San Francisco, Marin, and Oakland, CA
Chronic or occasional headaches can wreak havoc on your life. Unfortunately, millions of Americans suffer from chronic headaches and try various remedies to achieve relief, such as drinking water, taking vitamins, avoiding caffeine, practicing meditation, exercising daily, and the list goes on. Even though most people seek remedies to address their headaches, they seldom find lasting relief. Therefore our Oakland dentists who treat chronic headaches at Glen Park Dental share on the blog today your options when headache medicine stops working so that you can enjoy life headache-free.
What is causing my chronic headaches?
There are various reasons why chronic headaches may plague your days. However, many patients who experience chronic headaches suffer from obstructive sleep apnea or OSA. Obstructive sleep apnea is a sleep condition caused by a partially or wholly obstructed airway that prevents proper oxygen levels from reaching the brain. Our Marin sleep apnea dentists explain that when your brain does not receive enough oxygen to function correctly, it can cause regular, intense headaches. Therefore, treatment of the problem, obstructive sleep apnea, is crucial to stop headache symptoms.
Are there other symptoms I should note about obstructive sleep apnea?
Not every patient experiences the same symptoms of sleep apnea. Although there are several symptoms sleep apnea sufferers have in common, some additional signs may provide clues to your sleep breathing disorder.
Therefore, our San Francisco dentists who treat sleep apnea outline different symptoms that may accompany frequent headaches that could also indicate a sleep apnea disorder.
- Feeling tired or sleepy throughout the day regardless of how much sleep you got from the night before.
- Lack of energy and the need to sit or lie down and rest.
- Struggle to concentrate or focus on menial tasks that are usually simple.
- Comments or complaints from your partner or family members about your snoring behaviors or tossing and turning in your sleep.
Suppose you identify with any of the above sleep apnea symptoms. In that case, it is time to visit our San Francisco dental office for a sleep apnea screening.
Why is snoring a big deal, and how does it relate to my headaches?
Although most people don’t realize it, snoring is a big deal and can immediately impact your oral and overall health. When you snore, it typically means that the soft tissues in your throat block your airway and prevent oxygen flow. People who are more likely to snore may engage in mouth breathing, but it’s a less efficient way for your body to receive oxygen and can result in low oxygen levels throughout your body. Our Oakland sleep apnea dentists explain that low oxygenation could cause headaches and other possible symptoms. Lastly, according to research, snoring is a significant key in diagnosing sleep apnea in patients.
Why is sleep apnea such a severe condition?
Our Marin dentists who treat sleep apnea explain that sleep apnea is a condition that has several effects on your body. First, low oxygen levels can impact brain function and overall organ function. Second, although you may think you are sleeping, your brain continuously wakes itself up to restore breathing. So, for example, as your oxygen levels drop, your brain sends a signal to your body telling it to wake up and start breathing. Unfortunately, whenever the signal occurs, you experience a disruption in your sleep cycle that deprives you of the regeneration and restoration process that naturally occurs during deep sleep. In cases where patients have an advanced untreated condition, waking hundreds of times a night is typical. If this is the case for you, it’s no wonder you feel tired after “sleeping” eight or more hours a night.
Furthermore, sleep apnea can dramatically impact your cognitive abilities, making driving or operating machinery risky. Additionally, untreated sleep apnea increases your risk for chronic, potentially deadly medical conditions that include diabetes, stroke, cardiovascular disease, and some forms of cancer. Lastly, some patients with sleep apnea report living with multiple unexplained aches and pains, including frequent headaches.
Headache Relief in Marin, Oakland, and San Francisco, California
Experiencing any of the above conditions combined could mean that you suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, a condition that causes frequent headaches. Instead of treating the symptom, find the problem and focus your treatment efforts there. If you are looking for headache relief in San Francisco, especially after all your other measures fail, feel free to contact Glen Park Dental at (415) 585-1500 to request an appointment today.
