"I used to fall asleep driving!" Oral Appliance Therapy to treat sleep apnea has changed my life!

Lake Forest Sleep Apnea Treatment:




Sleep Apnea patient describes how wearing a sleep apnea appliance for the last 6-7 years has drastically improved his sleep and his health. www.ThinkBetterLife.com

Watch the video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4R4xYs_tAE

He recommends people with snoring or sleep apne a to have it treated and tells of his experiences with Dr Shapira and an oral appliance

Visit these websites for more information or to make an appointment with Dr Shapira.
www.ihatecpap.com

www.ThinkBetterLife.com

www.delanydentalcare.com
www.sleepandhealth.com
www.northshoresleepdentist.com

Ira L Shapira DDS, D,ABDSM, D,AAPM, FICCMO
Chair, Alliance of TMD Organizations
Diplomat, American Academy of Pain Management
Diplomat, American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine
Regent & Fellow, International College of CranioMandibular Orthopedics
Board Eligible, American Academy of CranioFacial Pain
Dental Section Editor, Sleep & Health Journal
Member, American Equilibration Society
Member, Academy of Applied Myofunctional Sciences
www.ThinkBetterLife.com
www.DelanyDentalCare.com
www.IHateCPAP.com
www.iHateHeadaches.org

Children with Sleeping Problems may be Prone to Sleep Disorders Later, Study Suggests

A recent study indicates that one in 10 children under 3 years old has trouble sleeping at night and may be at increased risk for developing a sleep disorder such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) with age.

The research focused on 359 children between 6 months and 3 years old over a three-year period and found that sleep problems were common, but that parents did not always recognize warning signs such as loud, chronic snoring. Regular snoring is one of the symptoms of OSA, a dangerous sleep disorder that can contribute to an increased risk for health problems including heart attack and stroke.

The study, which was published in January in the journal Pediatrics, suggested that children who had sleep problems at this early stage in life were three to five times more likely to have sleep problems later, which challenges the common belief that most children outgrow sleep disorders.

“The data indicate that sleep problems in children are not an isolated phenomenon,” said Dr. Kelly Byars, a co-author of the study and an associate professor at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. “If you have it early and it’s not remedied, then it’s likely to continue over time.”

Over the course of the study, parents of the children were interviewed when the infants were 6 months old, and then again at 1, 2 and 3 years old. Research showed that about 35 percent of the children who had problems sleeping at the beginning of the study continued having problems more than two years later.

In addition to snoring, other indicators of potential sleep disorders included frequent waking interruptions of sleep in the middle of the night, regular nightmares and regularly taking longer than 20 minutes to fall asleep.

If you believe your child suffers from the symptoms of sleep apnea or another sleep disorder, a dentist who specializes in sleep disorder diagnosis and treatment may be able to help. Please contact us to locate a qualified dentist near you.

Social Support May Help Sleep Apnea Sufferers Stick to Treatment

Although the use of a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device can be effective in treating obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), many people who try CPAP do not continue its use long-term.

Ongoing research being conducted at the Penn State College of Medicine, however, indicates that OSA sufferers are more likely to adhere to sleep apnea treatment if a partner or parent is actively involved. Researchers reviewed 80 studies regarding sleep apnea treatment to determine key factors that triggered patients to seek sleep apnea diagnosis and treatment, as well as circumstances that affected patients’ likelihood to stick to treatment.

“Collectively, these studies suggest that patients who experience difficulties and proactively seek solutions to resolve problems are more likely to be adherent than those who use passive coping styles,” states the report published in the December issue of Sleep Medicine Reviews. Researchers also noted that patients who have access to social support, such as a partner or parent, are more likely to adhere to treatment long-term.

While the research focuses primarily on CPAP use, their findings may be of use to those who seek other forms of sleep apnea treatment. Numerous studies on people with various forms of addiction or other physical health problems have found that individuals who have access to social support—including regular phone calls, group meetings, routine conversations with family or spouses, or scheduled appointments with doctors and other healthcare providers—have an increased likelihood of following through on their treatment.

If you believe you or a loved one suffers from sleep apnea symptoms, please contact a dentist near you who specializes in diagnosing and treating sleep disorders. Left untreated, obstructive sleep apnea can lead to life-threatening health problems.

Lack of Sleep Impacts Sex Life

A new study has compiled previous research to emphasize again that poor or fragmented sleep can negatively impact testosterone levels in both men and women. Testosterone is an important hormone for regulating sexual desire in both sexes. Typically, testosterone levels rise overnight, then decrease during the day. Research has shown that the periods of accumulation of the hormone correspond with REM sleep, the very sleep you miss out on if you are suffering from sleep disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea.

A 2010 study focusing on surgical treatment of chronic sinus infections showed that the number of people reporting sexual dysfunction decreased significantly and the level of sexual activity increased significantly when people had surgical treatment of their sinusitis. This increase also went along with improved sleep patterns.

