Keeping Your Oral Appliance Clean

Most sleep apnea patients find that the alternatives to CPAP are more comfortable and user-friendly than the cumbersome mask and hose device. However, for optimal function it’s critical to keep your oral appliance clean.

When you wear an oral appliance over night, bacteria from your mouth will stick to the apparatus. Failing to clean off the appliance will lead to bacteria buildup that not only breaks down the material but can also cause discoloration and an unpleasant smell to develop.

Some tablets, kits, and other products are manufactured specifically to clean oral appliances. There are also simple steps you can take at home to keep your appliance clean and functional, including:

• Floss and brush your teeth before wearing your appliance at night
• Remove the appliance and rinse it with lukewarm water
• Use a soft toothbrush to scrub the appliance gently – use liquid soap for additional cleaning
• Rinse and dry off the appliance
• Store the appliance in its carrying case when not in use

Toothpastes are not suitable for cleaning an oral appliance. Many brands of toothpaste are abrasive and could damage the apparatus. Hot water can also melt plastic or acrylic components, so be sure to use only room-temperature water.

For more detailed recommendations on using and maintaining your oral appliance, please contact a dentist specializing in sleep medicine or call 1 (866) 727-6275 (1-8-NO-PAP-MASK) today to find a provider in your local area.

Does Sleep Apnea Elevate Dementia Risk?

A study published in the journal Neurology indicates that poor quality rest and low blood oxygen level during sleep could increase the likelihood of diminished mental faculties in older men. Though this research doesn’t establish a causal relationship between sleep apnea and dementia, patients with sleep and breathing disorders could be more at risk of experiencing negative effects on the brain.

Researchers found that the brains of subjects who had sleep apnea showed evidence of atrophied tissue and abnormalities called microinfarcts. These irregularities in the brain are more common in people who develop dementia than those who don’t have the condition.

Dementia is a series of symptoms most commonly caused by Alzheimer’s disease. Patients with dementia suffer a severe deterioration of mental capabilities including: 

·         Memory

·         Motor skills

·         Organizational abilities

·         Clear and accurate speech

·         Reasoning and problem solving

·         Navigation – dementia patients can get lost even in very familiar places

Patients who suffer dementia also experience behavioral changes. The decline in mental clarity can lead to emotional outbursts, sudden mood swings, and irritability.

Obviously, dementia is a sign of a major health issue. Sleep apnea is also a dangerous condition because of the impact gaps in breathing can have on multiple systems in the body, including the brain.

If you suspect you or a family member is suffering from sleep apnea, please contact a local specialist or call 1 (866) 727-6275 (1-8-NO-PAP-MASK) today.

Snoring Treatment With the ‘Tongue Pacemaker’

An estimated 60% of men and 40% of women will be habitual snorers by the time they are 60 years old. For patients in need of snoring treatment, an innovative solution could keep the tongue from blocking the airway, resulting in a healthier night’s sleep for the patient and peaceful rest for those nearby.

Nicknamed the “pacemaker for the tongue,” the hypoglossal nerve stimulator was recently approved by the FDA. Once implanted inside of the chest, the device monitors the patient’s breathing during sleep. If the tongue begins to interfere with breathing, a gentle electric pulse stimulates the tongue to move it out of the airway.

Doctors have praised the “pacemaker” as an improvement on other surgical solutions for snoring and sleep apnea, which permanently make the airways wider but also tend to have a long, often painful recovery. However, surgery might be unnecessary for snoring treatment.

Nonsurgical snoring treatment options include: 

• Oral appliances that keep the airway open at night
• Lifestyle changes, including a firmer mattress, altering your position while sleeping, and reducing or avoiding alcohol
• Modifying your sleep habits by tying a tennis ball to your back – this will keep you from lying on your back, which reduces the intensity of snoring
• Losing excess weight and keeping it off

Doctors are also enthusiastic about the hypoglossal nerve stimulator because it could be an effective alternative to the continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device. Though CPAP is the most common treatment for sleep apnea and snoring, many patients find wearing a cumbersome mask too uncomfortable to do overnight every night.

