tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75172804719260350432024-03-13T22:06:28.345-04:00My Life and Sleep ApneaI have had Sleep Apnea for years. I have tried both cpap and bipap and neither one has worked. I am still trying to find out how to beat this.David Stillwagonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00098903299638539350noreply@blogger.comBlogger308125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517280471926035043.post-56661312535412921012013-07-21T06:30:00.000-04:002013-07-21T21:30:29.839-04:00Heat and cpap usersIf you are using a cpap mask then you probably know how hot they can get especially in the summer. Even if you have the air conditioning cranked up high <strong>wearing a cpap mask can be uncomfortable in hot weather</strong>. You add humidity to that excessive heat and you may have a dangerous problem.<br />
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With a cpap mask regardless of the weather the sleep apnea patient may feel discomfort from where the cpap mask touches the skin. If you add in the heat and humidity it will only aggravate the problem. <br />
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There are things that you can do to help alleviate this problem. The first thing is to make sure that your mask is comfortable. The cpap machine and mask have been around quite awhile now and there have been substantial improvement to not only the machine but also the mask. If you don’t feel comfortable with your present mask there are many others to choose from. <br />
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And of course there are humidifiers that are connected to the cpap machines. They keep the air that is going into your mouth moist which is very important. With out the humidifier you might wake up with a sore throat.<br />
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If the temperature outside is hot and humid make sure that your bedroom is cool not necessarily cold but cool enough to be comfortable.<br />
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ThanksDavid Stillwagonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00098903299638539350noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517280471926035043.post-86089808052357791082013-07-18T17:00:00.000-04:002013-07-18T19:57:29.841-04:00Nightmares and Sleep ApneaWhen we go to sleep each night our bodies are supposed to go through <strong>5 stages of sleep</strong>. The most important stage is the <strong>Rapid Eye Movement</strong> stage or <a href="http://my-life-and-sleep-apnea.blogspot.com/2011/01/rem-and-sleep-apnea.html">REM</a>. At this stage there are a lot of things going on that are beneficial to the body and mind. It helps learning development and it also helps with your memory. Dreaming is also done at this stage of sleeping and of course sleep apnea disrupts this stage. <strong>Nightmares also occur during this stage</strong>.<br />
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Everyone has had a nightmare at one time or the other while they were sleeping. While nightmares in general aren’t harmful they can certainly give you quite a scare. They aren’t to be confused with night terrors, where the dream that you are having is terrifying and you seem to have an inability of waking up. <br />
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According to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightmare">Wikipedi</a>a, nightmares“are not common in children under 5, but they are more common in young children (25% experiencing a nightmare at least once per week), most common in adolescents, and less common in adults (dropping in frequency about one third from age 25 to 55).”<br />
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Sleep apnea along with other sleep disorders (parasomnias) can cause nightmares. However there are some studies that suggest that folks with OSA actually have fewer nightmares because of the lack of REM time. Personally I don’t agree with that because I still have nightmares and sleep apnea.<br />
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ThanksDavid Stillwagonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00098903299638539350noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517280471926035043.post-53420284916052754062013-07-17T12:01:00.000-04:002013-07-17T13:55:05.424-04:00Sleep apnea and adrenal fatigueSleep apnea has many side effects like day time drowsiness, potential risk of heart disease, diabetes among other things. The lack of sleep makes your tired and less alert; your overall mood is probably down also. Well there is also something called <strong>adrenal fatigue</strong> that causes much the same symptoms.<br />
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<strong>What is adrenal fatigue syndrome</strong>?<br />
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At the top of our kidneys sit the adrenal glands. They produce hormones and adrenal that is needed by the body for stressful time and for infection. Needless to say they are very important. The adrenal glands also produce something called cortisol which helps fight infection and stress, but too much cortisol can cause Cushing syndrome. The symptoms of this disorder are excess weight gain, high blood pressure, skin problems, feeling weak, and many other symptoms. However if you don’t get enough cortisol your problems will be even be worse, they could be fatal. So it is very important to have the right amount of cortisol produced. <br />
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Sleep apnea certainly interrupts your sleep which would have an effect on the functions of the adrenal glands. As anyone who has sleep apnea can tell you this disorder can produce stress in a big way, which in turn makes works the adrenal glands too much (fatigue) causing them to be less effective in fighting stress.<br />
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It is important to note that sleep apnea isn’t the only sleep disorder condition that causes adrenal fatigue. Other sleep disorders like insomnia can also play havoc on your adrenal glands. <br />
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David Stillwagonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00098903299638539350noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517280471926035043.post-53273034346425389382013-03-18T14:55:00.003-04:002013-03-18T14:55:54.536-04:00Most people who have sleep apnea don’t know it?
