Other Sleeping Disorders and Red Herrings Part One
Posted on | January 18, 2010 | No Comments
Sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder that causes the patient to stop breathing during the night. This then disrupts the sleep cycle causing the individual to lose sleep, though often they are unaware that they have woken at all during the night. With this being the case, the only observable symptom for the sufferer themselves is tiredness during the following day. For this reason, self diagnosis can be difficult and it’s easy to let apnea go untreated for many years – particularly if the individual lives alone and so has no one else to notice their behaviour during the night. The best way to identify apnea then could be by process of elimination and by recognising the symptoms of other possible causes; as many other sleep disorders and conditions can cause tiredness and broken sleep.
Depression – Clinical depression has among its symptoms extreme tiredness. The of tiredness experienced should be distinct from that associated with lack of sleep however, feeling more like a lack of energy and a predominance of lethargy rather than a strong desire for sleep. At the same time depressed patients will experience other symptoms of hopelessness, crying, lack of enthusiasm and sex drive and thoughts of suicide.
How Long Can Sleep Apnea Go Untreated Part Two
Posted on | January 11, 2010 | No Comments
This can also lead to problems at work, in relationships and finances. More pressingly such lack of attention can cause accidents, particularly when driving; and being tired when driving has also been said to be as serious as being drunk.
Poor sleep has also been linked to obesity, slow healing of wounds and depression; which themselves can lead to suicide or heart attack. Anything that disrupts sleeping patterns then should be considered a serious problem and should be treated by a professional.
The actual sleep apnea itself can also be a serious threat on its own. As one might expect there is of course a danger associated with cessation of breathing and in very rare cases sufferers can experience sudden death caused by a lack of breathing (this is more common in central sleep apnea where the patient receives no feedback to indicate that they’re not breathing but also in cases where the patient is morbidly obese). In babies this is a more serious concern and has been suggested as one possible cause of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).
In conclusion then, sleep apnea can have many detrimental effects on the life and health of the patient. At the same time it may also prove a potentially lethal for certain groups. It should be treated as soon as possible if only to assess the danger, though can often go long periods of time undetected.
How Long Can Sleep Apnea Go Untreated Part One
Posted on | January 4, 2010 | No Comments
Sleep apnea is a condition that causes patients to stop breathing during the night. This causes individuals to experience broken sleep and to regularly wake throughout the night, though usually they are not conscious of this fact and simply find themselves feeling tired throughout the day.
As patients don’t necessarily recognise their condition it means that they can think of it as more of a nuisance than a serious problem. To what extent this is the case however will depend on the severity of the apnea and on the individual suffering. In some instances it certainly is a cause for alarm, and in all cases patients should see a doctor.
Firstly, extreme tiredness in itself can be a serious problem and can lead to other complications. For example lack of sleep can place stress on the immune system which leaves the sufferer vulnerable to viruses and infections and at greater risk of a heart attack or stroke.
Lack of sleep also has serious effects on the brain and cognitive function. Without adequate sleep an individual will suffer memory loss and difficulty with their attention and may also experience poor judgement when making decisions etc.
Homeopathic Remedies for Apnea
Posted on | December 28, 2009 | 1 Comment
Homeopathy is a form of alternative medicine which works differently to modern medicine. The central concept behind homeopathic remedies is that a remedy should cause the symptoms observed in the patient were the patient healthy. This then is supposed to help encourage the body to drive out these symptoms. For sleep apnea then the medication used will be known to obstruct the airways or to cause damage to the brain stem (the latter being the cause of central apnea).
Homeopaths will also take into account the other individual factors in each case however and will asses each instance of sleep apnea as unique and as part of the ‘living whole’. In homeopathy, only the symptoms are treated, but characteristics of the individual not related to the illness are often considered ‘symptoms’ in themselves. The exact form of medication used will vary then depending on the person using it.
Homeopathic medicines are then heavily diluted using a process called ‘succussion’. This process often results in not a single molecule of the active ingredient surviving which has lead many to claim that homeopathy is little more than a pseudoscience. Laboratory studies have meanwhile failed to show that homeopathic remedies are any more successful than placebos.
Diagnosing Your Sleep Apnea Part Two
Posted on | December 21, 2009 | No Comments
Sleep apnea can for example be quite dangerous in morbidly obese patients who should seek intervention, probably in the form of CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure). Those suffering from deformaties of the skull or a deviated septum will probably have only a mild form (unless this is the result of an injury). In such cases the individual should decide how severe their condition and whether they want to undergo surgery. For those suffering due to being slightly overweight or from having a large neck, it may be possible to alleviate the symptoms by changing the sleeping position to be more upright, or by lying on one side. From here the patient can then focus on getting exercise and improving their diet to help lose weight.
Central apnea however is much more difficult to treat and generally fairly severe. Treatments such as CPAP are unlikely to prove affective as the problem is not caused by restriction in the airways. Doctors will usually treat such cases with medication, though these have only been shown to be effective to an extent.
While it’s possible for patients to diagnose and prescribe for their own apnea to an extent, it is advisable that they seek the consultation of a medical professional who can advise the best course of action and look for other underlying problems.
