Sleep apnea might be described as a keystone condition. That’s because it’s just one condition that can have a dramatic impact on your overall health. The good news is that treating sleep apnea can have a dramatic impact on many health conditions. It can lead to significant improvement in many health conditions.
With Americans relying on more and more prescription drugs, drug-free sleep apnea treatment can potentially eliminate the need for many medications.
Antidepressants
Antidepressants are one of the most common prescription drugs taken in the US. However, many people may not actually need them. That’s because their supposed depression may actually be sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea symptoms can mimic depression, and treatment of sleep apnea can actually improve depression symptoms, so it’s possible that people getting sleep apnea treatment can avoid taking antidepressants.
Blood Pressure Medication
Along with antidepressants, blood pressure medications are among the most commonly prescribed drugs in the US. There are many different drugs prescribed for this condition, including ACE inhibitors, diuretics, and beta blockers.
However, elevated blood pressure (hypertension) is one of the most common signs of sleep apnea. And, what’s worse, people with sleep apnea may find that their hypertension doesn’t respond to medications at all. But treating sleep apnea can help control blood pressure.
ED Drugs
Erectile dysfunction (ED) and other forms of sexual dysfunction continue to increase as the population of the US is aging and growing more obese. However, it’s likely that many people with ED actually have sleep apnea. Treating sleep apnea can help improve the symptoms of ED. Some studies even suggest that it’s more effective than ED drugs!
Pain Medications
People with sleep apnea are more likely to have chronic pain conditions. We’re not sure whether sleep apnea can actually cause chronic pain conditions, but we do know that sleep apnea can cause morning headaches that may require the use of pain medication. It can also contribute to chronic fatigue, which is associated with chronic pain and may increase reliance on pain medications.
Snoring surgery can sometimes result in chronic pain, so finding nonsurgical alternatives can also reduce your risk of becoming reliant on pain medications.
Weight Loss Drugs
Weight loss drugs are not prescribed as a frontline treatment for obesity, but they are sometimes recommended for people who have difficulty losing weight on their own. Sleep apnea can make it significantly harder to lose weight because of the way it interferes with your metabolism.
Treating sleep apnea can make it easier to lose weight on your own so that you won’t rely on prescription medications.
Before Taking Medications
Some have accused US doctors of being too eager to prescribe medications in treatment with other alternatives exist. We also know that doctors aren’t usually thinking about sleep apnea when seeing patients. So it seems like a good idea to ask your doctor about sleep apnea before you start taking medications. You may be able to avoid getting started on a medication you may find it hard to get away from.
To learn more about the potential benefits of treating sleep apnea, please call (402) 493-4175 today for an appointment with an sleep dentist in Omaha at the Advanced Dental Sleep Treatment Center.
