• Locations & Hours
  • Find a Physician
  • Pay My Bill
  • Resources & Forms
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • 541-754-1150

The Corvallis Clinic

Physicians & Surgeons

MENUMENU
  • Patient Portal
  • Primary Care
    • Family Medicine
    • Internal Medicine
    • Pediatrics
  • Specialty Care
    • Allergy & Immunology
    • Behavioral Health (Integrated)
    • Behavioral Health (Specialty)
    • Care Coordination
    • Concussion Care
    • Dermatology
    • Diabetes
    • Ear, Nose & Throat
    • Endocrinology
    • Foot and Ankle
    • Gastroenterology
    • Neurology
    • Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine
    • Neuropsychology
    • Nutrition Services
    • Obstetrics & Gynecology
    • Occupational Medicine
    • Ophthalmology & Optometry
    • Orthopedic Surgery
    • Orthopedics & Sports Medicine
    • Physical Therapy
    • Rheumatology
    • Sleep Medicine
    • Surgery (General)
    • Surgery Center
    • Urology
  • Immediate/QuickCare
    • Need same-day care?
    • To find out where to go based on your symptoms, click Same Day Care.
    • Immediate Care Center
    • Walk-in medical center offering diagnosis and treatment of a wide array of urgent, non-life threatening illnesses and injuries for ages 1 year and older.

    • Monday – Friday: 8 am to 7 pm
      Weekends: 10 am to 5 pm
      541-754-1282
    • QuickCare.clinic
    • QuickCareSame-day online appointment scheduling to see nurse practitioners for treatment of minor illnesses and injuries, preventive care and sports physicals. Provides upfront menu of services and prices. 2 years and older only.

  • Telemedicine
    • Resources
    • Athena Telehealth Instructions
    • Doxy Provider Directory
    • Doxy.me Instructions
  • Online Scheduling
MENUMENU
  • Patient Portal
  • Primary Care
    • Family Medicine
    • Internal Medicine
    • Pediatrics
  • Specialty Care
    • Allergy & Immunology
    • Behavioral Health (Integrated)
    • Behavioral Health (Specialty)
    • Care Coordination
    • Concussion Care
    • Dermatology
    • Diabetes
    • Ear, Nose & Throat
    • Endocrinology
    • Foot and Ankle
    • Gastroenterology
    • Neurology
    • Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine
    • Neuropsychology
    • Nutrition Services
    • Obstetrics & Gynecology
    • Occupational Medicine
    • Ophthalmology & Optometry
    • Orthopedic Surgery
    • Orthopedics & Sports Medicine
    • Physical Therapy
    • Rheumatology
    • Sleep Medicine
    • Surgery (General)
    • Surgery Center
    • Urology
  • Immediate/QuickCare
    • Need same-day care?
    • To find out where to go based on your symptoms, click Same Day Care.
    • Immediate Care Center
    • Walk-in medical center offering diagnosis and treatment of a wide array of urgent, non-life threatening illnesses and injuries for ages 1 year and older.

    • Monday – Friday: 8 am to 7 pm
      Weekends: 10 am to 5 pm
      541-754-1282
    • QuickCare.clinic
    • QuickCareSame-day online appointment scheduling to see nurse practitioners for treatment of minor illnesses and injuries, preventive care and sports physicals. Provides upfront menu of services and prices. 2 years and older only.

  • Telemedicine
    • Resources
    • Athena Telehealth Instructions
    • Doxy Provider Directory
    • Doxy.me Instructions
  • Online Scheduling
Home > Sleep Medicine > Obstructive Sleep Apnea FAQs

Obstructive Sleep Apnea FAQs

How is my sleep-related breathing problem affecting my health?

What is my upper airway doing while I’m sleeping? Your brain breathes in 3 basic gears: awake, asleep, and dream sleep (REM sleep). As we drop down from awake to sleep, our body gets more relaxed; the most relaxed state is in dream sleep. This is especially important when we dream, so we do not act out our dreams. However, if your body has a “floppy” upper airway, being very relaxed can cause that airway to either close partially, causing snoring, or actually collapse shut, causing obstructive sleep apnea.