Sexual function and sexual activity are important parts of maintaining a high quality of life. If you are suffering from sleep apnea, they may be negatively impacted. Treatment can significantly improve them.

To learn more about how obstructive sleep apnea treatment can improve your quality of life, please contact a local sleep dentist today.

Pain Medications May Cause Sleep Apnea

According to at least one study, sleep disordered breathing, including sleep apnea, was common among users of opioid pain medications for chronic pain. The study, published in the journal Pain Medicine, showed that up to three-quarters of users of opioid pain medications suffered from sleep apnea, nearly 10 times the rate in the general population.

Although many of the sufferers had obstructive sleep apnea, up to a third of them suffered from central sleep apnea. In addition, the researchers found that there was a dose-dependent effect of certain opioid pain medications on the severity of central sleep apnea. Methadone and benzodiazepines had dose-dependent relationships with the severity of central sleep apnea.

Unfortunately, pain medication and sleep apnea have a vicious cyclical relationship. Sleep apnea sufferers often see less effect from pain relievers, which may trigger them to move on to stronger opioid medication for chronic pain, which then will increase the severity of their sleep apnea. As sleep apnea worsens, people suffer an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and other potentially deadly health consequences.

If you are taking chronic pain medication or if you have chronic pain that you are considering medication for, you should be evaluated for sleep apnea so that you can receive appropriate treatment to reduce the risks associated with this vicious cycle.

To learn more about sleep apnea and sleep apnea treatments, please contact a local sleep dentist today.

Sleep Apnea May Increase Risk of Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes

Research presented at the American Academy of Sleep Medicine's 2011 conference earlier this week suggest that women with sleep apnea are at the highest risk of having an adverse outcome to a pregnancy. However, researchers noted that their data was not able to distinguish whether obstructive sleep apnea or obesity was the primary risk factor contributing to adverse outcomes, which were led by gestational diabetes and preterm birth.

Gestational diabetes has been independently associated with maternal obesity. Preterm birth has also been independently associated with preterm birth, neonatal delivery, and low birth weight. In the population considered for this study, 87% of the women who had obstructive sleep apnea during pregnancy were also obese, making it a significant confounding factor.

Many women who do not normally suffer from obstructive sleep apnea may acquire it during pregnancy as a result of weight gain. It can become especially pronounced during the third trimester, when women's weight gain is at its greatest. Women who suspect they may suffer from sleep apnea prior to pregnancy are encouraged to be evaluated and receive sleep apnea treatment to lessen the potential impact of sleep apnea on their pregnancy.

If you would like to learn more about sleep apnea treatment options, please contact a local sleep dentist today.

Sleeping on Your Side May Reduce Snoring and Sleep Apnea

If your doctor is not taking your snoring seriously, he may respond to a request for snoring treatment by telling you to sleep on your side. It turns out this is a reasonable solution for some snorers and obstructive sleep apnea sufferers. According to a recent study conducted by sleep researchers in Israel, just over half of the sleep apnea patients evaluated were positional. In other words, for 54% of sleep apnea sufferers, they were affected by obstructive sleep apnea only when sleeping on their back, not when sleeping on their side. The other 46%, however, continued to suffer the same degree of sleep apnea no matter what position they slept in.

The main difference between the two groups of sleep apnea sufferers? Weight. According to the study, the non-positional sleep apnea sufferers tended to be significantly heavier and have a higher BMI than the positional sleep apnea sufferers. These people likely suffered airway collapse partly due to the weight of tissue pressing on their airway at night, pressure that continues no matter the orientation of the body during sleep.

It is unknown whether the population distribution in this relatively small population reflects the overall population, but for people suffering from mild or moderate sleep apnea, changing sleep position is one of a number of lifestyle changes that can be used to supplement oral appliance therapy in order to get you the maximum correction of your obstructive sleep apnea.

To learn more about the full range of sleep apnea treatment options, please contact a sleep dentist today.

Nighttime Urination May Be Sign of Sleep Apnea

Men who get up to urinate in the middle of the night are commonly encouraged to talk to their doctors about prostate cancer. While this is an important issue to discuss, these men should also talk to their doctor about sleep apnea.

A study published in the Journal fo the American Board of Family Medicine shows that men with benign prostate enlargement who get up to urinate once in the night, were 2.44 times more likely to have obstructive sleep apnea than men who reported no awakenings. And if the men reported two to three episodes and three or more episodes the risk increased to 5.75 and 12.3 times, respectively.

This evidence suggests that if you are being awakened and suspect you may have prostate cancer or BPE, you should also talk to your doctor about the possibility of obstructive sleep apnea. Prostate cancer is serious, of course, but a diagnosis of BPE can give a false sense of security when you may be at risk from the dangers of obstructive sleep apnea.

If you have frequent awakenings due to BPE, you should talk to your doctor about sleep apnea or find a local sleep apnea dentist who can help you find treatment options for your apnea.