OSA symptoms in adults

• Snoring

• Daytime sleepiness or fatigue

• Restlessness during sleep, frequent nighttime awakenings

• Sudden awakenings with a gasping or choking sensation

• Dry mouth or sore throat upon awakening

• Cognitive impairment, such as trouble concentrating, forgetfulness, or irritability

• Mood disturbances (depression or anxiety)

• Night sweats

• Sexual dysfunction

• Headaches

OSA also affects children. Signs to look for include:

• Poor school performance

• Sluggishness or sleepiness, often misinterpreted as laziness in the classroom

• Daytime mouth breathing and difficulty swallowing

• Inward movement of the ribcage when inhaling

• Unusual sleeping positions, such as sleeping on the hands and knees, or with the neck hyper-extended

• Excessive sweating at night

• Learning and behavioral disorders (hyperactivity, Attention Deficit Disorder)

• Bedwetting

What are the effects of OSA on your health?

Repeated awakenings associated with OSA make normal, restorative sleep impossible and lead to daytime fatigue. People with OSA often experience severe daytime drowsiness, fatigue, and irritability. Other effects include:

• Difficulty concentrating at work, falling asleep at work, watching TV, or while driving. People with OSA have an increased risk of motor vehicle and workplace accidents.

• Quick tempered, moody, or depressed feelings. Children and adolescents with OSA may struggle in school or have behavioral problems.

• High blood pressure or heart problems. Sudden drops in blood oxygen levels occur during OSA and lead to increased blood pressure and strain the cardiovascular system. People with OSA are more likely to have high blood pressure than those without OSA.

• OSA may increase the risk for recurrent heart attacks, and abnormal heartbeats, such as atrial fibrillation. OSA increases the risk of stroke. If there's underlying heart disease, these multiple episodes of low blood oxygen can lead to sudden death from an irregular heartbeat.

• Type 2 Diabetes. People with OSA are more likely to develop insulin resistance and Type 2 Diabetes compared to other people without the sleep disorder.

• Metabolic syndrome. This disorder is a collection of other risk factors linked to a higher risk of heart disease. The conditions that make up metabolic syndrome include high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol, high blood sugar, and an increased waist circumference.

• Complications with medications and surgery. OSA is a concern with certain medications and general anesthesia. People with OSA may be more likely to experience complications following major surgery because they are prone to breathing problems, especially when sedated and lying on their backs. Before having surgery, it is important to tell your doctor if you have OSA and how it is managed.

• Liver problems. People with OSA are more likely to have abnormal results on liver function tests, and show signs of liver scarring. This is a condition known as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

• Cancer

• Disruption of bed partner’s sleep. Many bed partners of people who snore may be sleep-deprived as well. Loud snoring can keep others from getting good rest and eventually disrupt relationships. It's not uncommon for a partner to sleep in another room, or even on another floor of the home.

Oral Appliance Therapy (OAT)

Sleep Apnea Therapy of Southern New England helps people looking for an alternative to CPAP. Dr. Semco’s customized dental devices are form-fitting dental mouthpieces that help advance the position of the lower jaw and tongue to keep the air passage open.

Dr. Semco will optimize the selection and fit of the dental device for you. The sleep specialist will confirm that the device is working as intended with a followup sleep study. Visits with Dr. Semco may be necessary at least once every six months during the first year, and then at least annually to check the device and assess oral health.

Positive Airway Pressure (PAP) Therapy

PAP is a first line treatment for treating OSA. With CPAP therapy, patients wear a mask over the nose and/or mouth while sleeping. An air blower gently forces air through the nose and/or mouth and air pressure is adjusted to prevent the upper airway from collapsing.

There are several styles and types of positive airway pressure devices depending on specific needs of patients, including Continuous PAP (CPAP), Bi-level PAP, Auto CPAP, Auto Bi-level PAP, or adaptive Servo-Ventilation (ASV).

PAP therapy prevents airway closure while in use, but apnea episodes return if PAP is stopped or if used improperly. For this reason, noncompliance, loss of electricity and/ or travel can be concerns with PAP therapy. Some patients simply cannot tolerate PAP therapy.