I HATE CPAP FAN

Hey very nice blog!!….I’m an instant fan, I have bookmarked you and I’ll be checking back on a regular….See ya

The Palate and Obstructive Sleep Apnea

In describing obstructive sleep apnea, we often talk about the collapse of the airways during sleep. Now, the journal Archives of Otolaryngology reports that at least one of these anatomical changes has been imaged during actual apnea/hypoxia events. In a study reported in the February issue, researchers investigated changes to the soft palate experienced by sleepers to determine whether particular soft palate changes could be used to distinguish between obstructive sleep apnea sufferers and simple snorers.

The palate is the roof of the mouth. The front of the palate is the hard palate, and behind it is the soft palate, which extends back to the uvula (the fleshy, dangling protuberance at the back of the mouth. Using sleep videofluoroscopy to measure anatomical changes and polysomnography to identify apnea/hypoxia events, researchers found that the soft palate behaved very differently in sleep apnea sufferers than it did in simple snorers. Sleep apnea sufferers were more likely to see the soft palate expand backward during sleep. And this expansion was linked to instances of apnea and hypoxia.

The distinction between simple snorers and obstructive sleep apnea sufferers is a crucial part of delivering the right solution for those with sleep disordered breathing. Simple snoring is just a nuisance, but the dangers of sleep apnea make it a deadly condition that can dramatically reduce a person's life expectancy.

If you need help getting the best solution for your sleep apnea, schedule a sleep apnea consultation at the Snoring and Sleep Apnea Treatment Center in Gurnee, Illinois today.

Sleep Apnea in Children

Sleep apnea can have a huge affect on the health of adults, but when the dangers of sleep apnea are directed at children, the results can be devastating. Overweight children are still developing, and sleep apnea can stress their bodies, putting them at an even greater risk of sleep apnea symptoms.

According to a new study, children who are overweight and wet the bed may be suffering from obstructive sleep apnea. After performing sleep studies on control and sleep apnea suffering children, the study showed that both bedwetting and being overweight can be associated with sleep apnea but the two not associated with each other.

The data from the study showed that there is a significant association between overweight children, bedwetting, and obstructive sleep apnea. Scientists are unsure of why this association exists, but they suggest doctors examine the possibility of children suffering from obstructive sleep apnea if an overweight child is also suffering from bedwetting; especially if they are also suffering from other sleep apnea symptoms.

Researchers claim that a child who suffers from bedwetting is five times more likely to have sleep apnea. While unrelated, a child who suffers from being overweight is four times more likely to have obstructive sleep apnea.

If you live in the Illinois area and you suspect that your child or other family member is suffering from sleep apnea, please contact Dr. Ira Shapira, Gurnee, Illinois sleep dentist to schedule a professional sleep apnea examination.

Snoring Cure: When You are Tired of Sleeping with a SubWoofer

Oral Appliances are an excellent method, if not the best method for treating Snoring. The appliances are approved for treating sleep apnea but loud snoring is a serious problem that can destroy intimate relationships and adversly affect the health of your loved ones. According to a study at Mayo Clinic the spouses of snorers lose 15% of their sleep.

Heavy snorers have up to a six-fold increase in carotid artery atherosclerosis even when there is no sleep apnea. If you are tired of snoring ruining your life and interfering with intimacy consider an oral appliance to silence snoring.

It is amazing what a positive effect eliminating snoring can have on relationships. There is significant literature on sleep apnea and snoring that shows these problems increase the percentage of marriages ending in divorce.

Snoring should always be consided an emergency early warning system of possible sleep apnea. Do not ignore this important and life saving warning. Oral appliances are excellent for treating snoring, as well as mild to moderate sleep apnea.

Snoring is a Good Indicator of Sleep Apnea

While most people consider snoring more of an annoyance than a health issue, the truth is that snoring can lead to very serious health problems. Snoring is closely related to a health condition known as Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA); according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, over 12 million Americans have OSA. This condition can lead to:

Fatigue
High blood pressure
Anxiety
Depression
Concentration and memory problems
Weight gain
Cardiac problems
Stroke

Many people wonder what causes snoring. It's quite simple, actually. When you sleep, the soft tissue and muscles in your mouth and throat relax, which causes your airway to become smaller; if it becomes too small, your soft palate and uvula will vibrate against each other when you breathe in and out. This is the sound of snoring. Sleep studies indicate that snoring is very common. In fact, 45% of the general population snores. Six percent of children snore on a regular basis, also.

