Stop Snoring – Snoring Be Gone

After being diagnosed with sleep apnea many patients wonder if there are any ways that they can help themselves health wise in regards to their condition. While there is presently no cure for sleep apnea there are ways to help decrease the incidence and severity of symptoms.

It is wise though to first sit down and talk with your doctor or healthcare provider to learn everything about your condition and to discuss treatment methods. Ask your doctor what are the best ways you can help to improve your medical situation. Keep in mind that it is essential to follow your doctor’s instructions and to use these suggestions in conjunction with the prescribed treatment, whether it be CPAP, surgery, etc.

Many individuals consider these “self-help remedies” to be lifestyle changes. Be aware that these changes can also improve other medical conditions and are beneficial in improving an individual’s overall health and well being.

Weight is one important aspect that makes a difference in sleep apnea. If you are overweight or obsess lose the weight. Even losing a few pounds can make a difference in sleep apnea symptoms. An excessive amount of weight on the body can make sleep apnea worse in two different ways.

First of all those who are overweight tend to have thicker necks and more fatty tissue in their neck area. Too much fat in this area can obstruct the airway and make collapse more likely. The other contributing factor is too much weight in the abdominal area makes it more likely for the muscles that control breathing to work insufficiently. Breathing muscles that don’t work to their optimum best can make breathing during nighttime sleep tremendously more difficult.

Some people find it a struggle to lose weight and prefer to attempt to lose weight or go on a special weight loss plan after they have commenced their sleep apnea treatment. This is perfectly fine. The important thing is to lose excess weight if it is necessary. If you are of a normal weight then you have nothing to worry about in this area!

Smoking makes sleep apnea a great deal worse as it contributes to a “decreased lung capacity.” As well smoking causes throat muscles to relax excessively thereby making it possible for the airway to become obstructed. Many people believe that nicotine patches are one of the best ways to help quit smoking.

Alcohol consumption should be decreased in general and should never be consumed three to four hours before bedtime. Drinking alcohol serves to depress the reflexes of breathing and by so doing, causes a case of sleep apnea to get worse.

Besides alcohol, it is a wise to avoid sleeping pills, tranquilizers and other medications, prescription or otherwise, that can interfere in any way with normal breathing patterns.

When you suffer allergies, throat infections or colds these can all cause narrowed airway passages and congestion in the sinuses and nose. The viruses and bacteria that cause these health problems can make sleep apnea worse.

As well medication taken for these conditions can encourage sleep apnea episodes. Speak to your doctor before taking meds for any condition that could potentially bother your breathing.

There are certain factors that may make a person more or less likely to develop obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Many of these factors are beyond a person’s control. Coupled with such things as excess pounds, smoking, drinking and a generally unhealthy lifestyle, it is even more likely that down the road you could become a patient of sleep apnea. Let’s take a look at factors you cannot change in regard to sleep apnea.

Age is one factor. More people thirty years and older experience sleep apnea with the highest occurrences being in men over the age of forty.

Sleep apnea is far more common in men than it is in women. It is believed that on average twelve to twenty million Americans suffer from sleep apnea, ranging from mild to moderate to severe. Breaking this down into gender, approximately twenty-four percent of men in the general population have it while only nine percent of women do. Premenopausal women are less likely to suffer from sleep apnea then menopausal or post menopausal women and for reasons unclear to researchers, the occurrence of the sleep disorder is more evenly matched among the sexes after women are finished with menopause. Many studies have been done looking at the gender gap in relation to sleep apnea. Some studies point to the fact that it is two to three times more widespread in males than in females. However research studies done in sleep clinics across the country have shown results that men are five to six times more likely to experience this health problem.

Genetics plays a role in this disorder, however how large a role is unknown. If there is a family history of sleep apnea, whether it be males or females you are more likely to develop it at some point in your lifetime. There seems to be a genetic predisposition towards sleep apnea while people who have family history are less likely to become afflicted by it.