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">While I was growing up I knew that my father had
some kind of sleeping problem, besides loud snoring. He would snore alright but
then he would abruptly stop with a snort then go back to snoring, this pattern
would go on night after night. (I don’t know how my mother put up with it!) Of
course now this is the common symptoms of sleep apnea, which I have as
well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Back then I can’t remember anyone
ever using the term sleep apnea unlike now where sleep apnea as well as many
other sleep disorders are being treated everywhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So it was a big surprise to see that in a
recent study only a small number of folks knew that they had sleep apnea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">According to a <a href="http://sleepapneadisorder.info/2013/03/12/80-working-people-not-knowing-if-they-have-sleep-apnea/">study</a> done by Phillips Electronics in
the Netherlands only 22 percent of the participants who were determined to have
sleep apnea actually knew already that they suffered from this sleep disorder.
This is really amazing to think that close to 80 percent of the folks who have
sleep apnea didn’t know it. I guess it shows that there is still is room for more
public information on the matter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Another possible reason is that some people might
just think that they are light sleepers or maybe their only real problem is
snoring. That is why it is so important to contact a doctor who specializes in
sleep problems especially sleep apnea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Feel free to comment and subscribe to my RSS Feed<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Thanks<o:p></o:p></span></div>
David Stillwagonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00098903299638539350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517280471926035043.post-79564585445843711162013-02-13T15:29:00.000-05:002013-02-13T15:29:07.293-05:00Women with sleep apnea have a greater chance of brain damage
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Sleep apnea can be the cause of a great many health
problems such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and emotional
problems. One other problem that may occur due to sleep apnea is brain damage.
In a previous <a href="http://my-life-and-sleep-apnea.blogspot.com/2009/08/sleep-apnea-and-brain-damage.html">post </a>I wrote the following about the connection.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“According to a study done by the UCLA
School of medicine, sleep apnea patients have smaller Mammillary glands than
people without sleep disorders. Mammillary glands are located underneath the
brain and they are associated with memory. Alcohol abuse can also lead to
damage of the Mammillary glands. But it also seems that being born with smaller
Mammillary bodies can also lead to sleep apnea.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: black;">Now from a new study from the UCLA School of Nursing
suggests that women have a greater chance of brain damage from sleep apnea than
men.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">According to the <a href="http://newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/women-with-sleep-apnea-suffer-240986.aspx">UCLA Newsroom</a> “<span style="color: #4c4c4c;">the study found that women were impacted in the cingulum
bundle and the anterior cingulate cortex, areas in the front of the brain
involved in decision-making and mood regulation. The women with sleep apnea
also showed higher levels of depression and anxiety symptoms, the researchers
said.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4c4c4c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Apparently the first tests that were
done over 10 years ago focused mainly on men or groups of men and women.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This study certainly suggests that women
should be as tested for sleep apnea just as much as for men if not more. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4c4c4c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Sleep apnea can be diagnosed by having
a sleep study done where the patient spends the night being monitored to see if
they have any interrupted sleep or apnea. If that is the case the typical
remedy is using one of the forms of the CPAP machine which blows air into the
throat so your breathing wouldn’t be cut off during the night. In some cases
surgery is also suggested.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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David Stillwagonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00098903299638539350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517280471926035043.post-53204906312520471332013-01-24T15:08:00.002-05:002013-01-24T15:08:36.285-05:00A drink before bed wouldn’t help you sleep
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">For years I have heard folks tell me that a quick
drink before bed helps you sleep, especially if it is wine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An article in the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-391272/Cant-sleep-Have-glass-red-wine.html">Dailymail</a> suggested that
red wine had melatonin in it which is a natural sleep aid. A shot of whisky can
also be beneficial before bed as well, in fact I had an uncle that drink a shot
every night before he went to bed and he lived a long life. Supposedly the whiskey
helped with his circulation. I don’t know if that is true or not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However a new study suggests that any
drinking before sleeping or nightcap doesn’t help you falls asleep in fact it
probably does the opposite.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tiBhFcTEkiE/UQGUHE4PEQI/AAAAAAAAAM0/wiU2ojc0Wuw/s1600/sleepdrink.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tiBhFcTEkiE/UQGUHE4PEQI/AAAAAAAAAM0/wiU2ojc0Wuw/s1600/sleepdrink.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">According to <a href="http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/news/20130118/alcohol-sleep?src=RSS_PUBLIC">Webmd.com</a> “</span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">A new review of 27 studies shows that alcohol
does not improve sleep quality. According to the findings, alcohol does allow
healthy people to fall asleep quicker and sleep more deeply for a while, but it
reduces </span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">(REM) sleep.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">The
article goes on to say that the more you drink the worse your sleeping will be,
of course that certainly makes sense to anyone that has gone overboard with
their drinking and then tried to go to bed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Some
folks may dispute this and say that they do indeed fall asleep faster after
