Over the past two years much has been discussed here at the MyApnea forum. People from around the world have been sharing their thoughts on sleep apnea. With a growing community you find common interests and recurring themes. This word cloud displays the most common words used on the MyApnea forum. We hope you find this interesting. How will this cloud look in a few years from now? Keep talking! Your words, your experiences, your opinions are the power in patient-powered research. Keep reading
This is a simplified presentation of a topic more thoroughly discussed by Dr. Robert Thomas here. Dr. Robert Thomas discusses his professional experiences treating this condition and provides a discussion of the pathophysiology of this disorder. Keep reading
Two bacterial diseases are the leading causes of tooth loss. One is dental caries (tooth decay), and the other is periodontitis (gum disease). Periodontitis affects all of the tissues that hold the tooth in place—the gum, periodontal ligament and the jaw bone itself. Over time, these tissues are destroyed by toxins produced by the bacterial infection and by the immune system’s inflammatory response to fight that infection. Keep reading
One Morning I can tell you the morning it happened. It was remarkable because I remember only three others like it in my life, and they happened a very long time ago. Not new to CPAP use and struggling with the hose, mask, wheezing machinery, rainout, red-lined-face and mask-leak-induced dry eyes since 2008, I had received some benefit overall, but not much. Keep reading
Depending on the type and severity of sleep apnea that you have, you may have several possible options to treat your sleep apnea. General Strategies Most people with sleep apnea have worse symptoms when sleeping on their back. There are several devices and tricks that can be used to encourage sleeping on the side or belly which can improve sleep apnea symptoms, especially in people with “position-dependent” sleep apnea. Keep reading
If you think you may have sleep apnea, you should visit your health care provider and let them know of your concerns. Usually, they will complete a physical exam and ask about your medical history for risk factors. There are several questionnaires your health care provider might ask you to complete to help determine your risk level. Keep reading
There are many other health conditions that can increase the risk of sleep apnea or exaggerate the effects of sleep apnea. These include: Risk Factors High blood pressure (hypertension) Heart disease (coronary heart disease, heart failure, heart arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation) Stroke Overweight and obesity Large neck size (>17 inches for men, >16 inches for women) Diabetes Family history of sleep apnea Low physical activity Keep reading
The symptoms of sleep apnea are fairly common for both obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea. Most people have some of these symptoms. It is not well understood who gets which symptoms. Keep reading
Obstructive Sleep Apnea Large tonsils/adenoids Large neck size (17 inches in men, 16 inches in women) Large tongue Obesity - especially an “apple” body shape Small or narrow airway A short lower jaw (compared to the upper jaw) Other structural abnormalities in the airway Central Sleep Apnea Heart failure Certain medicines, such as narcotic painkillers Stroke Brain infection Brainstem disorders Congenital disorders Keep reading
Central sleep apnea (CSA) is related to abnormalities in how the brain senses and responds to changes in oxygen and carbon dioxide while breathing. In CSA, the muscles that control breathing do not receive normal signals from the brain that tell them when to function. Central sleep apnea can be due to problems with the brainstem, which is responsible for our basic operations such as breathing, and may be seen in children or other individuals with certain congenital problems. Keep reading