Race also plays a role according to researchers. Those of African American ethnicity as well as Hispanics and Pacific Islanders are more likely to develop the problem than are Caucasians. However that does not mean that Caucasians never develop it at all but it is in reduced rates in relation to other races. Black people tend to develop sleep apnea earlier in their lives than do Caucasian individuals.

Any medical condition that interferes with the breathing process can contribute to the onset of sleep apnea. In particular deformities to do with the spine such as scoliosis can cause problems and may bring it on.

Health conditions such as Down syndrome or Marfan’s syndrome that contribute to abnormalities of the head and face known as craniofacial problems can greatly increase a person’s chances of developing sleep apnea.

As mentioned earlier, menopause seems to play a role in developing sleep apnea. Women going through menopause are more likely to develop it than are younger women and the occurrence rates in the sexes are more evenly matched after menopause comes to an end.

It is estimated that anywhere from eighteen to twenty-five million individuals suffer from the disorder of sleep apnea however a surprising less than a million of these individuals are aware of it. This is a health concern that affects more men than women, and more middle aged to older men then younger men. Women of menopausal age are more likely to develop it than are younger women and after going through menopause, the incidence of sleep apnea among women becomes approximately equal to that of men. However some studies suggest that sleep apnea is under diagnosed in females. Research has shown that approximately between nine and twenty-four percent of males suffer from apnea or hypopnea and on average, four to fifteen percent of women. However be aware that sleep apnea has been found in people of all age groups, including children.

Sleep apnea is believed to affect anywhere from 1.6 to 3.4 percent of young children. It is hypothesized by experts that “sleep disorder breathing” can be found in eleven percent of children in the general population. One specific study yielded the result that while the incidence of sleep apnea rises with age, the many health problems that accompany it tend to become less severe. For example it was shown that those before the age of forty-five have more serious health consequences than those who are older.

Studies have shown that those who live in rural areas tend to suffer more incidences of sleep apnea than those who live in urban areas. However those who live in cities tend to suffer from insomnia and disturbed sleep more often. This is believed to be related to stress. Of all races in the United States those who are African American tend to have a higher likelihood of developing this sleep disorder as opposed to other ethnic groups.

Being overweight can pose a risk for developing sleep apnea especially for those who have an accumulation of fat in their abdominal areas (these people are often thought to be “apple shaped”). This is as true for adults as it is for children and teenagers. Sometimes even losing ten pounds or less can have a positive effect. It is important to point out that not everyone who experiences “sleep-disordered breathing” is overweight. This is especially the case when it comes to women and children.

There are a few physical characteristics that also seem to predispose an individual to be more likely to develop sleep apnea. For example having a larger neck may play a role. This may also partially explain why men are more likely to suffer from sleep apnea than women. The risk is greatest for men who have a neck circumference of seventeen inches or more and for women who have a neck measurement of sixteen inches or higher.

Other physical characteristics that play a role include having a narrow upper jaw; having an overbite; having a chin that recedes, having a long lower portion of your face; having a large thick tongue and having a long, stiff soft palate.

A breakthrough therapy has emerged from the company Restore Medical that will give sleep apnea patients yet another option for relief from their symptoms. The initial results are promising. This procedure is doing well in comparison with more conventional treatment options such as the surgical laser assisted uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP) and uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP). Up to now the most popular form of treatment, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), this may begin changing in the near future as patients begin switching to the Pillar Procedure. Although an effective form of treatment, many patients dislike wearing a mask while they sleep. Still others experience noise problems due to the machine, feelings of claustrophobia and the leakage of air.

The Pillar Procedure is gaining in popularity because it is not as invasive as some of the other surgical procedures and it doesn’t take up too much of a patient and doctor’s time (on average it requires one quick visit to the physician’s office). The Pillar Procedure has received approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its willingness to treat both cases of snoring as well as sleep apnea and it is also clinically proven. In tests done utilizing the Pillar Procedure approximately eighty percent of sufferers noted a positive improvement in their nightly sleep apnea patterns. Many noted that episodes were dramatically decreased.

