Apnea - adults

Sleep apnea is characterized by a decrease in oxygen in the blood during sleep. The lower the oxygen level and the longer the duration of the drop, the more severe the apnea. This is why sleep apnea is such a serious health hazard. Sleep apnea is linked to the development of hypertension and a higher risk of heart problems and stroke.

The most common signs suggesting apnea in adults are: shortness of breath, frequent awakenings, waking up with a feeling of suffocation, fatigue on waking in the morning, headache on waking in the morning, difficulty concentrating, reduced libido, irritability and mood disorders.

Most sleep apnea patients suffer from so-called obstructive apnea: i.e., caused by mechanical obstruction of the airway. The most common sites of obstruction are the nose and throat, often related to allergies, a deviated septum or an excessively long soft palate.

An ENT assessment as part of the diagnosis and treatment of apnea and snoring enables treatment to be tailored to the relevant contributory factors.

Snoring is the production of noise without a reduction in oxygen in the blood. Although it can cause significant interpersonal embarrassment, snoring is not a health hazard.
Sleep apnea involves a reduction in oxygen in the blood during sleep. This causes severe stress that taxes the entire body and contributes to an increased risk of many diseases.
Snoring and sleep apnea are both linked to sites of airway restriction or obstruction - the nose and throat - which is why it's important to consult an ENT specialist if you're affected.
Signs that you may havesleep apnea - not just snoring! - are: snoring, pauses in breathing, frequent awakenings, waking up feeling suffocated, tiredness on getting up in the morning, headache on getting up in the morning, lack of energy, difficulty concentrating, high blood pressure, reduced libido, irritability and mood disorders.
The best way to find out if you havesleep apnea is to have a polysomnography test: this test measures your vital signs during sleep.
If you'd like to do an initial screening at home, consider using your smartwatch to measure your oxygen saturation while you sleep: normally, your saturation level shouldn't fall below 90%. Please note that using these technologies does not rule out the possibility that you may be affected, but only provides an initial screening: if you are symptomatic, it's best to consult a specialist!
We do not recommend that patients undergo a sleep apnea test before coming to see us.
Indeed, if you are symptomatic and allergies or obstruction are discovered, it' s best to treat these conditions BEFORE doing the sleep apnea test , to enable data to be obtained under optimal medical conditions.
Certainly, a symptomatic patient with nasal obstruction is likely to havemuch more severe apnea resultsbefore having the obstruction corrected than after!
If the nasal and - or throat airways are obstructed, it becomes very difficult for the CPAP air to enter the airways, and therefore very difficult to wear the CPAP.
Patients then complain of excessive pressure, inability to keep their masks on, constant leakage noises, and so on.
An ENT evaluation can help identify the cause of the obstruction.
The most common causes of nasal obstruction are untreated mite allergies, deviated nasal septum andenlarged turbinates.
The most common causes of obstruction in the throat are: an excessively long soft palate, enlarged tonsils, a short jaw, or a narrow anatomy.
Treatment options for sleep apnea in adults include:
1. medical treatment of contributing conditions (allergies, polyps, weight loss, etc.)
2. surgical treatment to clear nasal or oral airways (turbinate reduction, septoplasty, polyp surgery, palatoplasty, etc.)
3. oral orthosis to clear the airways
4. CPAP - the famous machine that pushes air to help you breathe more easily
In the majority of cases, treatment of the medical and anatomical causes leads to a reduction in sleep apnea. This does not guarantee that you will no longer need CPAP, but in the majority of cases, it does reduce pressure and often allows you to simply use an oral orthosis.
In cases of nasalobstruction or restriction, a full evaluation can determine the presence ofallergies and target the site of nasal restriction or obstruction.
In cases ofenvironmental allergies, regular treatment withantihistamines is initiated. Subsequently, if the patient so desires, desensitization can be carried out to eventually achieve better allergy control.
For obstruction or restriction of the nasal passages, depending on the case, we may consider turbinate reduction, septoplasty or treatment of nasal polyps.
For cases ofobstruction or restriction in the throat, a complete evaluation can determine whether the problem lies in the palate, tonsils, tongue, jaw or neck.
Obstructions in the palate can be treated with an office palate reduction procedure. If the tonsils are obstructing, a tonsillectomy may be necessary.
For patients with obstructions caused by the tongue, jaw or neck, we work in collaboration with a sleep dentist who specializes in the manufacture of airway-clearing appliances.
Although there's no guarantee that an intervention can 'cure' you of snoring orapnea, the vast majority of patients benefit from an intervention, both at night and during daytime physical activity.
After evaluation and intervention, many of our patients have been able to discontinue their CPAP or stop snoring - with or without a dental orthosis. So there's hope!
Although there's no guarantee that an intervention can 'cure' you of snoring orapnea, the vast majority of patients benefit from an intervention, both at night and during daytime physical activity.
After evaluation and intervention, many of our patients have been able to discontinue their CPAP or stop snoring - with or without a dental orthosis. So there's hope!
Most of the time, you can get an appointment the week after you contact us and get a surgery date the week after your visit.
You do not need a referral from your doctor to consult Dr. Brousseau.