Denton County Living Well Magazine January/February 2018 | Page 23

Sleep Solution So You Can Snooze and Not Lose
Courtesy of Healthcare Associates of Texas
I
t is highly likely that either you or someone
you know suffers from excessive snoring while
sleeping. Snoring affects over 50% of American
adults and can be strenuous on relationships by
forcing couples to sleep in separate bedrooms or by
taking away hours of necessary rest causing unhealthy
sleep hygiene for both partners. Snoring is often
associated with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, also known
as OSA.
OSA is a common but serious sleep disorder that
causes one to stop breathing during sleep. The airway
repeatedly becomes blocked, limiting the amount of air
that reaches the lungs. When this happens, one may
snore loudly or make choking noises as he or she tries
to breathe but often times has no symptoms. The brain
and body become oxygen deprived which will then
cause the individual to wake up on rare occasions.
When left untreated, OSA can lead to multiple risks
such as:
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Hypertension
Cardiovascular Disease
Cognitive Impairment
Daytime Sleeping
Depression
Impotency
Motor Vehicle Accidents
Increase Mortality
the treatment of OSA. Patients who have had this
procedure are less likely to be dependent on their
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) devices
to assist them with breathing while they sleep. CPAP
masks can be cumbersome and make sleeping difficult
and uncomfortable. This procedure uses a combination
of technologies that are minimally invasive and can be
done in an office setting. There is no sedation required
which allows for a quick recovery. We have seen an 85%
success rate. This procedure has proven to us, to be an
effective treatment to date for snoring and sleep apnea.
COBRA™ works by delivering energy to the muscle at
the back of the tongue by using a specially-designed
probe to warm the soft tissues in a controlled manner.
The small amount of thermal energy will stimulate the
production of collagen, tightening these soft tissues
and muscle of the tongue and soft palate. As these
tissues tighten, they will be reduced in size, which in
turn allows for more breathing room at the back of the
throat. It is recommended that 4-6 treatment sessions
will offer the best results for the patient.
This new treatment is covered by Medicare and many
commercial insurance plans. If you or someone you
know is suffering from OSA, don't let snoring get in the
way of a good night's sleep. Our physicians are ready
to help. Visit one of Healthcare Associates of Texas
convenient locations in Coppell, Irving, and McKinney.
Many doctors may overlook the role OSA plays in some
of these diseases, so it is important to treat OSA as a
potential source of the problem rather than treat solely
the diseases themselves. If a patient is taking two or
more medications to manage high blood pressure, he
or she has an 80% chance of having OSA. If obstructive
sleep apnea is properly treated, patients have been able
to get off of their blood pressure medications and also
have shown evidence of weight loss.
Smart New You, a procedural wellness clinic
of Healthcare Associates of Texas has a new
technology called COBRA™ (Combined Office Based
Radiofrequency Ablation) that can be used for
For more information on the COBRA™ procedure, visit
SmartNewYou.com.
Not actual patients
Healthcare Associates of Texas provides its patients with a total continuum of care by offering comprehensive family medicine
and ancillaries under one roof. For more information, you can visit their website at www.healthcareassociates.com.
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