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Sleep apnea is characterized by the interruption of breathing throughout the night. The most common form of sleep apnea, obstructive sleep apnea, occurs when your mouth and throat muscles relax and cause your airway to become blocked.

Sleep apnea can lead to serious health consequences if left untreated, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease. In addition to long-term health issues, sleep apnea may also cause relationship problems due to loud snoring, headaches, daytime fatigue, difficulty concentrating, frequent nighttime urination, and sore throat upon waking.

By treating sleep apnea, you can halt the progression of diseases before they become problematic and even reverse the effects within months of beginning treatment.

The only way to cure sleep apnea is to undergo surgery to remove excess tissue and create a larger airway. The surgery is invasive and is only used as a last resort for the most severe cases. Fortunately, there are alternative treatments available to address the disorder without the need for surgery.

Dr. Henninger offers a customized oral appliance that works by gently shifting your jaw into a position that allows air to move freely. It’s a much more convenient alternative to the traditional CPAP machine.

To make an appointment with Dr. Henninger contact our Vista office by calling (760) 940-2273. One of our helpful team members will be happy to answer any questions you may have and set you up for an appointment.

Many health insurance plans cover all or a portion of the expenses for an oral appliance. We recommend contacting your provider prior to your appointment to get a better understanding of your coverage. If there are any questions we can answer, don’t hesitate to contact us by calling (760) 940-2273.

At West Coast Snore and Sleep Apnea Solutions, we specialize in treating sleeping disorders so you don’t have to worry about going to several clinics to get a well-rounded treatment that fits your needs. We offer several types of customized oral appliances and NightLase.

Oral appliances work by shifting your jaw to allow for the passage of air, while NightLase is a non-invasive laser treatment that tightens the tissues in your mouth to create more space for air to pass through.

In addition to oral appliance therapy and NightLase, we may suggest a few lifestyle changes to increase the effectiveness of the treatment and reverse long term effects, including:

• Weight management
• Regular exercise
• Using a humidifier
• Limiting alcohol intake
• Quitting smoking

Sleep apnea is diagnosed with a sleep study that measures the quality of your breathing, heart rate, oxygen levels, and brain activity. You can choose to have a sleep apnea study performed in an office setting or in the privacy of your own home with a sleep test. Once you have a diagnosis from your physician, you can begin treatment right away.