Sleep Apnea is a disorder that commonly affects more than 12 million people in the United States. While the exact cause of remains unclear, what’s known is that the site of obstruction in most patients is the soft palate, including the area at the base of the tongue. During the day, muscles in the region keep the passage open and clear; but since there’s no bone or cartilage in this area to hold the airway open, when a person with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) falls asleep, the muscles relax and the airway collapses. |