having a few drinks but the real problem is that it affects the quality of
sleep which in turn will make you more tired the next day. so booze is
definitely not a good sleep aid.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">If you
have sleep apnea then you certainly know that alcohol is a terrible idea at
bedtime. Your apnea will be considerably worse at night and the next day you
will be walking around like a zombie. Sleeping pills are also to be avoided if
you sleep apnea as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Thanks<o:p></o:p></span></div>
David Stillwagonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00098903299638539350noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517280471926035043.post-25317804382742590542012-12-16T08:00:00.000-05:002012-12-16T08:00:04.557-05:00Sleep apnea and high altitude
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Although I have never experienced it myself it
appears that folks with sleep apnea may have an even more difficult time
sleeping at higher altitudes. There was a new study done by Swiss researchers who
concluded that sleep apnea patients could find the combination of the CPAP
machine and a drug called Diamox. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">There were 51 patients (mostly obese men) in the
study and they were tested at altitudes of 5300 and 8500 feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>According to <a href="http://health.usnews.com/health-news/news/articles/2012/12/11/combo-therapy-may-help-ease-sleep-apnea-at-high-altitude">USNEWs.com</a> “<span style="color: black;">The combined treatment with acetazolamide and CPAP led to
improved levels of oxygen in the blood when patients were awake and sleeping,
and better control of sleep apnea; it also reduced the amount of time spent
awake during the night, compared with CPAP alone.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Of course you need to check with your
doctor to see if this medication is something that you may be able to use. It
is also important to remember that the sleep apnea patients also used the CPAP
machines as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">“The
drug Diamox or </span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Acetazolamide is used to treat glaucoma and to treat
and to prevent acute mountain sickness (altitude sickness). It is also used as
a part of some treatment plans for congestive heart failure and seizure
disorders.”<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">
</span><br />
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Read
more at </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.drugs.com/mtm/diamox.html#fSkWfvp0VOqFDraM.99"><span lang="EN" style="color: #003399; mso-ansi-language: EN;">http://www.drugs.com/mtm/diamox.html#fSkWfvp0VOqFDraM.99</span></a></span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Feel
free to comment and please subscribe to my RSS Feed<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Thanks<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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David Stillwagonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00098903299638539350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517280471926035043.post-39470615226763017972012-12-02T12:49:00.001-05:002012-12-02T12:49:07.661-05:00Is sleep apnea making you depressed?
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">One of my earliest blog posts dealt with depression
and sleep apnea where I wrote about how obstructive sleep apnea might be part
of the reason I have been plagued with depression.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact I have also had doctors tell me that
they think the lack of sleep certainly could be a big factor in my being
depressed, although it isn’t the only factor by far.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I read an article at the Scientific American
website that seems to back up that idea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">According to the <a href="http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=treating-sleep-improves-psychiatric-symptoms">article</a>, “</span><span lang="EN" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">People with depression or other mental
illnesses often report trouble sleeping, daytime drowsiness and other
sleep-related issues. Now a growing body of research is showing that treating
sleep problems can dramatically improve psychiatric symptoms in many patients.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">A
study was conducted at the Cleveland Clinic<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>assessed<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>that women have a
greater chance of becoming depressed from sleep apnea than men who have twice
the change of being depressed while women’s chances are five to one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">In
fact the article goes on to say that trying to deal with the sleep issues
should be tried before attempting any use of anti-depression medications. This
sounds like a great way to attack the problems of depression of course it
wouldn’t work for everyone but it would be worth the endeavor. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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free to comment and please subscribe to my RSS Feed<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Thanks<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
David Stillwagonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00098903299638539350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517280471926035043.post-56803783454321348242012-11-18T07:00:00.000-05:002012-11-18T07:00:01.317-05:00Electronic nose and sleep apnea
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">There are a lot of signs that you may have sleep
apnea. One of the best is having your partner tell you that your snoring is
deafeningly loud and that you sound like you are gasping for air throughout the
night. Another way to tell is a lack of energy during the day as well as a
problem with certain mental capacities like memory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you seek a doctor’s opinion at that point
then he will set up a sleep study where you will find out one way or the other
if you indeed have sleep apnea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A recent
study with a new device may also indicate whether you have sleep apnea or not,
it’s called an electronic nose.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">According to <a href="http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-10/elf-enc102312.php">eurekalert.org</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“<span style="color: black;">Electronic nose
devices have been shown to distinguish between a number of diseases; they do
this by analyzing the pattern of volatile organic compounds in breath samples.
