Understanding the Role of the Soft Palate in Sleep Apnea: An ENT’s Perspective

Do you often awake from a sound sleep or have a partner who complains about your disruptive snoring? If so, you may be living with sleep apnea in Long Beach, CA. Dr. Jesse Tan, Dr. Jesus Tan, and Dr. Rose Eapen are the experts at Tan Head and Neck Center who can help you with this condition and achieve the restful REM sleep your mind and body need.

What Is a Soft Palate?

That flexible muscular area in the back of the roof of your mouth also separates your oral and nasal cavities. It aids in your speech, swallowing, and breathing. It sits behind the hard plate that holds your teeth and gums and is made from muscle and tissue but no bone. Thanks to its positioning, it moves to cover the airway opening when you are eating.

How Does It Affect Sleep Apnea?

If it relaxes too much and collapses, it can block the airway. As a result, your sleep will be interrupted as you stop breathing, causing you to periodically wake up. The obstruction can create a vibration during breathing, which leads to snoring. Age can cause the muscle tone in the soft palate and its support of surrounding areas to decrease and weaken.

How Can an ENT Doctor Help?

When you visit Dr. Tan, Dr. Tan, and Dr. Eapen for help with sleep apnea in Long Beach, CA, they may prescribe a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) or oral appliance to sleep with to prevent airway blockage. Palatal implants are small implants your doctor can place into your soft palate to make it stronger. Radiofrequency treatment can also stiffen the area but may require multiple sessions to take effect. If your doctor notices excess tissue in the area, they may remove it to widen the airway. 

Get professional treatment from your ENT specialist for your sleep apnea since it can create severe health side effects. Because sleep apnea often results in frequent sleep disruptions, a person may never feel well-rested. It can affect your mental health and create daytime fatigue. It can also affect your blood pressure because waking up frequently stresses the body, as well as a lack of oxygen during sleep. Heart disease, heart failure, or heart attacks can also occur. If you're susceptible to diabetes, sleep apnea can increase insulin resistance.

Professional help for sleep apnea is available in Long Beach, CA, at Tan Head and Neck Center. Drs. Tan and Dr. Eapen are your local ENT specialists who can provide your needed care. To learn more, call us at 562-988-8818.