Is it snoring? Or is it sleep apnea? Local ENT offers solutions for both.

Snoring is a common disrupter of sleep. Estimates indicate that 30% to 50% of the U.S. population snore at some point throughout their lives. Snoring by itself is basically a social problem that lies in the disruption of sleep for those who live with the snorer. However, a small percentage of people who snore suffer from sleep apnea, a condition that can cause breathing to involuntarily stop for up to 60 seconds straight, 30 times an hour, while sleeping.

Dr. Thomas M. Crews at Statesboro ENT and Hearing Clinic offers today's most advanced treatment methods for patients with sleep-related breathing problems.

"A variety of procedures can be used to open obstructed airways, and they can prove especially beneficial to patients with sleep apnea," says Dr. Crews. "This dangerous condition is often accompanied by loud snoring and is characterized by prolonged, repeated interruptions of breathing during sleep."

During breathing cessations caused by sleep apnea, the body experiences a significant decrease in blood oxygen levels and an increase in blood pressure, and it may develop cardiac arrhythmias. This series of events, repeated over time, can result in serious heart and respiratory complications.

If you snore, it's difficult to know whether you have sleep apnea or not, but Dr. Crews cautions against complacency. "People who snore or suffer from pauses in breathing should get examined as soon as possible. In addition to helping people breathe better through the nose and mouth, today's procedures can greatly improve their quality of life."

Dr. Crews is board-certified in otolaryngology/head and neck surgery and has helped thousands of patients with snoring and other sleep-related breathing problems.

• 414 Lugenia Boulevard, Vidalia
  
• 360 Godon Avenue, Lyons
  
• 06 Proctor Street, Statesboro
  

Call today!
(800) 526-0998

Thomas M. Crews, MD
Over two decades of experience