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Many people snore—and this tendency can be made worse when they have a cold or consume excessive amounts of alcohol. However, this seemingly harmless condition can, occasionally, be a sign of a deeper problem—sleep apnea, which causes you to stop breathing at various times throughout the night. Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common form of this condition, as a result of soft tissue in the back of the throat relaxing and blocking the airway. See if any of these sleep apnea symptoms apply to you before scheduling an appointment with your local ear, nose, and throat doctor.

Indications You May Have Sleep Apnea

1. Chronic Snoring

Does your partner keep complaining that you keep them up at night? Consider setting up a recording device to determine how often and how loudly you snore. Regular, disruptive noises, which mimick a choking sound, should be investigated by an ear, nose, and throat doctor.

2. Waking Up With Shortness of Breath

Do you wake up throughout the night gasping for air or even choking? Since sleep apnea causes you to temporarily stop breathing, oxygen levels in your blood lower and tell your brain to wake up. If this protective measure happens regularly, sleep apnea is the likely cause.

3. Morning Dry Mouth or Sore Throat

ear, nose, and throat doctorEveryone arises slightly dehydrated after sleeping because tiny amounts of moisture get released with every exhalation. However, waking to an extremely dry mouth or scratchy throat generally means you were snoring throughout the night.

4. Consistent Fatigue

Sleep apnea interferes with restful nights of sleep, causing you to feel tired frequently throughout the day. Chronic feelings of fatigue and lethargy from snoring, or excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), are also associated with difficulty waking up, problems concentrating, wanting to take lots of naps, and dozing off during daylight hours. 

5. Morning Headaches

Breathing problems mean less oxygen reaches your brain, causing blood vessels to expand and create painful vascular headaches when you wake up. Rather than reaching for painkillers every morning, see your local ear, nose, and throat doctor.

 

If these and other sleep apnea symptoms sound familiar, schedule an appointment with Ear Nose & Throat Specialties PC. Serving the community since 1991, these Lincoln, NE-based ear, nose, and throat doctors help patients of all ages solve sleep apnea and sinus issues, among other services. Call today at (402) 488-5600 to make your appointment or visit the specialists online for more information on their physicians and other locations.

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