Frequently Asked Sleep Disorder Questions – Denton, TX

What common symptoms are associated with sleep apnea?

Some of the most common symptoms patients with sleep apnea experience include chronic fatigue, moodiness, difficulty focusing, loss of libido, acid reflux, depression, frequent nighttime urination, morning headaches, chronic, loud snoring, and waking up gasping for air throughout the night.

How do we diagnose sleep apnea?

After receiving a screening from one of our professionals, if we believe you could have sleep apnea, we’ll recommend you undergo a sleep study with our in-house lab. This can be performed in the comfort of your own home or at our lab, depending on the severity of your symptoms. This will provide us with the data necessary to make a formal diagnosis.

Are there risks of untreated sleep apnea?

There are serious risks of untreated sleep apnea, including increased risk of medical conditions like heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, heart attack, diabetes, and blood pressure. It can also impact your professional and personal life.

Is sleep apnea common?

It’s estimated that sleep apnea affects 22 million people in the United States, with about 80% of the cases going mis- or undiagnosed.

What risks can lead to developing sleep apnea?

There are different risks that can lead to the development of sleep apnea, including excessive fat located around the neck area, enlarged tonsils and lymphatic tissues, smoking, and excessive alcohol consumption. This disorder is also genetic.

Is it normal to snore?

Countless people snore, so there’s no need to immediately see your snoring as a red flag. However, if you experience chronic, loud snoring that regularly disrupts your sleep, visiting our team for an evaluation could be beneficial to your health and quality of rest.

Can snoring be stopped?

At Star Sleep & Wellness in Denton, we recognize that snoring can impact your quality of sleep as well as your partner or family’s, which is why we offer oral appliances and nutrition counseling that can help reduce your symptoms and aid in improving your quality of sleep.

Is snoring attributed to other sleep issues?

Just because you may snore, doesn’t mean you have sleep apnea. However, if your snoring is occurring in conjunction with other symptoms of sleep apnea, like cessation of breathing, you may require a sleep study because it could signify a larger problem that needs to be addressed.

Are there risks if snoring isn’t treated?

Untreated snoring can lead to poor quality of sleep, daytime fatigue, and if it’s related to sleep apnea, it could also impact your health by putting you at a higher risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and other medical conditions.

What are the benefits of oral appliance therapy?

OAT is an excellent alternative for patients who aren’t tolerant of wearing a CPAP device while they sleep. Not only are our customized appliances more comfortable to wear, but they don’t make noise and are portable, making them generally more convenient for certain patients.

Are there any side effects to wearing an oral appliance?

Each patient is different, but our team at Star Sleep & Wellness in Denton uses the latest technology to ensure that each of our customized appliances fits perfectly and comfortably. This helps lower the chance of any side-effects, like tooth discomfort, jaw discomfort, dry mouth, and excess saliva production. Should any of these occur, our team will provide exercises to help them go away as well as check-in to ensure their device is working as it should be.

Does insurance cover oral appliance therapy?

Most health insurance companies offer coverage for OAT with a formal diagnosis since they’re deemed medical devices. Our team will work closely with your insurance company and submit all necessary forms for pre-authorization so you know how much money to expect to pay out-of-pocket. If you have Medicare, you can expect your plan to pay for 100% of the cost of sleep apnea treatment.