This is the first study that has assessed whether the electronic nose could be
used to confirm the presence of sleep apnea.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The test was done with 60 people, 40 of
which had sleep apnea and 20 did not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The accuracy rate of detecting the sleep apnea patients was about 93
percent, which is pretty good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The importance of this device is that it
may be able to replace the sleep study which isn’t a particularly pleasant
test.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Feel free to comment and please
subscribe to my RSS Feed<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Thanks<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
David Stillwagonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00098903299638539350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517280471926035043.post-3248439726519450672012-10-28T08:00:00.000-04:002012-10-28T08:00:09.094-04:00Elbowing and sleep apnea
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">If you are a peaceful sleeper that doesn’t snore
than you probably don’t have many experiences being elbowed at night by your
partner. But if you do have a sleep disorder that is disruptive like snoring or
restless leg syndrome than you probably have tested your partner’s patience at
night. This can be especially true if you have the sleep disorder known as
sleep apnea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact it might be a good
thing that someone is elbowing you at night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">University
of Saskatchewan asked 124 patients who were about to have a sleep<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>study if their sleeping partner ever elbowed
or poked them to stop snoring or to wake them up because they had stopped
breathing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is not surprising that
asking these types of questions can help predict whether someone is suffering
from sleep apnea. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">This isn’t
particularly shocking because most of us who have sleep apnea have not only
been elbowed or punched at night but usually told the next morning that our
snoring or grunting or gasping for air is very annoying and is not conductive
to a relaxing sleeping environment. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Feel free to
comment and please subscribe to my RSS Feed<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Thanks<o:p></o:p></span></div>
David Stillwagonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00098903299638539350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517280471926035043.post-47606948614097868292012-10-14T06:00:00.000-04:002012-10-14T06:00:06.292-04:00Sleep apnea and slurred speech
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">After a night of unsatisfying rest due to sleep
apnea you will most likely find yourself more than a little groggy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No matter how much coffee you guzzle the
daily effects of sleep apnea will be with you most of the day if not all of the
day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Memory loss and being slightly
disoriented are 2 symptoms that will make the day less than productive. Something
else that might be a problem is slurred speech.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
According to the <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0004947/">National library of Medicine</a> slurred speech or <span class="Title1"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Dysarthria</span></span>
is found in people that have “<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">a
nerve, brain, or muscle disorder makes it difficult to use or control the
muscles of the mouth, tongue, larynx, or vocal cords, which make speech. The
muscles may be weak or completely paralyzed, or it may be difficult for the
muscles to work together.”<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Slurred speech is often found in
people who have had strokes, face or brain trauma or even dementia. Cerebral
palsy and MS patients often have this disorder as well. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Is there a connection between
sleep apnea and slurred speech?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">This seems to make sense because
sleep apnea patients usually have loose tissue in the back of the throat which
in turn causes breathing to stop. <a href="http://symptomchecker.webmd.com/multiple-symptoms?symptoms=fatigue%7Cslurred-speech&symptomids=98%7C215&locations=66%7C7">Webmd.com</a> has listed sleep apnea as something
that could cause slurred speech also. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Feel free to comment and please
subscribe to my RSS Feed<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Thanks<o:p></o:p></span><br />
David Stillwagonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00098903299638539350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517280471926035043.post-26635289226960845182012-09-30T08:00:00.001-04:002012-11-27T13:09:16.002-05:00Sleep apnea and faintingIf you have ever fainted or felt extremely light-headed you know how helpless that feeling is. You may black out which can be dangerous depending on where you are at or what you are doing (especially if you are driving). Falling can also be a result of fainting which may lead to serious injuries. It seems that sleep apnea and fainting do have a connection considering the causes of <strong>fainting and what sleep apnea does to your heart</strong> and general health.<br />
<br />
<br />
What is fainting?<br />
<br />
