Archive for 'OSA'
Review - Respironics ComfortGel Mask
I was at first turned off by this mask because it seemed heavier than other similary sized masked. The mask is heavier because the gel is dense (compared to a light weight form or other comfortable material). I quickly got over this - it was very comfortable to wear throughout the night. It was definately a nice mask to wear after my previous mask pinched me in areas around my nose and upper lip.
This mask is also more customizeable than some other masks. There are two places that you can adjust the mask so that it better forms to your face. The gel also coforms to the your face, so it is easy to become attached to this mask.
If you are looking for a mask that is simple, comfortable, and will last you a long time, I definately reccomend the ComfortGel CPAP mask.
Review - Respironics ComfortClassic Nasal Mask
The Respironics ComfortClassic was my first CPAP mask I used after I had been diagnosed with Sleep Apnea. I had picked this mask because:
- It was a very light mask. Since I was not used to wearing a CPAP mask, most of the other masks felt heavy on my face. The ComfortClassic felt significantly lighter than other masks. I had thought that if I had something heavy on my face, I would be discouraged from using my CPAP, and would have bad habits from the start. I was glad I could easily transition to using my new equipment with this new mask.
- The mask was very, very simple. There are not a lot of adjustments you can make on this mask. I did not want something that I would need to fiddle with to get it right - I just wanted to put my mask on and sleep.
- The mask did not leave marks on my face. I was self conscious about this when I first was told that I had sleep apnea.
Other good reasons to get this mask are:
- It has been around for a while. There are a lot of neat, new masks being sold, but this one has been popular for several years.
- Since the mask is so simple, it relatively cheaper than other masks.
- It is a quite mask. It does not whistle while you breathe out, like some other masks.
I eventually changed to a different mask, since the recommendation is to change them every 6 months. (Your insurance might cover this).
Some reasons I stopped using this masked on a daily basis:
- After testing several other masks, and having experience with wearing the mask nightly, I had found that I wanted something more customizeable.
- The forehead gel pads on the top of the mask had ripped. Luckily, these can be replaced.
However, I was very glad to use the ComfortClassic. I still wear this mask when I travel, because I am not worried about losing any small parts for it (since it is constructed so simpily). I would definately reccomend this mask
Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Down Syndrome
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
When your child with Down Syndrome sleeps is his head bent back in an odd position? Is he waking frequently during the night, or is he a restless sleeper? Do you notice a lot of mouth breathing during the day, and at night? Read this for important information concerning Down Syndrome and Sleep Apnea.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea occurs in over 50% of people with Down Syndrome. It has been recommended by U.S. researchers that all children with Down Syndrome be tested by the time they are three or four years of age.
In children with heart problems, a common condition in Down Syndrome, the decreased oxygen levels in the blood caused by OSA can cause some serious complications. Therefore it is important to get it checked out if you notice any of the signs of OSA.
In children with Down Syndrome OSA can be caused by a number of factors:
-low tone
-flat facial profile and typical facial structure -often seen in people with Down Syndrome
-enlarged tonsils and/or adenoids
-allergies and stuffy noses
-the small mouth and seemingly large tongue
The symptoms of OSA vary but here are listed some of the common ones:
-Snoring or noisy breathing ( okay, that’s the obvious one)
-strange sleeping positions (for example with the -neck hyper-extended)
-restless sleep, frequent waking at night
-mouth breathing
-behavioral problems
-weight loss or not gaining weight at the expected rate
How is Obstructive Sleep Apnea diagnosed?
Your ear, nose and throat doctor will likely recommend a test called a polysomnography.
A polysomnography is usually done on an overnight basis. Your child will be carefully monitored while he or she sleeps.
Treatments for OSA
Treatments for OSA include:
-removal of the tonsils and/or adenoids
-getting allergies under control
-the use of CPAP
In his article about OSA in children with Down Syndrome Dr. Len Leshin,MD,FAAP recommends that the removal of tonsils and adenoids should not be day surgery. A child with Down Syndrome will usually have a longer recovery period and he or she will also have longer periods of decreased oxygenation so this child should be watched for a bit longer than a child who does not have Down Syndrome.