One reason for sleep apnea is that the “soft palate vibrates during snoring and can block the airway.” When it comes to the Pillar Procedure three tiny inserts are placed into the soft palate to offer a sufficient amount of support. The inserts are not visible to the human eye and they do not cause problems either with speech or with swallowing. These reasons alone make the Pillar Procedure a viable option.

The Pillar Procedure deals with the soft palate and calls for the injection of three tiny woven inserts into the soft palate that are geared at decreasing the vibrations that bring about snoring as well as prevent the soft palate from interfering with, or blocking the flow of air. Structural support is encouraged by way of the inserts and over time they blend into the natural tissue structure for continued support. At the time of the procedure the patient’s soft palate is given a local anesthetic to numb it and then the doctor goes ahead with implanting the inserts by way of a special medical tool. In some cases a mild painkiller will be prescribed to the patient for use if there is discomfort after the anesthetic wears off. This procedure does not even have to be done at the hospital; it can be done right in the doctor’s office.

The material that the Pillar inserts consist of has been used in other implantable medical devices for an excess of fifty years. Most patients report little if any discomfort and there is a short recuperation period. Many people return to their regular eating habits as well as their regular activities very quickly, some as soon as the same day or the day preceding the procedure.

The risks involved with the Pillar Procedure are very minimal. In fact only one percent of those treated with this method ever suffer any adverse effects. As well if so desired, the procedure can be reversed. It is important to be aware that the effectiveness of the procedure depends on a number of factors which include the size of a patient’s tonsils, their tongue position and their body mass.

If you are a person that suffers from sleep apnea, you probably know how cumbersome it can be to use a CPAP machine to aid your breathing while you sleep. While it is a better alternative than the harmful effects of not treating your obstructive sleep apnea, it is hardly a full solution to the problem. Sufferers of obstructive sleep apnea are prone to many negative health effects including a lack of concentration, grogginess, and an increased risk of heart disease and stroke. Nearly 18 million Americans are afflicted with this disorder, with a full 1 out of 20 males and 1 out of 30 females living with the problem. To that end, biologists and doctors have been toiling endlessly to work towards a better type of treatment for the sufferers of this tragic condition. Luckily, there has been a medical breakthrough in the form of a tiny new implant which may be of great merit to those with a sleep apnea condition.

The implant procedure that is creating quite a buzz in the medical community is known as the pillar procedure, and it involves small implants that are placed within the soft palate. The implants and the scar tissue that is created by the surgical procedure helps to provide a level of support to the soft palate so that it is not as easily collapsible. This can cause the airway of those with obstructive sleep apnea to be more open, allowing the patient to breathe more properly throughout the evening. The soft palate of those who have the pillar procedure tends to stay in place, as opposed to falling back which commonly occurs in those with the disorder. Studies show that a full two thirds of all mild obstructive sleep apnea sufferers can benefit from the treatment, and it has been approved by the FDA. The surgery is an outpatient procedure, and it has been performed with a very reasonable success rate by doctors for the past four years. The implant takes roughly thirty minutes to install, and three small implants are placed throughout the palate.

While the long-term benefits of this surgery are not yet realized, it shows much promise in helping those with a mild case of apnea to reduce their problem. The implants in the palate do not pose much of a problem to the patients, as they cannot be felt after being implanted. Also, if the implants prove to be of little success, they can be easily removed via another surgery. While not a complete solution to the problem caused by obstructive sleep apnea, these implants represent a new hope for those who have a mild form of the condition. As with any serious medical procedure, it’s important to get a proper opinion from your trusted health care professional. Also, if you feel unsure whether or not your condition merits the treatment, a second opinion is advised. For those who wish to learn more about the Pillar procedure, you can contact Cynthia Harding, the Public Relations Director of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center at cynthia.harding@cshs.org.