Welcome to Beverly Hills Sleep and TMD Center!

Have you been experiencing headaches, neck pain, TMJ pain, fatigue or other symptoms that just won’t go away? If so, you might be one of the millions of Americans currently living with temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD), craniofacial pain or sleep apnea. When this is the case, it is important to seek treatment from Dr. Kambiz Kashfian because when these conditions are not properly treated, it can lead to further, unnecessary conditions and suffering.

The first step in regaining control of your life and eliminating pain and complications is to receive a proper diagnosis from Dr. Kashfian. By receiving a proper diagnosis, an individualized treatment plan can be created to provide relief from the following conditions:

• TMD
• Headaches
• Facial pain
• Neck pain
• Sleep Apnea

Dr. Kambiz Kashfian has made it his mission to educate his patients and provide excellence in care in a warm, relaxed environment. He works with patients to create the right treatment plan to address their health care needs, time constraints and budgets. With access to accurate information and customized treatments, you can be confident you will be able to make the best decisions for you so that you can enjoy a lifetime of good dental and overall health.

Sleep Apnea Signs, Symptoms and Causes

Snoring is typically the loudest when you sleep on your back and might be less noisy when you turn on your side. And, while you might not snore every night, as time goes on you might snore more often or louder. You are asleep when gasping or snoring happens, so you won’t know that you are having problems breathing or be able to judge just how severe the problem is. This is where a family member or bed partner comes into play—they will typically notice these problems long before you do. Additionally, not everyone who snores has sleep apnea, so it is important to keep that in mind. Daytime Sleepiness

Another common sign of sleep apnea is fighting sleepiness throughout the day. Do you find yourself nodding away at your desk, desperately trying to stay awake? It could be caused by sleep apnea. You may find yourself rapidly falling asleep during the quiet moments of the da y when you are not active. Even if you don’t experience daytime sleepiness, talk to your doctor if you have problems breathing during sleep.

Other Signs and Symptoms

Some other signs and symptoms of sleep apnea might include the following:

• Morning headaches
• Memory or learning problems
• Not being able to concentrate
• Feeling irritable, depressed, or having mood swings or personality changes
• Waking up frequently to urinate
• Dry mouth or sore throat when you wake up

The Causes

With a blocked airway, it is difficult to breathe—keeping air from traveling freely. When you’re awake, throat muscles help keep your airway stiff and open so air can flow into your lungs. When you sleep, these muscles relax, which narrows your throat. Normally, this narrowing of your throat doesn’t prevent air from flowing into and out of your lungs. However, if you have sleep apnea, your airway can become partially or fully blocked because of the following reasons:

• Your throat muscles and tongue relax more than normal.
• Your tongue and tonsils are large compared to the opening into your windpipe.
• You’re overweight.
• The shape of your head and neck may cause a smaller airway size in the mouth and throat area.
• The aging process limits your brain signals’ ability to keep your throat muscles stiff during sleep.

As a result, not enough air flows into your lungs if your airway is partially or fully blocked during sleep. In the end, you or your loved one will experience loud snoring and a drop in your blood oxygen level.

For more information on Dental Sleep Medicine (Sleep Apnea), Craniofacial Pain and TMD, please contact Dr. Kambiz Kashfian and his team of experienced professionals at (310) 659-7949.