obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA)

what is obstructive sleep apnoea?

OSA is a condition which occurs during sleep due to the narrowing or total closure of a persons airway. If you have a narrow airway during sleep, sometimes you or your partner may notice that you snore.

Apart from the noise, snoring itself is not a serious medical condition; however, it may be a sign of OSA, which is a serious medical condition.

OSA occurs when the airway is partially or completely blocked. The brain then detects this lack of oxygen and prompts a momentary arousal to draw breath. OSA sufferers likely experience hundreds of these episodes each night, but are unlikely to remember any of them.

do you suffer from OSA?

Dr Vas can help you diagnose and treat the symptoms of your sleep problems. The first step involves a take home sleep study. To complete this study, you take a machine home which will record important information while you sleep. You then return to the practice the next day so that we can analyse the results.

If it is determined that you do suffer from OSA, there are a number of possible treatment options including:

• Prescription of a Mandibular Advancement Splint (MAS). A MAS is specially designed for each patient and is worn at night time to prevent sleep disruption.
• Prescription of a Tongue Advancer, which functions differently to a MAS but is also designed to treat the symptoms of MAS
• In rare circumstances, jaw surgery might be presented as a treatment option to patients who suffer from OSA.