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea. With obstructive sleep apnea, a combination of narrow airway passages in the nose and throat in combination with relaxation of the muscles in the back of the throat lead to obstruction of the airway. The brain doesn't get enough oxygen, which wakes the sleeper out of deep sleep into less restful sleep or wakes them up completely. Central sleep apnea, which is less common, results from communication issues between the brain and throat muscles, causing slower, shallower breathing.
Sleep apnea symptoms in Chicago, IL
Does your partner tell you that your snoring sounds like a freight train? Are you keeping family members awake with how much snoring you do? While there are other causes of snoring beyond sleep apnea, the pauses where the breathing stops obviously cause sleep apnea. You may also feel tired, even when you have had adequate sleep.
Sleep apnea causes
Sleep apnea is more common in men than women and additional body weight can be a major cause. It can also result from having narrow nasal passages, large tongue and a short lower jaw. Age is also a cause, with sleep apnea being more common in people in their 60s and 70s than in those who are younger. The position you sleep in can contribute; back sleepers are more prone to sleep apnea. Nasal congestion can also result in sleep apnea; not to mention cause daytime difficulties in nasal breathing and exercise.
How an ENT can help with sleep apnea
To determine if you are suffering from sleep apnea, it is essential to get a sleep study done to determine if you have obstructive sleep apnea. Here at Resolve ENT, we make the testing as simple as possible by giving you a watch sized device to complete the test in the comfort of your home – no need to sleep at a sleep lab overnight. If you are diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea there are many options for treatment. Some common solutions include using a CPAP machine which keeps the airways open by keeping a certain amount of air pressure within the airway at all times while other patients may benefit from using a mouthpiece that keeps the tongue in the correct position. At Resolve ENT, we aim to find the least invasive or bothersome solution to obstructive sleep apnea for each patient – ideally without having to wear a face mask all night. Our solutions typically involve improving the nasal airway so that our patients can experience both a daytime and nighttime benefit and if needed consider a mouthpiece to complement the improved nasal airway.
At Resolve ENT, we help you navigate the options and find the solution that fits you best. If you suffer from Sleep Apnea in Chicago, IL, Dr. Elangovan at Resolve ENT offers the help you need. Call our office today at (773) 828-3001.
Resolve ENT
3228 N Lincoln Ave,
Chicago, IL 60657