According to Wikipedia fainting (syncope) is “a sudden, usually temporary, loss of consciousness generally caused by insufficient oxygen in the brain either through cerebral hypoxia or through hypotension, but possibly for other reasons.” So there is a lack of oxygen in the brain that causes fainting (although that isn’t the only cause of fainting) which certainly makes it understandable that sleep apnea could be connected to fainting because the obstruction of the airway in the back stops oxygen from flowing in the body and the brain. <br />
<br />
Another important finding coming from the <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18772302">National Institute of Health</a> concerning syncope and sleep apnea…<br />
<br />
“A 73-year-old man who had recurrent episodes of syncope. An extensive work-up, including cardiac and neurologic consultations, failed to identify the cause. An objective sleep evaluation led to the diagnosis of sleep apnea. Accordingly, the patient was treated with continuous positive airway pressure, which resolved the syncopal episodes. This case report generates a potentially important hypothesis that recurrent syncope may be effectively treated, in part, by correcting apnea. In patients with recurrent syncope of unknown etiology, a diagnosis of sleep apnea should be considered.”<br />
<br />
So it sounds like fainting unrelated to heart problems can be solved by curing sleep apnea at least in this case. <br />
<br />
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ThanksDavid Stillwagonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00098903299638539350noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517280471926035043.post-8390251778327033222012-09-30T08:00:00.000-04:002012-09-30T08:00:03.362-04:00Sleep apnea and Rick Perry
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Sleep apnea can have an effect on just about anyone
no matter who you are or what you are doing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sports figures like professional football players have had to deal with
this problem for quite a while and its no wonder because of the extra weight
that they carry around plus the enlarged neck. But you don’t often hear about
politicians especially presidential candidates having sleep apnea. This past
week there has been talk that Rick Perry has suffered from a sleep disorder
(sleep apnea) which may have caused some of the problems he had on the campaign
trail.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">According to <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/23/us/how-rick-perry-lost-his-edge-in-bid-to-be-president.html?pagewanted=all&_moc.semityn.www&moc.semityn.www">New York Times</a> </span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">"Perry had kept in touch with his
medical team, and by early October, days after the Florida fiasco, the campaign
had urgently consulted sleep specialists, bringing them in to investigate.<br />
<br />
"After conducting overnight tests on Perry, they produced a rather startling
diagnosis: He had sleep apnea, and it had gone undetected for years, probably
decades."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">That is
certainly understandable because sleep apnea can play havoc with your memory as
well as your energy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although in another
article from the <a href="http://blog.chron.com/texaspolitics/2012/09/gov-perry-no-sleep-apnea-and-its-a-no-never-mind-now-anyway/">Houston Chronicle</a> Perry denies that the problem was sleep
apnea at all he claims it was due to a foot injury and that he was sleeping
fine right now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Feel
free to comment and please subscribe to my RSS Feed<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Thanks<o:p></o:p></span></div>
David Stillwagonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00098903299638539350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517280471926035043.post-57731984970763233602012-09-23T07:00:00.000-04:002012-09-22T11:47:42.287-04:00Nocturia and sleep apneaDoes the need to use the bathroom wake you up several times each night? If you are like me you probably go quite a few times. This can be particularly irritating especially if you have sleep apnea. It seems that there is a connection between <strong>sleep apnea and Nocturia</strong>.<br />
<br />
Nocturia is when you wake up to urinate. Bedwetting is called <strong>enuresis</strong> which is different because you don’t wake up.<br />
<br />
The vast majority of people can limit their nightly bathroom visits to one time at the most, this is considered normal. Those who have severe Nocturia can go as many as 5 or 6 times. Two or three bathroom visits are about my average. Of course since I have sleep apnea I am usually awake anyway so it really doesn’t bother my sleep routine.<br />
<br />
I was always under the impression that the reason you had to go to the bathroom so many times each night was due to a full bladder caused by drinking too many fluids before going to bed. Apparently, there is another reason and it has to do with sleep apnea. Here is a study that suggests that sleep apnea may be the reason for Nocturia.<br />
<a href="http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/156/5/545">http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/156/5/545</a><br />
<br />
So here is another reason to get rid of sleep apnea!<br />
<br />
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ThanksDavid Stillwagonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00098903299638539350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517280471926035043.post-42181505631354590362012-09-16T08:00:00.000-04:002012-09-16T08:00:02.833-04:00Do half of women have sleep apnea?
