If you (and those around you) have long suffered with a snoring, but do not have an apnea problem, you’re probably looking for the best option to get rid of this problem once and for all. Let’s review your options.

•  Weight loss

If you are found to have snoring and not have apnea, if you’re overweight, weight loss is a great place to start. Sometimes just 20 pounds difference can make a big difference in the world of snoring and apnea. That’s usually recommended at the beginning.

•  Over-the-counter sleep aids

There are a lot of different types of over-the-counter sleep aids available, including breathe strips, back-avoiding devices, and different types of pillows. You might want to try something, especially if you’re not having apnea and you’re just snoring on your back. They train you to keep off your back.

•  Retainers and mouth devices

Be very, very careful with devices like PureSleep and SnoreMender. I don’t recommend them at all. There’s lack of follow-up with those devices, and it’s pretty common to see changes in people’s bites, even speech, with using some of these appliances, because there’s really nobody to help guiding you as to the position and what to do to counteract these side effects. I know there are some physicians that are recommending them out there, but only for short periods of time.

•  Professional oral appliances

Professional oral appliances are highly recommended for snoring, probably the best option. We urge you to seek somebody from the Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine, preferably a Diplomate. Those are dentists that are trained more than just a couple classes. They’ve actually taken tests and have built a relationship with the medical community based on snoring and apnea treatment.

Usually their expertise is far different than the general practitioner or general dentist, just as the sleep physicians and the general practice physicians. Typically the amount taught in dental and medical school is pretty minor compared to people who seek training through these academies. That’s the Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine, and preferably a Diplomate.

These appliances are custom-made, and it’s important to work with an office that can help you prevent some of the side effects that can develop with these jaw retainers.

• Surgery

Surgery is still out there and recommended by some ear/nose/throat physicians, but for just the milder cases the results tend to be pretty short-lived.

• Or you can do nothing. I know that that leaves some relationships strained, misery in some people, so I definitely don’t recommend doing nothing for primary snoring.

Now if you do have apnea with your snoring, your treatment options are different. You really want to consult with a certified snoring specialist to make sure you’re treating the right problem in the right way.

Visit our site at www.TiredOfSnoring.com for additional free resources, or call 1-800-SNORING to either make an appointment at our office or get a referral to a certified specialist in your area.

Feeling Tired?

Ask us about our Home Screening Night Test. 

Mary Ellen Hughes trying out the ARES at Home Sleep Screening Device, making sure the fit and feel will be comfortable for our patients.

 Determine how likely your snoring may be related to your overall health.

It is common for sleep apnea to go undiagnosed by physicians. Sleep apnea is difficult to detect during a routine office visit. Take a moment to answer the following questions

Snore – Do you snore?
Tired – Do you feel tired, fatigued or sleepy during the daytime?
Observed – Has your bed partner observed you stop breathing during your sleep?
Pressure – Do you have or are you being treated for high blood pressure?

Did you answer yes to any questions? Discuss the possibility of sleep apnea with your physician and let him/her know your concerns.

by MORGAN CHESKY / KVUE News Follow: @MorganC_KVUE kvue.com Posted on November 11, 2011 at 10:00 PM Updated Friday, Nov 11 at 10:42 PM On the road every minute of every day, they are the traveling tons of steel and rubber that are difficult to miss. Only on May 7, 2010, Wanda and John Lindsay never saw the oncoming truck…..Continue

During snoring muscles relax in the back of the throat narrowing the airway to a smaller opening.  As you breathe in your sleep, air is forced through this smaller opening causing vibrations known as snoring.

Although snoring may be harmless (benign snoring), it can also be a sign of a more serious medical condition which progresses from Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS) to Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA).

OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA (OSA): During an apnea event

• The muscles in the throat relax and the tongue is sucked against the throat blocking the airway.
• The entire upper airway is blocked causing air flow to stop.
• Air (and oxygen) cannot flow into the lungs.
• When the oxygen level in the brain becomes low enough, the sleeper partially awakens, the obstruction in the throat clears, and the flow of air starts again – usually with a loud gasp or snort.
• People with untreated apnea are generally not aware of the awakenings but only of being sleepy during the day.
• Loud snoring, mixed with periods of silence (apnea), is typical but is not always present, especially in children.

Obstructive sleep apnea is a life threatening and life altering condition that causes a person to stop breathing repeatedly during sleep. The oxygen deprivation that results can trigger severe health problems. The restless sleep that also results from OSA affects the quality of life of individuals. The bed partner’s sleep can also be disrupted by his or her partner’s snoring, pauses in breathing and restless sleep.

Visit our website to learn more about the Health Consequences of untreated sleep apnea!

Dental Sleep and TMD Center of Illinois is dedicated to relieving pain and suffering from patients experiencing complex symptoms of TMD (temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction) and chronic headaches. Signs and symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorder vary in their presentation and can be very complex. Often the symptoms will involve more than one of the numerous TMJ components: muscles, joints, nerves and the teeth.

What are some of the TMD/Migraine headaches symptoms you should be looking for?

• Pain around the Ears
• Jaw, Tooth, Face, Neck and/or Should Pain
• Clicking or Popping of the Jaw
• Grinding of the Teeth
• Ringing or Fullness in the Ears
• Migraine Headaches or any other type of Headaches
• Sinus Pressure and Lack of Draining

There are 236 types of headaches.  The large majority of these headaches have a jaw joint or muscle component.  Our treatments reduce the excitability of specific cranial nerves.  By lowering this threshold the likelihood and intensity of mirgraines or headaches are diminished.

Is TMD  Curable?

Although TMD can become a chronic problem associated with permenant damage from trauma to the head, neck or TMD joint, the symptoms can be eliminated through proper professional care. The objective of our treatment is to gently and naturally bring the head, neck, jaw and bite into neuromuscular alignment.  In other words, the head literally teeters on the top of the cervical spine with the center of gravity forward to the spine.  It is tethered to the body by muscles of the joint systems.  Functional and resting head posture is dependant upon the proper tension in these muscles.  Movement of the jaw is not only related to the muscles for chewing,  but also head and neck position.

Here’s what is involved in our TMD treatment process:

A thorough evaluation and patient history, then a physical examination to discover the muscle hot spots or trigger points.  We will perform a bite evaluation using computerized equipment.  Then we use a series of office treatments including state of the art equipment and massage therapy.  Also included will be very important take home instruments to help you manage and divert early signs of headaches and migraines.

Our goal is to help you be pain free and improve the quality of your life!

If you have any further questions, or would like to schedule an appointment to meet our team and get started living pain free, please feel free to contact our TMD Director, Cathy, at 630-369-5508.