Sleep Apnea & CPAP
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a life threatening condition that is more common than generally recognized. Over 20 million Americans suffer from OSA and don’t even know it! OSA prevents air from reaching your lungs even though your body continues its struggle to breathe, placing significant strain on your heart and cardiovascular system.
You live your life like a car with a clogged air filter; you are hard to get “started”… and when you do, you “run rough”… with no power to pass when you “step on it”. You have to fill up with “fuel” more often because of the poor mileage and if gas had calories like food, your car would put on weight too!
You can only get energy to live your life and stay awake from sugary white foods, caffeine and energy drinks because you can’t get energy from sleep when you are tossing and turning all night trying to maintain your airway. Put in a clean air filter and all those problems (symptoms) magically go away! The internal combustion engine that is our body is no different than the one in your car… they both need oxygen to function properly! Oxygen is non-negotiable!
“Six months ago, I first came into Dr. Fritzsche’s office with severe sleep apnea. I had been using a CPAP but was having difficulty getting used to wearing it. I have since been using the oral device that Dr. Fritzsche prescribed for me, and the improvement has been nothing short of miraculous.
All my sleep indexes have improved as a result and I am much more alert during the daytime…. I highly recommend Dr. Fritzsche and his oral device as the most effective way to treat sleep apnea!”
– Tomio N.
The Center for Sleep & TMJ Disorders is here to help!
If you have been diagnosed with the life-threatening, quality-of-life-robbing condition called obstructive sleep apnea and you’ve tried all the different masks but still just can’t do it, then you are CPAP intolerant and need a CPAP alternative. You need options and we have the answers!
” No more hose for me! I feel like I finally have my life back after spending 12 years battling sleep apnea and unable to tolerate CPAP. I now wear a comfortable mouth appliance that was very easy to get used to. The best part is that I can take it with me wherever I go. I even used it recently on a camping trip to the High Sierras. Dr. Fritzsche is extremely knowledgeable and caring. His staff is so professional and easy to work with. The office is clean and comfortable. I highly recommended Dr. Fritzsche to anyone who has sleep apnea and unable to tolerate CPAP.”
– Terry C.
CPAP – The “Gold Standard”
What many CPAP intolerant patients call the “dreaded mask” for sleep apnea is known as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), and is considered the “Gold Standard” treatment for this condition. However, depending on which research study you quote, 50% to 80% of the people prescribed CPAP either wear it for only a few hours a night or only 2 to 4 times per week, with most not wearing it at all. In order to be effective, CPAP must be worn every time you sleep, the entire time you sleep, including naps.
Obstructive sleep apnea sufferers who do not wear their CPAP machines are at increased risk of heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, GERD (heartburn), teeth grinding, headaches, migraines, memory problems, impotency, depression, anxiety and obesity, as well as putting their work and social lives at risk. Obstructive sleep apnea sufferers, who stop wearing CPAP often snore, gasp and choke loudly disturbing their bed partners making them suffer, placing a strain on relationships and marriages, which often result in break-ups and divorce.
Common Problems with CPAP:
- Mask Leaks
- Unable to get the mask to fit properly
- Discomfort caused by the straps and headgear
- Disturbed or interrupted sleep caused by the presence of the device
- Noise from the device disturbing my sleep and/or my bed partner’s sleep
- CPAP restricted movements during sleep
- CPAP does not seem to be effective
- CPAP air pressure is too high
- A latex allergy
- Sores on the forehead, face and nose
- Claustrophobic associations
- An unconscious need to remove the CPAP apparatus at night