Diagnosing Your Sleep Apnea Part One
Posted on | December 14, 2009 | No Comments
Acknowledging that you are suffering from sleep apnea can be difficult as patients are often unaware that they are waking up in the night, only noticing the tiredness that comes as a result. Once that’s done however, it’s important to realise that there are different forms and severities of apnea.
Sleep apnea comes in three forms, and recognising the form you’re suffering from is crucial to be able to correctly treat and ease the condition. Likewise realising the severity of the particular case can help find the most prudent cause of action.
The two main causes of sleep apnea are blockages in the nasal passage or trachea which make breathing difficult (obstructive sleep apnea); and malfunction in the brain that causes the patient to ‘forget’ to breath (central sleep apnea). The third type is simply a combination of these two effects (mixed sleep apnea).
Obstructive apnea describes the vast majority of cases and can be recognised by heavy snoring. Often the cause of obstructive apnea is obesity, though it can also be triggered by sinus problems or other blockages such as a deviated septum. The severity of this form of apnea will most likely be related to the severity of the problem triggering it.
Complex Apnea
Posted on | December 7, 2009 | No Comments
Complex apnea is another term for ‘mixed’ apnea, which describes apnea which is caused by a combination of the two main forms. These forms are ‘obstructive apnea’ – apnea caused by physical blockages in the airways; and ‘central apnea’ – apnea caused by malfunction in the brain that means it ‘forgets’ to breath and doesn’t respond to the fact that there is insufficient oxygen in the blood and too much carbon dioxide. It is also possible in some cases that prolonged cases of obstructive sleep apnea can lead to central apnea.
This combined form of apnea requires treatment on two fronts to address the two issues surrounding the problem. First of all the obstruction will be addressed, usually by advising a diet (obstructions are often caused by large necks in overweight patients) and changing sleeping position possibly using specially designed cushions. In more severe cases that don’t respond to home treatment, patients may require ‘CPAP’ (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) utilising a constant stream of pressurised air to keep the airways open.
To address the issues in the brain however is more complicated and no method has been shown to be completely successful. Some studies have suggested a link between central sleep apnea and iron deficiency making iron a popular supplement.
Clear Airway Apnea
Posted on | November 30, 2009 | No Comments
In obstructive sleep apnea it is a blockage in the airways that causes the patient to stop breathing throughout the night. For such cases then the apnea can be combated by ensuring that the airways remain clear throughout the night of mucus and from the neck itself collapsing around the trachea.
There are several ways to help prevent sinus problems from causing apnea. One is to inhale steam before bed in order to clear the nasal passage. To do so use a bowl of hot water boiled in a kettle and lean your head over it with a towel over. This way the steam will break up and evaporate the sinus and mucus leaving the airways clear.
Another way to clear sinus problems is with a vaporising cream such as Vic. These can be applied to the chest and then use potent fumes to break up mucus and other things blocking the nasal passage in much the same way as the steam. The advantage of this of course is that it can be left over night to prevent the mucus from building up once again. By using the two in combination the patient will stand the best chance of avoiding blockages. Finally a nasal spray can be used as a more immediate solution, and can be kept by the bed for instances where the inhalation and vaporising cream fail.
Best Head Angle for Sleep Apnea
Posted on | November 23, 2009 | No Comments
Not all cases of sleep apnea can benefit from changing position, however in obstructive cases this can be an effective way to improve the condition. By changing the angle of the head while sleeping it’s possible to stretch and relax the muscles in the neck and open up the trachea more. This in turn can combat the cause of the blockage if it’s related to the size of the neck or the neck muscles, and leave the patient able to breath more easily.
There are two main head angles that can be used for the purpose. The first is to try sitting more upright, which takes the force of gravity off the neck to prevent it from closing. By using a cushion or extra pillows it’s possible to remain mostly upright while not disrupting sleep too badly (though it can still be slightly distracting from a peaceful night).
The other head angle is to lie the head on one side rather than lying it back. This way the gravity comes down on the side of the neck where it’s firmer and thicker rather than on the throat itself. While it can be hard to stay on your side, specifically designed t-shirts and hats can make it impossible to lie flat comfortably.
Apnea Positions
Posted on | November 16, 2009 | No Comments
Obstructive sleep apnea describes apnea caused by blockages of the throat and/or nasal passage as opposed to central sleep apnea caused by brain malfunction that leads the patient simple to ‘forget’ to breath). Obstructive sleep apnea accounts for the majority of cases of apnea and means that most instances of the condition can be alleviated by addressing the cause of the blockage.
One way to do this is to apply continuous pressure down the trachea to force it open during sleep. This is the main treatment used by doctors to address apnea and is achieved by the use of a device called ‘CPAP’ or ‘Continuous Positive Airway Pressure’.
It is possible however to mimic the effects of CPAP without the use of a machine. This can be achieved by changing the sleeping position in order to take negative pressure off the throat caused by bodyweight etc.
The two best positions for achieving this effect are to lie on one side (thus changing the angle of the force) or to prop yourself upright using one or more cushions. While the former is probably the least disruptive to normal sleep, the latter presents the biggest difference and so is suitable for more serious cases. Specially designed cushions can be found online and in health stores specifically for this purpose – as can hats and t-shirts that force you to remain on your side. Failing this you can ask a partner to help by changing your position in the night when they notice you’ve rolled over or switched angle.