Sleep Apnea & Snoring Treatments
New York Sinus & Thyroid Surgery Center – Edward J. Shin M.D.
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NY Sinus and Thyroid Surgery Center
New York Sinus & Thyroid Surgery Center – Edward J. Shin M.D.
APPOINTMENT REQUEST
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310 E. 14TH STREET 6TH FLOOR
NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10003
646.943.7985

Sleep Apnea NYC

Sleep Apnea & Snoring Treatments

Treating sleep apnea in NYC can result in a better, more restful night’s sleep. Sleep is a basic function necessary for human survival, but for many people suffering from sleep-related breathing disorders, the body is not getting the rest it needs. It’s estimated that over 40 million Americans have disturbed breathing during sleep, ranging from moderate snoring to severe breathing obstructions. And while mild snoring may be no more than an annoyance to your bed partner, chronic, loud snoring may indicate a more serious condition known as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). In patients with sleep apnea, breathing stops repeatedly during sleep – sometimes up to hundreds of times per night. Sleep apnea is a potentially life-threatening condition that, if left untreated, could lead to a host of significant health issues, including heart problems, hypertension, and stroke.

At New York Sinus & Thyroid Surgery Center, Dr. Edward Shin offers comprehensive treatment for snoring and sleep apnea in NYC. Whether you’re interested in reducing snoring or need help managing sleep apnea, we offer a number of solutions that can control your condition and help your body get the rest it needs. Our NYC sleep apnea doctor can help you with treatment options that include medical devices and lifestyle changes.

SLEEP APNEA & SNORING OVERVIEW:
SLEEP APNEA OCCURS WHEN SOFT TISSUE AT THE BACK OF THE THROAT BLOCKS THE AIRWAY
SNORING OCCURS WHEN THE AIRWAY NARROWS, CAUSING AIRFLOW TO CREATE VIBRATIONS IN THE THROAT
LOUD, CHRONIC SNORING MAY BE A SYMPTOM OF OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA
SLEEP APNEA INTERRUPTS NORMAL BREATHING FUNCTION (SOMETIMES HUNDREDS OF TIMES PER NIGHT)
SLEEP APNEA CAN DEPRIVE THE BODY OF REST & CAN CAUSE CHRONIC FATIGUE, IRRITABILITY, & MORE
UNTREATED SLEEP APNEA CAN LEAD TO HEART PROBLEMS, STROKE, & HYPERTENSION
SLEEP STUDIES CAN DIAGNOSE SLEEP APNEA
MEDICAL DEVICES LIKE CPAP MACHINES ARE THE MOST COMMON TREATMENTS FOR SLEEP APNEA
LIFESTYLE CHANGES (WEIGHT LOSS, QUITTING SMOKING, AND LIMITING ALCOHOL) CAN ALSO HELP
Sleep Apnea Treatment

What Causes Snoring & Sleep Apnea?

When we fall asleep, our body naturally relaxes. Unfortunately, for some people, when the soft palate tissue at the back of the throat relaxes, it narrows the throat. When air is drawn in through the narrowed opening, the soft tissue vibrates, resulting in a snoring sound. Sometimes, snoring is a symptom of a more serious condition known as obstructive sleep apnea. For people with sleep apnea, the soft palate tissue and tongue relax and collapse into the throat during sleep. This can partially or completely obstruct the airway. The person will stop breathing until the brain signals the body to wake up and resume breathing. Often, people with obstructive sleep apnea will not even realize that they are waking up repeatedly during the night.

Factors that may contribute to sleep apnea include:
Obesity
Loss of muscle tone in the throat (usually from aging)
Anatomical structure of the mouth and throat
Chronic nasal congestion
Smoking
Excessive alcohol intake

Many patients who experience snoring and sleep apnea in NYC seek treatment for these sleeping disorders. At New York Sinus & Thyroid Surgery Center, Dr. Edward Shin specializes in sleep apnea treatment.

What Is The Difference Between Snoring & Sleep Apnea?

Chances are, if you snore regularly, your sleep partner has probably already let you know. And while snoring can certainly be disruptive to your sleep, sometimes the ramifications of snoring are more far-reaching than that. Millions of Americans have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, while countless others are unaware that they even have this condition. Since untreated sleep apnea can give rise to a long list of serious health problems, it’s vitally important to find out if your snoring is really something more.

The main difference between snoring and sleep apnea relates to the obstruction of the airway. Snoring is a symptom; when you snore, it is an indicator that your airway is partially obstructed. However, during sleep apnea episodes, the airway is completely closed and breathing stops. For many people who suffer from sleep apnea in NYC, breathing can stop as frequently as a hundred times per hour, and pauses typically last for 10 seconds or longer.

