Hi, I have been waking up out of my sleep because my airway is blocked by excess tissue. I cannot breathe and it feels like I am being choked. I literally feel like i am dying and cant catch my breath. I was told I had excess tissue but my jaws are not aligned. Could this also be a symptom of TMJ? is there a procedure to fix this?
Thanks for your question on Chat Doctor. In my opinion you should undergo complete sleep study. This will diagnose obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). By your history, I think you are having OSA due to bony obstruction with excess fat in neck. Both if these factors can compress airway and cause difficulty in breathing especially in night. For bony obstruction, surgery will be the best option. So consult ENT surgeon for this. I also advice you to lose some weight as excess fat can be the cause. You can also start CPAP therapy for OSA. But sleep study is must for this.