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About the Author:
Caroline Brose is an RN and mother of eight children, the youngest of whom has Down Syndrome. Her experience with Down Syndrome is mostly personal. She writes articles about Down Syndrome as a result of the research she has done since her son was born. She currently maintains a website all about down syndrome and is adding new information weekly. go to about-down-syndrome.com to visit the site.
Submitted at: Content-Articles.com - The Premier Web Site Content Article Directory
Tags: []Didgeridoo - Alternative treatment for Sleep Apnea?
I was reading articles about sleep apnea, and I came a across an LA Outback advertisement on didgeridoos. I thought it was a mis-targeted advertistment - what does a long, hollow, piece of wood have to do with Sleep Apnea? I have heard people playing the aboriginal instrument, and it a different and exciting sound… and I was shocked to actually learn that there are articles about the benefits of playing the digeridoo.
It looks like Men’s Health, Science Daily, BBC News, ABC News Online, and others have a brief article on benefits of this instrument. They appear to be based on a More technical article on the didgeridoo and sleep apnea at the British Medical Journal website.
A summary of the BMJ article: A Study was done on people with moderate sleep apnea. The thought is that playing the didgeridoo trains some of the muscles in the upper airway (which may collapse during sleeping, causing obstructive sleep apnea). After a couple months of learning to play the digeridoo, people had seen less sleep obstructions.
I had first thought that it was a crazy idea think blowing into a wooden stick would help my sleep apnea problem. Then I thought about my current status - I have a CPAP machine blowing air into my throat every night. Or I could have surgery. Or I could pust tennis balls in my back pockets when I sleep at night… Or maybe training my muscles does not seem like such a bad idea. I could buy a didgeridoo - and try to help myself. If it does not help, it would still be a cool instrument to play, and it would be entertaining to watch other to play around with it at as well. And, it could be cool decoration for my house (”Hey Sean, what is that?! Oh, that is my didgeridoo”).
Here are some non-sleep apnea links about didgeridoos:
- Learn how to play the didgeridoo at Aboriginal Art & Culture Center.
- Learn how to play the didgeridoo at Didgeridoo Store.
- Wikipedia
- Didgeridoo music at well.com
- News, artists, and care related to didgeridoos at wadidge.com
- Forum, artists, and community related to didgeridoos at The Didgeridoo Specialist
Other sites with articles on sleep apnea and didgeridoo:
- Science Daily
- ABC News Online
- Hawaii Health Guide
- Apnea Support Forum
- BBC News
- LA Outback
- Health and Age
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea is a condition characterized by recurrent hypoxemia and arousal, due to partial or complete obstruction of the upper airways during sleep with consequent daytime somnolence.
Symptoms are loud snoring, hypersomnolence (excessive daytime sleepiness), and restless sleep. Other symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea include choking or gasping during sleep, unrefreshing sleep, morning headaches, daytime fatigue, personality changes, memory impairment, impaired concentration, poor judgment, mood disturbances, recent weight gain, polyurea, and impotence.
The goal of treatment for sleep apnea patients is to keep the airway open and prevent pauses in breathing during sleep.
Methods to alleviate sleep apnea include behavioral measures such as avoiding alcohol and CNS depressants close to bedtime, weight reduction and sleep posture modification.
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) works by gently blowing pressurized air through the nasal passage of the patient at a pressure high enough to prevent the throat from collapsing during sleep.
Oral or dental appliances reposition the lower jaw and the tongue, opening up the space at the back of the throat, and helping treat sleep apnea.
Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP)
Which is the most common type of surgery to treat sleep apnea, enlarges the airway by removing redundant tissue (tonsils, adenoids, uvula) from the pharynx.
Laser-assisted Uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP), which can be performed in a specialist’s office involves the use of a laser to remove part of the soft palate, shorten the uvula (the tissue that hangs from the middle of the back of the roof of the mouth) and remove other excess tissue from the pharynx.
Tracheostomy is a procedure in which a small hole is made in the trachea or windpipe below the site of obstruction and a tube is inserted into the opening. This tube is opened only during sleeping hours, so that air flows directly into the lungs, bypassing any blocked air passage in the throat.
Another relatively new procedure is radiofrequency ablation (RFA), which makes use of radiofrequency energy to remove tissue from uvula, soft palate and tongue and thereby help treat sleep apnea. In children and adolescents removal of enlarged tonsils or adenoids stands as a viable option in the treatment of sleep apnea.
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