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Sleep apnea is no longer a secret to most women and
men, the effects on their health and mental well-being can be profound and even
deadly. The lack of oxygen due to the blockage in the back of the throat not
only causes you to wake up constantly throughout the night, it is also bad for
your heart. Sleep apnea is often found in folks who have weight issues (although
not all the time) and it can also be found in children as well. A recent study
comes out with a shocking result saying that over half of all the women may
have sleep apnea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In a Swedish study of 400 women half of them were
found to have mild to severe cases of sleep apnea. According to an <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/07/us-apnea-idUSBRE8861A420120907">article inReuters</a> “Among women with hypertension or who were obese - two risk factors for
sleep apnea - the numbers were even higher, reaching 80 to 84 percent of
women.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">That is really astonishing considering the health
risks involved in sleep apnea. What is even stranger is the notion that more
men have sleep apnea than women, if that is true than sleep apnea is more of a
problem than most folks realize.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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Feed<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Thanks</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
David Stillwagonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00098903299638539350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517280471926035043.post-42742830789697756582012-09-09T06:00:00.000-04:002012-09-08T15:01:12.188-04:00Nocturnal epilepsy sleep apneaDid you ever wonder if your sleeping problems were due to something else besides sleep apnea? Apparently there is one thing that is misdiagnosed as sleep apnea and that is <strong>nocturnal epilepsy.</strong> <br />
<br />
What is <strong>nocturnal epilepsy</strong>?<br />
<br />
I have written before about the connections between <a href="http://my-life-and-sleep-apnea.blogspot.com/2009/10/sleep-apnea-and-seizures.html">seizures and sleep apnea</a>. But with nocturnal epilepsy the seizures occur while you are sleeping. There is also nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy that originates from the frontal lobe. Signs that you have had an episode of this are bedwetting, tongue bite, headaches and or being ill tempered during the next day. Medications that are used for regular epilepsy can be used for nocturnal epilepsy.<br />
<br />
Is it sleep apnea or nocturnal epilepsy?<br />
<br />
Sleep apnea is the cessation of breathing during the night due to blockage in the throat (unless it is central sleep apnea) whereas nocturnal epilepsy is night time seizures. Apparently there have been some cases where nocturnal epilepsy has been confused with sleep disorders like sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome and night terrors. Fortunately by having a sleep study done sleep apnea can easily be detected.<br />
<br />
For more information concerning epilepsy go to the <a href="http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org/about/">epilepsy foundation website</a>. <br />
<br />
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ThanksDavid Stillwagonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00098903299638539350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517280471926035043.post-18673474233076904952012-09-02T08:00:00.000-04:002012-09-02T08:00:07.249-04:00No get up and go with sleep apnea
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Energy or the lack of it seems to be a major problem
with just about everybody over the age of 50, maybe even 40. This has really
become a hot issue due to the fact that the population as a whole is getting
older. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we get older it our vim and
vigor doesn’t last too long and that is understandable because of natural
causes and some things that we bring on our own like not eating right and
forgetting about exercising.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another
energy zapper is lack of sleep or lack of quality sleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As you probably know sleep apnea is one of
the biggest sleep problems around.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">A night’s sleep can be broken down into 5
stages,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>with each one being important.
sleep apnea can interrupt probably the most vital stage of sleep which is rapid
eye movement or REM.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not only is the
body’s muscles rejuvenated during this stage but the brain is active which
helps with memory and other functions. These factors can certainly help drain
any energy that you may have.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">What can you do about lack of energy due to sleep
loss?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The best thing that you can do is work on
eliminating your sleep apnea either through a type of CPAP or even a dental
device depending how bad your sleep apnea is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Losing weight may not cure sleep apnea but it can lessen the effects of
it not to mention make you more healthy. Surgery is also an option but usually
it is a last resort.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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Feed<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Thanks<o:p></o:p></span></div>
David Stillwagonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00098903299638539350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517280471926035043.post-58150229568469990502012-08-26T08:00:00.000-04:002012-08-25T17:00:46.652-04:00Sleep apnea and bad breathThere are many reasons for <strong>bad breath</strong> such as diet, bacteria, medication and alcohol among other things. But did you know that <strong>sleep apnea can also cause bad breath</strong>.<br />
<br />
<br />
Bad breath (halitosis) can be very embarrassing and often times difficult to get rid of. No matter how much mouth wash you use or how many times that you floss each day your breath still has a distinct odor about it. You try to get to the root of the problem but you just can’t understand why you have bad breath.<br />
<br />
Maybe it is sleep apnea.<br />
<br />
It is understandable why eating garlic and other food gives you bad breath. And it very believable that alcohol, in large quantities, can make your breath reek. But why sleep apnea? If you have sleep apnea and you breathe through your mouth your throat becomes very dry at night. All that air coming in and all that gasping dries out the throat. <br />
<br />
What happens is that saliva controls the bacteria in the mouth, the same bacteria that can cause bad breath. When saliva production is affected by breathing through the mouth, the bacteria survives and creates the bad breath.<br />
<br />
Of course if you fix the sleep apnea with the cpap or surgery then you won’t be able to blame your bad breath on sleep apnea.<br />
<br />
