As the sleeping partners of many women can attest, problem snoring and sleep apnea is not just a problem for men. Millions of women suffer (and their sleeping partners) suffer from sleep apnea. However, the diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea often takes divergent courses between the genders. Why? Well, because of several reasons. The social stigma associated with snoring, the way women tend to present their symptoms to their doctors and traditional prejudices among some physicians often lead to women who have sleep apnea going undiagnosed. The Snoring Center’s board certified physicians have treated tens of thousands of patients, both men and women, who suffer from sleep apnea. If any portion of this blog post resonates with you, please schedule a consultation immediately. Sleep apnea is no laughing matter.
So, why are women less likely to be diagnosed with sleep apnea? For starters, many physicians have a pre-conceived notion of what kind of patients have sleep apnea. Typically they envision a middle-aged male, who is most likely overweight. Next, many women may not look at their snoring problem as a snoring problem. Instead, they may complain of fatigue, insomnia, mood swings, morning headaches or even depression. This then leads to yet another issue. Many women would prefer to be issued a prescription for an anti-depressant than face the specter of a sleep study. Snoring is something most women don’t want to talk about.
In its simplest terms, the warning signs of sleep apnea for women include fatigue, obesity, awakening with a dry mouth, a constant feeling of being overcome and, of course, a history of snoring. Furthermore, it might be relevant to consider prior diagnoses that may have been incorrect. Many women suffering from sleep apnea have been incorrectly diagnosed with:
- Fibromyalgia
- Menopausal changes
- Fatigue
- Anemia
- Diabetes
- Cardiac Illness
- Hypertension
- Insomnia
- Depression
- Hypothyroidism
- Hypochondria – Yes, women who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea have been told the problem is in their head. Yikes.
The good news, ladies, is that treating sleep apnea is a lot easier than you think. The Snoring Center uses a variety of minimally invasive treatments to get at the specific root cause of your snoring problem. The entire process of diagnosis, consultation and treatment is quick. Many of our patients come in for a diagnosis and leave with a complete treatment in less than an hour. Moreover, our patients can return to work immediately.
The advanced, minimally-invasive, office procedures we utilize include:
- The Pillar® Procedure
- Coblation Turbinate Reduction
- Palate Coblation
- RFA
- Laser Tonsillectomy
- Home Sleep Study
- Oral Appliances
- Snoring Surgery
- CPAP
So, if you have been avoiding confronting your snoring problem, or, if you think your snoring problem might have been misdiagnosed, contact us at The Snoring Center. Your snoring can be gone and your health can be restored as soon as tomorrow.
