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Stimulation Therapy for Sleep Apnea Patients

Brian Yalung — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 14:16:12 +0000

Here is a solution that should help out sleep apnea sufferers although I am not sure how many people would be more than willing to have something inserted in their bodies to address it. Apparently the apparatus is a pulse generator which is said to be something that would be inserted below the collar bone of people.

The pulse will eventually stop the tongue from blocking the airway during sleep. The device (placed just under the hypoglossal nerve) will synchronize with breathing motions but is not active during wakefulness as shared by Dr. Andrew Jamieson of the Sleep Medicine Associates of Texas. A remote control is used to turn the pulse generator on and off.

Dr. Jamieson said early results in Dallas and other test locations are promising but FDA approval–if it comes–may be three to five years away.

Via

Sleep Apnea Courses Announced

Brian Yalung — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 06:40:03 +0000

The Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies launches a new series of Sleep Apnea courses to help pin down the growing issue of sleep apnea. This comes in the light that the Dental sector seems to play an important role in pinpointing how sleep apnea can be diagnosed and treated.

Dr. Brian Allman is the instructor for the course. He is a dentist practicing in Reno, Nevada. His practice focuses on TMJ therapy and sleep apnea treatment. He has been practicing for 25 years and is a diplomate of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine.

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Avoid the Stiff Neck from Sleep Syndrome

Brian Yalung — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 18:52:32 +0000

If you don’t sleep in the right position, chances are some of your body parts will become sore. Leading the pack of potential issues include that of your neck and your arms. Normally, sleeping as freely as we can is advised. But at some point, we just have to admit that there are sleeping positions that we prefer that are not suitable at all.

Stiff neck is a state that anyone would hate. While we fail to feel that disorder in deep slumber, once you wake up, chances are you would be cursing the way you slept. It is indeed uncomfortable but basing it on how you can improve your sleep position, chances are you may see it recurring.

“Most instances of what people call a ‘crick in the neck’ are caused by a person’s positioning while asleep,” says Dr. Brian Bruel, an assistant professor at UT Southwestern Medical Center with dual appointments in physical medicine and rehabilitation, and anesthesiology and pain management. “You’re sleeping with your neck at a weird angle, and that causes muscle strain.”

(Source) Dallas News

Medical Interns Need to Sleep and Slow Down As Well

Brian Yalung — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 00:46:05 +0000

Sleep Deprived Medical Interns

While most of the world may be seeking treatment for their various sleep issues, the growing number of patients may soon include interns who look after these medical seeking individuals. Just like the patients diagnosed with various sleeping irregularities like sleep apnea and insomnia, if the proper volume of patients to be handled is not normalized, chances are these medical interns may also need sleep solutions similar to this post two months ago for doctors.

The relationship is quite similar. People cure people but in the process, while most of them want to help as many people as they can, it still remains that they have to consider the fact that these interns have to look after themselves as well.

Interns were on-call for about 30 hours, getting an average of 2.8 hours of sleep. Early in the academic year, every patient admitted while they were on-call reduced their sleep by an average of about 10 min and increased shift duration by about 13 min. Being on-call at night and early in the academic year was linked with the most sleep deprivation and longest work hours. The higher the number of previously admitted patients in the interns’ care during a shift, the less likely they were to participate in educational activities.

(Source) Insider Medicine

Fragile X deprives Sleep

Brian Yalung — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 16:13:28 +0000

The lack of two related genes in autistic children has been discovered to be a cause for abnormal sleep in human genetics. Apparently, this genes termed as Fragile X, pose as a sleep issue for autistic children or from people who suffer from the Fragile X syndrome.

The findings were reported from the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

“This has never been seen in a mouse before,” lead researcher Dr. David Nelson, a professor of molecular and human genetics, said in a prepared statement.

The findings, published in the current issue of The American Journal of Human Genetics, are important, because children with autism or fragile X syndrome tend to have problems getting to sleep and staying asleep. Fragile X is the most common known cause of autism.

(Source) US News

Clinically Helping Children Sleep

Brian Yalung — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 09:37:17 +0000

At times, parents would have to bear the brunt of sleep issues concerning their children. Such a setup is only common considering no parent in his right mind can sleep soundly knowing that his child is having problems getting that much needed sleep.

But the issues surrounding the sleep disorders that most kids have today are for real. Normally, parents would let it go and consider it as part of some reaction towards medicine or hereditary behavior. Not all parents are doctors or sleep specialists to conclude such things and it would be best to seek the advice of specialists who know more about this sleep dilemma that often bugs us.

Another common mistake is putting their children to bed too late at night. Drewek said kids between the ages of 2 and 4 need 11 to 13 hours of sleep each night.

Sleep deprivation in children often manifests itself as hyperactivity, Drewek said, which sometimes leads to a misdiagnosis of hyperactivity disorder. That diagnosis can lead to unnecessary medication.

Her best advice is for parents to keep their pediatricians advised of their children’s sleep habits. Nap time and bedtime routines also should be established to support consistent sleep.

(Source) The Arizona Republic

Smoking Ruins Sleep Patterns

Brian Yalung — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 12:51:46 +0000

If you are a smoker and you have a hard time wondering why you feel weird in the mornings, chances are you are in that stage where smoking can really have a part on how you can sleep better. We are all aware that smoking does indeed make our health deteriorate and with this new study made by the John Hopkins University School of Medicine, it all the more proves that smoking has a bearing on why you cannot sleep soundly.

Here’s another good reason to put away those cigarettes – a new study shows that smoking can lead to unhealthy sleep patterns, making you feel groggier the next day. Scientists have long speculated that smokers have poorer sleep quality than nonsmokers because of conditions associated with the habit, such as sleep apnea and lung disease. Now, research from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine led by Dr. Naresh M. Punjabi, shows that smoking might be the culprit for decreased sleep quality.

(Source) Boston.com

On Sedatives and Sleeping Pills

Brian Yalung — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 21:32:42 +0000

At times, the best cure for people who are sick would be to get some sleep and rest. Along the way, we are prescribed with various forms of medicine and pills to assist us. Most of the time, the said pills will get us groggy and sleepy, technically categorizing them as sleeping pills with some components to address the illness we are complaining about.

While they are not really tagged as sleeping pills, it would be best to take note of the limitations. They are prescribed to help combat off illness and not serve as sleeping aids for us. Some people have used them at times to address sleeping problems which should not be the case.

They may help make people sleep at times and side effects should be considered. If people are not careful, these may be more controversial than just addressing the sleeping problem they have at the moment.

Source: Look before you sleep!

Sleep-Aid Drugs Provide No Remedy

Brian Yalung — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 15:58:29 +0000

While most people are content on using sleeping drugs to cure their sleeping disorder, they should not be totally reliant. As a whole, sleep-aid drugs can become serious pains and may even affect the entire body in the very worst way after some time of using them frequently.

It is a given that sleep disorders are something that has been plaguing the world as far as health issues are concerned. However, sleep institutes are still around to help resolve the issue. Medicine and drugs can help but they should not be the only recourse to be counted on.