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thanksDavid Stillwagonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00098903299638539350noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517280471926035043.post-47850993120801782442012-08-19T08:00:00.000-04:002012-08-19T08:00:00.504-04:00Sleep disorders like sleep apnea are big business
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Everybody know that the cost of health care over the
years has sky rocketed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being sick,
especially having a disorder or illness can be very expensive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And that is certainly true when it comes to
sleep disorders like sleep apnea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some
thirty years ago health issues like sleep disorders didn’t seem to get much
attention but now a more health conscious society understands the importance of
getting a good night’s sleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the
most expensive and growing sleep disorders is sleep apnea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Why sleep apnea?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Why has sleep apnea become such a leading problem
among the general population, young and old. As we have talked about before one
of the most common connections of sleep apnea is the air blockage of the throat
and what often causes that is fatty tissue which in turn comes about because of
being overweight. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are other
factors involved such as the shape of the face and the size of the tongue but
being overweight is definitely the main reason. Ironically losing weight will
certainly reduce the amount of apnea that you suffer with but it may not fix it
completely.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Sleep apnea equals big business!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">According to <a href="http://www.medpagetoday.com/PracticeManagement/PracticeManagement/33924">MEDpagetoday</a> the US is the largest
market for sleep apnea products followed by<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Europe and Asia. And the whole global market is expected to worth a
little under 20 billion by 2017. That is pretty big business!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Feel free to comment and please subscribe to my RSS
Feed<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Thanks<o:p></o:p></span></div>
David Stillwagonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00098903299638539350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517280471926035043.post-58741064847345882112012-08-12T08:00:00.000-04:002012-08-12T08:00:02.743-04:00New drug may help children with sleep apnea<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">While most folks consider sleep apnea an adult
problem children can also have it as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The complications that can occur to children with obstructive sleep
apnea can also be just as harmful, such as diabetes, behavioral problems and
learning issues. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>According to <a href="http://children.webmd.com/news/20120807/asthma-drug-helps-kids-avoid-sleep-apnea-surgery">webmd dotcom</a> “</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">New research in the September
2012 issue of <i>Pediatrics </i>suggests an allergy and asthma drug --
montelukast (<a href="http://www.webmd.com/drugs/drug-6485-Singulair+Oral.aspx?drugid=6485&drugname=Singulair+Oral"><span style="color: windowtext;">Singulair</span></a>, which just went generic) -- may
lessen symptoms in children with non-severe apnea and potentially allow them to
skip the surgery.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Another complication with sleep apnea for children
is that they are more likely to have other sleep disorder such as night terrors,
bedwetting, and snoring. Even infants can have sleep apnea as well<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">As it is so
important to get yourself checked out for sleep apnea, it is just as important
to have your child tested as well. The testing for children is pretty much the
same as with adults with the best being tested in an overnight study at a sleep
clinic. Being hooked up to wires and then trying to sleep is difficult but it
is necessary. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Hopefully this
new medication will allow some children to bypass the usual cures such as the
CPAP machines or even surgery.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Feel free to
comment and please subscribe to my RSS Feed<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Thanks<o:p></o:p></span></div>David Stillwagonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00098903299638539350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517280471926035043.post-49697561397934110552012-07-29T07:00:00.000-04:002012-07-28T14:38:52.308-04:00Can a Chiropractor help with your Sleep Apnea?There are a few well known treatments for <strong>sleep apnea</strong>, the CPAP machine, or the various types of positive air machines such as bipap and apap. Some find relief with it but a lot of people just can’t get used to the feel of wearing a mask in bed and the noise is irritating too. Surgeries are usually considered a last option for sleep apnea patients due to the long recovery time and the fact that it isn’t always successful. There are also unconventional treatments and one of them involves seeing a <strong>chiropractor</strong>.<br />
<br />
<br />
The chiropractic field is usually frowned upon by the medical community. But there is a large proportion of the population that has found their services invaluable and couldn’t do without them. I have known people who take their children to them at an early age to start treatments. So they do provide an important service to many people. But can they help with sleep apnea?<br />
<br />
I have read where one person found relief from sleep apnea by having an adjustment to his neck curvature. Others have claimed that they can open up the mouth’s airway by stimulation of the nervous system. Another area that could be treated by a chiropractor is the muscles in the neck.<br />
<br />
I haven’t read any conclusive evidence that a chiropractor can help with your sleep apnea but if you are interested you might want talk to a chiropractor yourself.<br />
<br />
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thanks<br />David Stillwagonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00098903299638539350noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517280471926035043.post-903495783882873792012-07-14T13:46:00.000-04:002012-07-14T13:46:37.547-04:00Claustrophobia and the cpap maskOne problem about the CPAP mask that I haven’t heard much about is <strong>claustrophobia</strong>. The CPAP mask can be cumbersome for most at the beginning because it is so unnatural to have a mask on your face while you are sleeping. I wrote about my experiences in an <a href="http://my-life-and-sleep-apnea.blogspot.com/2009/02/dreaded-cpap-mask.html">earlier post</a>. But for some the problems might be a little more frightening.<br />
<br />
<strong>Claustrophobia </strong>is a panic disorder that causes anxiety from the fear of enclosed places. Most sufferers fear the lack of movement that a tightly enclosed place puts them in or they fear a lack of oxygen. Training the patients to identify their fears and change their behaviors is the most common treatments.<br />