How Can Sleep Apnea Affect
My Quality Of Life?

Sleep apnea causes frequent disruptions in the sleep cycle. This has been linked to a long list of potential health problems, including:

POTENTIAL HEALTH PROBLEMS INCLUDE:
Sleepiness or exhaustion during the day
Poor concentration
Learning difficulties
Trouble remembering
Depression
Irritability
Reflux
Difficulty staying awake while reading, working, and driving
Increased risk for heart attack and stroke
High blood pressure
Diabetes
Sexual dysfunction
Weight gain
Headaches
Treatment For Sleep Apnea

What Are The Symptoms Of Sleep Apnea?

While only a doctor can diagnose whether you have sleep apnea, some symptoms could signal a problem, such as excessive daytime fatigue and loud snoring. The most common indicator of sleep apnea is chronic snoring, followed by periods of silence and then a sudden snorting or choking sound when breathing resumes.

Not everybody who snores has sleep apnea, but the majority of people with sleep apnea do snore. If you suspect you may have sleep apnea, you should ask your partner to describe your snoring. If your snoring and breathing patterns during sleep match those listed below, you should make an appointment with our sleep apnea doctor in NYC to evaluate whether you may have this sleep disorder.

SLEEP APNEA SYMPTOMS
CHRONIC, LOUD SNORING
BREATHING THAT STOPS REPEATEDLY DURING SLEEP
GASPING FOR BREATH DURING SLEEP
FREQUENT BODY MOVEMENTS DURING SLEEP
SUDDENLY WAKING FROM SLEEP
NOT FEELING REFRESHED, EVEN AFTER A FULL NIGHT’S SLEEP
EXCESSIVE DAYTIME FATIGUE
DIFFICULTY CONCENTRATING & REMEMBERING
WAKING UP WITH HEADACHES

How Is Sleep Apnea In NYC Diagnosed?

Our sleep apnea specialist will meet with you to discuss your symptoms and evaluate whether you might have obstructive sleep apnea. Generally, there are 2 ways to diagnose sleep apnea: a polysomnography and an at-home sleep study.

Can A Polysomnography Diagnose My Sleep Apnea?

Polysomnography is a special sleep study test that helps measure a wide variety of bodily functions during sleep, including brain activity, eye movement, muscle activity, heart and respiration rates, airflow, and blood oxygen levels. Polysomnography tests are administered in a hospital or sleep center. The patient is connected to numerous monitoring wires and sleeps overnight at the center. Body functions are recorded to analyze sleeping patterns and diagnose obstructive sleep apnea. While polysomnography tests are safe and accurate, some patients find the tests inconvenient, uncomfortable, and sometimes embarrassing. For patients seeking a more convenient and private testing method, our sleep apnea specialist may recommend home sleep studies.

Can I Take A Sleep Apnea Test At Home?

Absolutely. We recognize that spending a night in a sleep center may be inconvenient and uncomfortable for some patients. That’s why our sleep apnea specialist can recommend a home sleep study that patients can self-administer in the privacy and comfort of their own home. Patients take home a special recorder that will help us analyze your breathing pattern, heart rate, and oxygen saturation levels to determine if you may suffer from sleep apnea. The at-home sleep study is convenient and simple to use.

Sleep Apnea Treatments In NYC

It’s extremely important for patients to get treated for sleep apnea in order to avoid potentially serious health complications. If you are a chronic, heavy snorer, you should be evaluated by our sleep apnea doctor to determine if your snoring is related to obstructive sleep apnea. There are a variety of ways to treat sleep apnea, including mechanical devices and lifestyle changes. Treatment will depend on many factors, including the severity of your sleep apnea, the physical structure of your airway, and other lifestyle and medical factors. Dr. Shin will meet with you to evaluate your condition. Together, you will decide on a treatment option that will work best for you.