According to the medical journal, JAMA, people who snore are three times more likely to be involved in a car accident than non-snorers, and snoring is worse in those who are overweight.

There are treatments for snoring and sleep apnea. While CPAP has been the gold standard for many decades, it is uncomfortable and has a very low success rate in patient compliance. Oral appliances that are worn at night have proven to be hugely successful because the mouth pieces are custom-fitted to each patient.

If you live in Illinois and are tired of feeling tired because you were up most of the night, please contact sleep apnea dentist, Dr. Ira Shapira in Gurnee, Illinois today to schedule a thorough consultation.

Yawning is so contagious chimps can catch it from animation.

A great post om yawning can be found on the following link.

http://us.mc1106.mail.yahoo.com/mc/welcome?.gx=1&.tm=1267535822&.rand=b7gm7ekgv24r6#_pg=showMessage;_ylc=X3oDMTBucmhobGR0BF9TAzM5ODMwMTAyNwRhYwNkZWxNc2dz&mid=1_4402434_AMUNw0MAATx3S4y4YQvdHQ1Q6xw&fid=Inbox&sort=date&order=down&startMid=0&filterBy=&.rand=1957524273&hash=3dddfe78128c2f9985dad085a457d286&.jsrand=9573558

There is an international conference on yawning in June.

WHEN CPAP DOESN'T WORK: WHAT DO YOU DO NEXT? WHY DO ORAL APPLIANCES MAKE PATIENTS FEEL BETTER?

MANY PATIENTS COMPLAIN THAT THEIR CPAP DOESN'T WORK BUT THAT IS USUALLY NOT THE CASE. THE CPAP DOES USUALLY FIX THE SLEEP APNEA BUT IT OFTEN LEAVES THE PATIENT STILL TIRED. THERE ARE TIMES THERE MAY BE A PROBLEM WITH RESTLESS LEGS OR OTHER PROBLEMS DISTURBING SLEEP. IF A PATIENT IS STILL TIRED EVEN WITH CPAP AN MSLT OR A MWT TEST CAN BE GIVEN TO DETERMINE HOW MUCH OF A PROBLEM THE TIREDNESS IS BASED ON OBJECTIVE FINDINGS.

AN INTERESTING PHENOMENA IS THAT PATIENTS OFTEN FEEL BETTER WITH ORAL APPLIANCE THERAPY EVEN THOUGH OBJECTIVELY IT APPEARS LESS EFFECTIVE THAN CPAP. POSSIBLE EXPLANATIONS ARE THAT THE CPAP DISRUPTS THE SLEEP OR THAT IT HAS BEEN OVERTITRATED AND IS CAUSING CENTRAL SLEEP APNEA OR THERE MAY BE BREAKTHRU CENTRAL APNEA.

THESE EXPLANATIONS STILL DO NOT EXPLAIN WHY SOME PATIENTS FEEL SO MUCH BETTER WITH APPLIANCE THERAP THAN WITH CPAP. A POSSIBLE EXPLANATION IS THAT THE SLEEP APNEA APPLIANCE IS ACTUALLY NOT JUST MAINTAINING AN OPEN AIRWAY BUT ALSO TREATING AN UNDERLYING TMJ DISORDER. CHRONIC TIREDNESS IS ASSOCIATED WITH TMD DISORDERS AND THE NHLBI CONSIDERS SLEEP APNEA TO BE A TMJ DISORDER. THE NHLBI REPORT http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/meetings/workshops/tmj_wksp.pdf IS A MUST READ FOR ANYONE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH RESIDUAL TIREDNESS WHILE USING CPAP.

ANOTHER REASON PATIENTS FEEL TIRED WITH CPAP USE IS THAT THEY JUST DO NOT WEAR IT ENOUGH HOURS A NIGHT. CPAP USERS AVERAGE ONLY 4-5 HOURS A NIGHT OF CPAP USE. THE MAJORITY OF PATIENTS DO NOT USE CPAP AT ALL AFTER TIME. THERE IS A GROUP OF PATIENTS WHO WEAR THEIR CPAP ALL NIGHT EVERY NIGHT SO THE 4-5 HOURS AVERAGE MEAN MANY PATIENTS USE IT SIGNIFICANTLY LESS THAN 4 HOURS.

ANOTHER PROBLEM IS SIMPLE SLEEP RESTRICTION. MANY PATIENTS ONLY SET ASIDE 5-6 HOURS A NIGHT FOR SLEEP, NOT NEARLY ENOUGH AND THEREFORE THEY ARE STILL TIRED.