With mandatory shelter-at-home ordinances still in place, your team here at the Glatz Group believes everyone should make it a top priority to not only stay safe, but also to stay healthy – and getting enough sleep is essential to your health.
If you’re suffering from interrupted sleep, this can result in all kinds of issues. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is one condition known to negatively affect your sleep. This disorder makes it difficult for you to breathe properly while sleeping, which can cause serious health problems as it progresses.
If you or a loved one are dealing with sleep apnea, there’s no need to fret. Our certified McAllen physician assistant Jonathan Lerma and his right-hand team of sinus relief specialists at the Glatz Group are here to explain how our in-office procedure, known as balloon sinuplasty, can help you.
Symptoms of OSA
According to the National Sleep Foundation, obstructive sleep apnea affects more than 18 million Americans. It is important to understand the symptoms of this condition to know what to look out for.
Symptoms of OSA include but are not limited to:
- Loud, intense snoring
- Pauses in breathing in sleep
- Waking up gasping or choking
- Waking up with a dry mouth or sore throat
- Daytime sleepiness or fatigue
- Frequent pee breaks at night
- Morning headache
- Irritability, mood changes, depression, or issues with concentration
- High blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, or other cardiac issues
Snoring and sleep apnea are often confused as one and the same. In general, individuals who have untreated OSA may snore, but only certain individuals who snore actually have sleep apnea.
Snoring occurs because of a vibration in one’s breathing patterns. While snoring may be a symptom of sleep apnea, true sleep apnea is when an individual experiences several pauses in their breathing as they sleep.
Causes of Sleep Apnea
Causes of sleep apnea involve a number of factors and would require a thorough evaluation by our team. It is imperative to determine the causes as they are unique to every patient. Typical causes include the following nasal and sinus conditions:
- Septal deviation and chronic sinusitis
- Long uvula and soft palate
- Enlarged tonsils
- Huge tongue base
- Tiny jaw
- Thick neck
- Obesity
Dangerous Outcomes if OSA Goes Untreated
If you have OSA and it goes untreated, you can face some serious health issues. These include:
- Hypertension
- Diabetes
- Heart attack
- Congestive heart failure
- Obesity
- Stroke
- Dementia
How Balloon Sinuplasty Can Help
Your obstructive sleep apnea may be the source of your sinusitis. In sinusitis, sinuses are inflamed, therefore blocking the nasal passages, which impairs breathing, potentially leading to further health issues.
A fairly common treatment for OSA is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). Unfortunately, this method does not always give the best relief for your sinus problems. Another issue with CPAP is that the treatment takes place over a longer period of time, which is not an ideal option if you want quick relief.
For the most promising sinus relief, you may want to consider balloon sinuplasty as a treatment for OSA. This non-invasive procedure can be performed in our office with minimal pain.
Balloon sinuplasty helps by resolving chronic sinus congestion and recurring sinus infections, while also improving the state of nasal breathing, reducing snoring and improving issues related to your sleep apnea.
You’ll be Glatz to Catch Some Z’s!
With the Glatz Group, you can be on your way to sinus relief and catching up on sleep. You should always look after your health concerns to prevent future problems.
Please be aware that we are taking all required precautions to ensure our staff and our patients stay safe and healthy. Right now we are using telemedicine to address the needs of our patients.
Online consultations or phone calls are also accepted.
If you need to schedule a treatment with balloon sinuplasty or an in-person examination for your OSA or sinusitis, we may also arrange an in-house procedure for you as soon as we can.