For more information on non-invasive snoring treatment, please contact a local sleep specialist or call 1 (866) 727-6275 (1-8-NO-PAP-MASK) today for a consultation.

Which Gender Is at Greater Risk for Sleep Apnea?

CBS News reports that roughly one-third of all Americans don’t sleep for the recommended seven hours each night. But the data suggest that the reason a man might toss and turn is likely different than a woman’s, and the predisposition to obstructive sleep apnea is a factor.

Men are more likely than women to suffer from sleep apnea. The CBS story attributes the higher risk factor to “anatomical differences,” specifically more neck fat. However, the neck isn’t the only part of the body that could create an obstruction in the airway.

If these structures have higher fat deposits or are consistently enlarged, the likelihood of apnea episodes could be higher:

• Tongue
• Tonsils
• Adenoids
• Uvula
• Soft palate

Women can also suffer from obstructive sleep apnea. However, this isn’t the leading sleep issue women experience.

Instead, according to the CBS report, women are more likely to experience shorter periods of sleep, as well as higher instances of nighttime insomnia and fatigue the following day. Much of this is attributable to hormone changes.

If you believe you’re at risk for obstructive sleep apnea, or poor quality sleep is affecting your health, please contact an experienced sleep doctor in your community or call 1 (866) 727-6275 (1-8-NO-PAP-MASK) today for a one-on-one evaluation.

Sleep Apnea a Major Hazard to Firefighters

Rescue personnel dedicate their lives to saving people who are in danger. But who protects these heroes from the toll the job takes on their physical and mental health? Recent research reveals that nearly 40% of firefighters suffer from sleep apnea or another type of sleep disorder.

These conditions are serious, but that’s not even the worst news. TIME reports that the prevalence of sleep apnea could be linked to the high incidence among firefighters of heart attacks and car accidents, which together represent the majority causes of death within the profession.

An increased risk of heart attack is one of the most serious complications of sleep apnea. The condition also causes extreme fatigue and poor focus, which could account for the high risk of auto collisions.

The TIME article identified other complications firefighters with one or more sleep disorders are at risk for – all of which have been linked to sleep apnea. These include: 

• Heart disease
• Diabetes
• Mental and emotional health disruptions, including depression and anxiety

Perhaps most alarming of all, 80% of the firefighters who exhibited signs of apnea or other conditions had not been diagnosed or treated for the problem. No matter your age or occupation, sleep apnea needs to be caught and treated early to diminish the impact on your health.

To learn more about sleep apnea, please contact an experienced doctor in your area or call 1 (866) 727-6275 (1-8-NO-PAP-MASK) today.

Amy Poehler Talks Snoring, Sleep Troubles in Memoir

In addition to an inside look at her work on TV projects like “Saturday Night Live” and “Parks and Recreation,” funnywoman Amy Poehler also discusses her lifelong struggle to get a good night’s rest in her new book “Yes Please.” Poehler has suffered intense snoring for years, at one point writing that she is “convinced my body is trying to gently strangle me to death.”

After undergoing a sleep study, Poehler was diagnosed with sleep apnea when she was 40. Though she was prescribed a CPAP machine to restore proper breathing during sleep, the comedienne – like many patients – has admitted to lapsing in her use of the device.

Poehler writes that she comes “from a family of snorers” who made a habit of recording audio of each other snoring as a way to prove how loud and intense the noise was at night. Oftentimes family members are the ones who have to break the news about snoring to the sufferer.

Snoring is often fodder for comedy, but it’s no laughing matter when it keeps people awake at night or causes the sleeper to experience symptoms like: 

• Restlessness
• Waking up multiple times a night
• Poor quality sleep
• Drowsiness during the day
• Choking, gasping, and other interruptions to breathing

If you have family members who snore loudly or the people you care about worry about your snoring, be mindful about the effect insufficient sleep can have on your health. Snoring is also a potential indicator of sleep apnea, which should always be treated as a serious medical condition.

Please contact a local sleep doctor or call 1 (866) 727-6275 (1-8-NO-PAP-MASK) if you and your family are concerned about your nightly snoring.