What does it mean to/why do I have a “floppy” airway? Sleep apnea can be caused by one of, or a combination of, three things. First, how we are built – big tonsils and big uvula (the punching bag), among others, create a very narrow throat opening. Second, how much we weigh – extra weight pushes down on the collapsible part of your airway. Third, how we are wired – how does your brain tell you to breathe? Usually, it is a combination of these three things that determine how severe your sleep apnea is.

Why is it so bad if sometimes my airway closes? When your airway collapses shut when you are sleeping, a number of bad things happen quickly. First, your brain thinks that it is being strangled, and will hit a “panic” button to make you jerk awake briefly and open that airway. This “panic” button is the “fight or flight response” all people have to danger, and your body responds by releasing stress hormones and adrenaline into your system. These hormones increase your blood pressure, make your heart beat faster, raise your blood sugar, and jerk you out of restoring sleep. Over time, those problems can become permanent – for example, high blood pressure, diabetes, and memory problems. You also become 3-4 times more likely to have a stroke or heart attack. Secondly, with a closed airway, your oxygen level drops. All of your body’s panic responses are now taking place with low amounts of oxygen, making a bad situation worse. Organs like the heart, brain, and kidneys begin to shut down and “misfire” when they do not get enough oxygen.

How do I treat this? We will discuss with you the options available based on your level of sleep apnea. The “gold standard” is Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP); a machine about the size of a shoebox. CPAP blows a small amount of air into your nose or mouth through a mask, thereby “splinting” open that collapsible airway. The pressure is adjusted to perfectly fit your airway; if this fit is correct, you should not even feel any extra air. Other options to treat sleep apnea include a mandibular advancement device (a dental device), which is like a mouth guard that gently pushes your lower jaw forward, creating an underbite. This helps pull your airway apart while you sleep by pulling your tongue forward slightly and off the back of your throat. Surgery is also an option, depending on how “crowded” your airway is. However, surgery is often a temporary fix and is very painful. Weight loss is also recommended, regardless of the severity of your apnea. The Corvallis Clinic offers a weight-loss program – ask us for details and a referral.

How do I get help & support? There is a support and information group for patients with sleep apnea, their family and friends, and people wanting to learn more about sleep-related breathing disorders, called A.W.A.K.E. (Alert, Well, and Keeping Energetic). This group is sponsored by Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center and the American Sleep Apnea Association. For more information, call (541) 768-5260.

  • Sleep Medicine
  • New Patient Paperwork
  • 7 Tips for Better Sleep
  • Amber (Blue Light Blocking) Lenses
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
  • CPAP Tips
  • CPAP Treatment Alternatives for Obstructive Sleep Apnea
  • CPAP/BIPAP FAQ
  • Diaphragmatic Breathing
  • Durable Medical Equipment (DME)
  • Obstructive Sleep Apnea FAQ
  • Obstructive Sleep Apnea Treatment Options
  • Progressive Muscle Relaxation
  • Respironics CPAP Machine Recall
  • Understanding Your Sleep Study
  • Using a Lightbox
  • What to Expect with a Diagnosis of Obstructive Sleep Apnea

The Corvallis Clinic is a physician-led medical clinic dedicated to quality patient care and exceptional service. The Clinic is the largest multi-specialty medical group in the mid-Willamette Valley.

  • Home
  • Patient Portal
  • Locations and Hours
  • Pay My Bill
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Careers
  • No Surprises Act: Good Faith Estimates
  • Mission, Vision, and Values

Contact Us

Aumann Building 541-754-1150
Asbury Building 541-754-1150
Immediate Care Center 541-754-1282
North Albany 541-926-3441
Walnut Boulevard 541-754-1265
Waverly/Albany 541-967-8221
Philomath 541-929-2922
Surgery Center 541-754-1254
QuickCare – Albany 541-750-6251

Let’s Connect

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Copyright © 2023 The Corvallis Clinic, All Rights Reserved. Privacy & Security