MAD DEVICE FOR SLEEP APNEA
DEVICE THAT SNAPS IN PLACE OVER THE TEETH
HOLDS THE TONGUE & JAW IN THE CORRECT POSITION
KEEPS THE AIRWAY OPEN DURING SLEEP
IDEAL FOR MILD-TO-MODERATE SLEEP APNEA
CPAP DEVICE FOR SLEEP APNEA
APPLIANCE THAT IS WORN OVER THE NOSE
DELIVERS AIR THROUGH THE NASAL PASSAGES
CONSTANT FLOW OF AIR KEEPS THE AIRWAY OPEN WHILE SLEEPING
IDEAL FOR MODERATE-TO-SEVERE SLEEP APNEA
LIFESTYLE CHANGES FOR SLEEP APNEA
WEIGHT LOSS CAN REDUCE THE EFFECTS OF MILD SLEEP APNEA
QUITTING SMOKING & LIMITING ALCOHOL INTAKE CAN HELP IMPROVE SLEEP APNEA
STOPPING THE USE OF CERTAIN PRESCRIPTION MEDICINES CAN LESSEN SLEEP APNEA
LIFESTYLE CHANGES MAY BE RECOMMENDED ALONGSIDE OTHER SLEEP APNEA TREATMENTS
Sleep Apnea Treatments In NYC

How Can Sleep Apnea Be Treated With Medical Devices?

Medical devices, such as a mandibular advancement device (MAD) or a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device, can help treat sleep apnea by keeping the airway open during sleep. In most cases, our NYC sleep apnea specialist will recommend a CPAP device, which can help the vast majority of sleep apnea patients.

How Does A CPAP Machine Work?

CPAP machines are the most common treatment for sleep apnea today. A CPAP is a device that provides continuous positive airway pressure through an appliance worn over the patient’s nose during sleep. The machine gently forces air through the nasal passages, providing enough pressure to prevent the airway from collapsing during sleep. The level of pressure is precisely calibrated for each patient, depending on the results of their sleep study. CPAPs have been shown to be very effective in controlling moderate-to-severe sleep apnea in patients who regularly use the device.

How Does A Mandibular Advancement Device Work?

A mandibular advancement device looks similar to a mouth guard. This device snaps in place over the upper and lower teeth and is left on at night while you sleep. Special MADs can reposition the jaw and tongue in order to keep the airway from collapsing in patients with mild-to-moderate sleep apnea.

Can Surgery Help Sleep Apnea In NYC?

Sleep apnea surgery to improve the physical structure of the airway may be an option for certain patients. Unfortunately, sleep apnea surgery is successful only about 30% to 60% of the time. Additionally, some patients may need multiple procedures, and most patients will experience prolonged recovery. For patients who may benefit from sleep apnea surgery, Dr. Shin may refer you to a surgeon for a uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (also known as a UPPP or UP3). During UPPP surgery, excess tissue from the tonsils, uvula, and soft palate is cut away in order to widen the airway and prevent future collapse. Dr. Shin will discuss with you whether you are a good candidate for UPPP surgery.

Can Lifestyle Changes Help Treat Sleep Apnea In NYC?

Lifestyle changes may be able to help reduce the effects of mild sleep apnea. Studies show that obesity can contribute to obstructive sleep apnea in many patients. Losing weight may reduce sleep apnea episodes for some patients – particularly overweight patients with mild sleep apnea. At New York Sinus & Thyroid Surgery Center, we understand that losing weight can be difficult, especially if you are suffering from the sleep deprivation effects of sleep apnea. A nutritionist can help you design and stick to a healthy eating program. Depending on your specific sleep apnea conditions, nutritional counseling may be used in conjunction with other treatments until your sleep apnea is under control.

Quitting smoking and limiting alcohol intake may improve your sleep apnea while also resulting in better quality sleep. In some cases, stopping the use of certain prescription medicines and pain relievers can also reduce the severity of sleep apnea. Dr. Shin can discuss these factors with you in more detail to determine if lifestyle changes may help improve your sleep apnea.

Snoring Treatments In NYC

Snoring is not always indicative of obstructive sleep apnea. However, many patients want to reduce snoring so that they and their partners can get a better night’s rest. If your snoring is not related to sleep apnea, there are a number of snoring treatments that can help reduce your snoring. Treatment options include radiofrequency ablation and uvulectomy snoring surgery to help you and your partner get the sleep you both need. If you are a candidate for these snoring treatments, Dr. Shin can refer you to a snoring surgeon to help treat your condition.

How Do I Learn More About Snoring & Sleep Apnea In NYC?

Our sleep apnea surgeon in NYC would be happy to discuss snoring and sleep apnea treatments in more detail with you. To schedule a consultation, please call 646.943.7985 or request an appointment online at our NYC office.

NEW YORK SINUS & THYROID SURGERY CENTER

310 E. 14TH STREET
6TH FLOOR
NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10003

646.943.7985
New York Eye & Ear Infirmary Of Mount Sinai

NEW YORK SINUS & THYROID SURGERY CENTER

310 E. 14TH STREET
6TH FLOOR
NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10003

646.943.7985

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