<br />
Sleep Apnea patients who are claustrophobic due to their cpap mask can find relief by wearing the mask during the day for a few hours to get adjusted to the feel and the sound of the machine. They can also try out nasal pillows where tubes are inserted into the nostrils without having any straps on their face. Relaxation exercises might also be tried to control the anxiety of the CPAP mask.<br />
<br />
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thanksDavid Stillwagonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00098903299638539350noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517280471926035043.post-21493246838233849782012-07-08T08:00:00.000-04:002012-07-08T08:00:09.081-04:00Sleep apnea and the immune system<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">There are some things that we just can’t do without,
such as air, water and food (especially air!) but there something else that we
have to have and that is sleep. Our bodies need to rest to recover our energy
as well. In addition sleep also helps with our nervous system according to the
<a href="http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/brain_basics/understanding_sleep.htm#for_us">National Institute of health.<o:p></o:p></a></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“<span style="color: black;">Too little sleep leaves us drowsy and unable to concentrate
the next day. It also leads to impaired memory and physical performance and
reduced ability to carry out math calculations. If sleep deprivation continues,
hallucinations and mood swings may develop. Some experts believe sleep gives
neurons used while we are awake a chance to shut down and repair themselves.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Sleep deprivation can also have an
effect on our immune system, which protects us from getting ill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While we sleep our bodies not only grow cells
but repair them as well. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">A recent <a href="http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2012/06/30/Severe-sleep-deprivation-hurt-immunity/UPI-97501341115146/">study</a> has also shown that sleep
deprivation affects the immune system much as stress does.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A study was done in the Netherlands and
Britain where 15 young men had their blood count compared after normal and
sleep deprived situations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The white
blood cells were affected under the sleep deprivation similar to the condition
of stress.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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Feed<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Thanks<o:p></o:p></span></div>David Stillwagonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00098903299638539350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517280471926035043.post-71996126718746808592012-07-01T08:00:00.000-04:002012-07-01T12:11:10.067-04:00Sleep disorders besides sleep apneaBesides sleep apnea there are other sleep disorders. Like sleep apnea they can be dangerous if left untreated.<br />
<ul>
<li>Insomnia is very common sleep disorder that affects millions of people. The inability to fall asleep even when you are tired is emotionally draining as well as hazardous to your health.</li>
<li>Narcolepsy can cause immense daytime drowsiness to the point of falling asleep at any point of the day and anywhere. Besides being embarrassing it could be life threatening if the narcolepsy patient is driving or operating heavy machinery.</li>
<li>Night terror unlike nightmares usually can’t be recalled after waking up. Nightmares are dreams of frightening events whereas night terror is the feeling of fear.</li>
<li>Restless legs syndrome is where the need to move your legs to stop uncomfortable feelings happens while you are trying to sleep.</li>
<li>Walking or engaging in wake time activities while one is still asleep is referred to as sleep walking. Stress, fever and alcoholism are known as triggers to sleepwalking.</li>
</ul>
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thanksDavid Stillwagonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00098903299638539350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7517280471926035043.post-48203168779950023372012-06-23T21:28:00.002-04:002012-06-23T21:28:27.499-04:00Sleep apnea and carbohydrate craving<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Sleep apnea can bring on a lot of changes to a person’s
lives, and all of them are bad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
simplest change being the lack of sleep the prior night and how it effects your
day at work no matter what type of job you have. A few nights and days like
that will quickly increases your stress that you are carrying around which in
turn makes you a less effective worker and someone that could possibly have a
problem with high blood pressure among other things. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Diabetes is also another potential problem
with sleep apnea sufferers. In fact a recent study has shown that folks with
diabetes-2 have a higher carbohydrate craving.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">There are been numerous studies that show the
connection between diabetes and sleep apnea. According to the <a href="http://www.idf.org/sleep-apnoea-and-type-2-diabetes">InternationalDiabetes Foundation</a> 40 % of folks with obstructive sleep apnea also have
diabetes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That number is really
extraordinary and troubling at the same time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sleep apnea by itself is bad enough but it also worry about becoming
diabetic can make you want to give the CPAP another try.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The <a href="http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-06/aaos-sal060112.php">study</a> that linked carbohydrate craving and sleep
apnea had 55 people in it and half were diabetic and of that group 82 percent
had sleep apnea. The study also showed that the diabetics were twice as likely
to have carbohydrate craving as those without diabetes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Why would sleep apnea lead to carbohydrate cravings?
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Once again according to the study…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">"Previous studies have shown that
sleep deprivation may lead to changes in hormones that regulate appetite and
hunger” and “these hormonal changes can lead to significant craving for
high-calorie carbohydrates such as cookies, candy, breads, rice and potatoes.
The current study supports previous findings by validating this in a community
sample of diabetics."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">They also imply that just treating the
diabetes wouldn’t be enough to stop the craving; the sleep apnea will have to
be corrected as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Which of course is
easier said than done.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Thanks<o:p></o:p></span></div>David Stillwagonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00098903299638539350noreply@blogger.com0