Around one-sixth of all Americans suffer from chronic loud snoring at night, and that includes a fair few here in San Francisco. This can be a symptom of sleep apnea and may result in daytime sleepiness, fatigue, and loss of memory.
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It can also lead to changes in personality and can potentially be life-threatening. If you suffer from any of these symptoms, you may require sleep apnea surgery.
If your partner keeps you awake at night with heavy snoring it can have a depressing effect on you, as well as depriving you of sleep. It also works the other way around because you could be suffering from it, and you won’t know unless your partner complains about it. Furthermore, you may not be able to focus properly when you are at work, and you may suffer from fatigue and also memory loss. In addition, sleep apnea can lead to hypertension which may, in turn, cause heart disease, and it can also result in erectile dysfunction. You may have breathing problems as well. Any or all of these symptoms may mean that you require sleep apnea surgery.
A Sleep Apnea Surgery Specialist
Fortunately, our Dr. Alex Rabinovich is a specialist in sleep apnea surgery and he has the very latest technology here in our office in the Financial district that will help him to evaluate your individual situation. He also has partnerships with sleep experts here in the Bay Area in order to ensure that your problems are correctly diagnosed, and an appropriate remedy is found.
There are certain risk factors as well, one of which is that sleep apnea is more likely to occur in men than in women, although snoring in women can increase after menopause. The use of alcohol or sedatives can have an effect, and so can being overweight. You may suffer from nasal congestion and have enlarged tonsils and adenoids. There is also a tendency for sleep apnea to run in families, so your genetics may also have an effect.
The first thing to do is to book an appointment to see Dr. Rabinovich. This is entirely free and will take place here in our office. It’s in the “Financial District,” and convenient to Downtown San Francisco, including BART and MUNI. He will take X-rays and provide an oral examination. Then he will be able to provide a personalized treatment plan for you. This may also involve the support of a sleep expert in San Francisco.
Treatment for sleep apnea in San Francisco could be something as simple as a weight loss plan or could be a simple surgery conducted under local anesthetic. If your condition requires more extensive surgery, this could be the use of orthognathic surgery to reposition the jaws.
Make an appointment with Dr. Rabinovich in order to assess your problem.