TENSION HEADACHE AND TMJ Disorders: The Sleep Connection Identified

Tension Headaches are a type of Trigmeminal Nerve innervated muscle contraction headache. They are closely related to TMJ Disorders (TMD) and postural distortions like a forward head position. Tension Headaches and Chronic Daily Headaches are essentially variations of Muscle Contaction Headaches. Frequently severe muscle pain headaches are called Migraines or Atypical Migraines but are in reality primarily caused by muscle trigger points.

It is important to remember that all muscle contraction headaches are a form of repetitive strain injuries. When there is a postural distortion or bite problem the muscles adapt to protect the whole If there is an acute injury Muscle Splinting will occur. This is where the muscle tighten to protect an injured site.

Sleep disordered breathing greatly contributes to these problems. Patients may snore loudly or have sleep apnea where they periodically quit breathing however the female patients and younger, thinner heathier males and females often have UARS or Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome that leaves them tired and sore and ruins their sleep but without the classic symptoms. Learn more about Sleep Apnea and UARS at www.ihatecpap.com that discusses sleep disordered breathing and comfortable alternatives to CPAP for treating these airway issues.  

SLEEP ISSUES ARE A MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR TO TENSION HEADACHES, CHRONIC DAILY HEADACHES, MIGRAINES AND TMJ DISORDERS.  THE NHLBI OF THE NIH CONSIDER SLEEP APNEA TO BE A TMJ DISORDER.  http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/files/docs/workshops/tmj_wksp.pdf

The good news is that Neuromuscular Dentistry can usually quickly and effectively correct these problems. There is a new office dedicated to treating TMJ disorders, Headaches, Migraines and Sleep Disordered Breathing visitwww.thinkbetterlife.com for more information on TMJ Disorders and Neuromuscular Dentistry. WWW.ihateheadaches.org is another excellent site concerning chronic headaches and correction with Neuromuscular Dentistry.

Muscle Splinting is normal, in fact it is ideal on a short term basis to protect an injured joint, muscle or tendon. Problems arise when Muscle Splinting is no longer needed but Chronic Muscle Contracture occurs. This will often result in Tight Bands in the Muscle and Trigger Points in the tight bands.

Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction is when there is chronic muscle shortening with associated trigger points. It is similar, in many ways to Fibromyalgia but is more regional in nature. TMJ Dysfunction Patients (TMD) frequently have widespread myofascial Pain and Dysfunction throughout the Head, Neck, Shoulders and Upper Back.

Trigger points and muscle problems tend to spread from one area of the body to another as the muscles continually try to adapt to protect the whole. Unfortunately the muscles work past their Adaptive Capacity. When there is widespread muscle pain, taut bands and pain the condition is called Fibromyalgia and it is often treated as a Rheumatic Systemic Disease but frequently it is best addressed one area at a time, correcting function and eventually having the entire system working again as a single unit.

Patients with chronic pain often develop Alpha Intrusion into Delta Sleep which is the marker for Fibromyalgia. The deep sleep is disturbed resulting in increased pain and sympathetic nervous system activity.

Sleep disordered breathing greatly contributes to these problems. Patients may snore loudly or have sleep apnea where they periodically quit breathing but the female patients and younger, thinner heather males and females often have UARS or Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome that leaves them tired and sore and ruins their sleep but without the classic symptoms. Learn more about Sleep Apnea and UARS at www.ihatecpap.com that discusses sleep disordered breathing and comfortable alternatives to CPAP for treating these airway issues.

Sleep Well Illinois is a new company working to do universal sleep screening in Physicians offices to help identify these patients.

• deerfield
 
• fibromyalgia
 
• forward head posture
 
• GLENVIEW
 
• Highland Park
 
• LAKE FOREST
 
• MPD
 
• muscle contraction headaches
 
• muscle splinting
 
• myofascial pain
 
• Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction
 
• postural distortions
• repetitive strain injury
 
• RERA
 
• SLEEP APNEA
 
• Sleep Well Illinois
 
• Taut bands
 
• Taut bands muscle
 
• TMD
 
• TMJ
• trigger point migraine
 
• trigger points
 
• trigger points headaches
 
• UARS
 
• upper airway resistance syndrome