Did Sleep Apnea Hurt Fairley in the NFL Draft?

Defensive tackle Nick Fairley from Auburn was expected to be one of the top picks in the NFL draft this week. The heart and soul of the defense of last year's national champs, Fairley was expected to be picked up no later than number 8 by the Tennessee Titans, who were desperately in need of some defensive juice after last season's poor showing. However, some insiders expressed concern about his sleep apnea. Although he issued a press release showing that he was getting treatment for his sleep apnea using CPAP, he was passed over.

Perhaps officials with the Tennessee Titans were not convinced that Fairley's CPAP treatment would work. Perhaps they know that more than half of all sleep apnea sufferers give up CPAP treatment within the first year. Perhaps they might have been better persuaded by treatment using oral appliance therapy, which treats mild to moderate sleep apnea and has a much higher compliance rate than CPAP.

We will see how well Fairley's CPAP treatment works, and we wish him good luck in his career with the Detroit Lions.

If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea and want to learn about treatment options that are more comfortable and therefore more likely to be complied with, please contact a local sleep dentist today.

CPAP NOT WORKING? WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR CPAP DOESN'T IMPROVE YOUR SYMPTOMS.

CPAP is extremely successful at treating sleep apnea. Why do 60% of patients abandon such a successful treatment?

There are many reasons given by patients, but a very common response is that their CPAP did not work? When patients report that their CPAP does not work they usually mean that the symptoms of sleep apnea were not relieved. They may still be tired or wake with morning headaches. Often they find that they cannot sleep with the CPAP or they actually had their sleep disturbed by CPAP.

It is not uncommon to see patients who no longer have sleep apnea but have as many arousals as they did before CPAP. Some patients display a higher arousal index with CPAP than with their apnea untreated.

Another common problem is complex sleep apnea where following treatment with CPAP there is breakthru central sleep apneas. These may be due to over-titration of the CPAP pressure blowing off the CO2 (carbon dioxide) which decreases the urge to breathe.

THE MOST COMMON REASONS TO ABANDON CPAP ARE ABOUT COMFORT NOT THAT CPAP IS INEFFECTIVE! I HATE CPAP! is a common complaint.

Many patients complain about mask comfort. Some patients have acne, facial irritation or rashes from the masks. Other patients have trouble being tethered to the hose while others complain about CPAP noise.

Whatever the complaint if CPAP is ineffective or the patient cannot tolerate it an alternative to CPAP is important. Oral Appliances are considered a first line treatment for mild to moderate sleep apnea that patients almost always prefer to CPAP. Oral Appliances are not a first line treatment for severe sleep apnea but are considered an alternative to CPAP when patients cannot tolerate CPAP.

The severity has little effect on how well patients tolerate CPAP and so it can be expected that 60% of severe apneics will also abandon CPAP use.

Medicare is now going to accept the use of oral appliances for treating severe sleep apnea after CPAP fails.

Somnomed Appliance Caused Patient To Develop "TMJ"

JEFF: I have an oral device (sonomed) for sleep apnea. It gave me TMJ. I haven't been able to tolerate cpap.


Dr Shapira: YOU STATE THAT YOU HAVE A SOMNOMED TO TREAT SLEEP APNEA BECAUSE YOU CANNOT TOLERATE CPAP.
It is excellent that you have chosen to treat the sleep apnea which can cause heart attacks, strokes, memory loss and excessive daytime sleepiness.

YOU THEN STATE THAT YOU DEVELOPED TMJ BUT GAVE NO SPECIFICS AS TO SYMPTOMS. TMJ STANDS FOR TEMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINT, NOT A DISEASE. It is important to understand the SPECIFIC problems so they can be addressed. Patients wearing oral appliances for sleep apnea may experience bite changes or tooth movement but damage should not occur to the joints. It is essential to work with a dentist who has training in treating sleep apnea and TMJ disorders.

ACCORDING TO THE NHLBI SLEEP APNEA IS A TMJ DISORDER. SEE http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/meetings/workshops/tmj_wksp.pdf You have actually developed a new symptom from the same disorder but because you didn't specify symptoms I can not specify what to do next.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends that dentists treating sleep apnea with oral appliances should be well trained in treating TMJ disorders.

IF YOU CAN GIVE ME SPECIFIC INFORMATION I MAY BE OF MORE HELP. Please review www.ihateheadaches.org to learn about Neuromuscular Treatment of TMJ Disorders, headaches and migraines.

The following is the result of a web form submission from:
comments: I have an oral device (sonomed) for sleep apnea. It gave me TMJ
I haven't been able to tolerate cpap

THIS IS A RECENT NEW POST; I also got tmj from sonomed sleep appliance / it was pulling my jaw forward too much. It clicks when i chew and my ear feels like watery.

DR SHAPIRA RESPONSE: THESE PROBLEMS ARE USUALLLY EASY TO PREVENT OR CORRECT BUT YOU MUST BE PROCACTIVE FROM THE START OF APPLIANCE USE