Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea affects your energy levels, makes you irritable, and is a risk factor for serious health problems. If you have any signs of sleep apnea, visit Silicon Valley ENT & Sinus Center: Philip T. Ho, MD, FACS, in Los Gatos, California. Board-certified otolaryngologist Dr. Ho uses the latest sleep apnea diagnostics to assess your condition, offering comprehensive care supported by collaborations with leading academic institutions. For expert help overcoming sleep apnea, call Silicon Valley ENT & Sinus Center or complete the online booking form to schedule a consultation today.

What is sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea is a breathing condition that occurs when you sleep. You momentarily stop breathing multiple times in the night, and each time your brain senses the problem and wakes you so that you start breathing again.

These waking moments are so brief that you don’t remember them the next day. But the combination of insufficient oxygen and lack of good quality sleep leaves you tired and irritable.

One form of sleep apnea (central sleep apnea) is a neurological condition where your brain doesn’t always activate your breathing muscles. The other type, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), is far more common. With OSA, soft tissues in your throat relax too much when you’re asleep and block the airway.

Why is sleep apnea a problem?

Untreated sleep apnea can cause or worsen many potentially life-threatening health problems, including:

• High blood pressure 
• Type 2 diabetes
• Stroke 
• Heart disease
• Heart attack
• Depression 

Sleep apnea also makes it difficult to function properly during the day because you feel exhausted and sleepy.

How is sleep apnea diagnosed?

After reviewing your symptoms, Dr. Ho might recommend a home sleep study. This involves wearing a Snap Diagnostics home sleep test device overnight. Snap measures airflow into your body, your heart rate, breathing effort and sounds, and the oxygen level in your blood, a key indicator for sleep apnea.

After completing your home sleep study, the data undergoes expert analysis to identify obstructive and central sleep apnea events and other abnormal respiratory patterns.

How is sleep apnea treated?

The treatment plan Dr. Ho develops for your sleep apnea might include:

• Losing weight
• Avoiding alcohol 
• Not taking sleeping pills
• Smoking cessation
• Sleeping on your side

Silicon Valley ENT & Sinus Center offers multiple medical and surgical options, including snoring interventions like snoreplasty. This in-office procedure involves Dr. Ho injecting a hardening agent into your upper palate, creating scar tissue. The scarring pulls the soft tissues forward to free your airway.

Another option is implants that control the nerves in your tongue, preventing the tongue from moving back and blocking the airway. Or you could opt for a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device. CPAP delivers air under pressure into the nasal passages to prevent airway blockage. Multi-faceted and multi-staged surgery options are also available if nothing else works.

For effective solutions to your sleep apnea, call Silicon Valley ENT & Sinus Center or book an appointment online today.