Here’s a great report by Matt Lauer, the host on the Today Show, specific to the problems with Sleep Apnea and Snoring in America.

Once again, this report brings much needed attention to the fact that sleep apnea and snoring is an epidemic that needs to be addressed and treated in this country.

Unfortunately, the only treatment that is mentioned is CPAP, and many people are CPAP intolerant. For these apnea sufferers there are other alternatives that may include oral appliances such as the Full Breath Solution that I use in our clinics near Los Angeles and Irvine, California.

The most important point that is made is this.

Sleep apnea and snoring do not get better on their own. These conditions need to be treated. Please see a doctor, find out what your options are and don’t put it off… it may save your life or the one you love….

Image by mlhradio via Flickr

Are you personally experiencing, or know someone, who’s living costs are outstripping their monthly income as housing costs are skyrocketing, health-care costs, food costs and just about everything just costs more? It’s truly getting expensive to live.

Everyone knows that businesses have a “cost of doing business,” with the expenses they incur as they run the day to day operations of their business such as taxes, wages, overhead, disability insurance, worker comp, advertising, and on and on… there is a cost to run a business.

The fact is that there is a cost associated with just about any activity, and yes, even a cost associated with inactivity.

Sometimes doing nothing will cost more than doing something.. think of your car maintenance.What happens if you don’t change your oil, or let don’t change your brake pads? Your engine can seize up, or you find yourself replacing not just pads, but rotors, calipers and everything else… or worse, getting into an accident over something that didn’t cost that much to replace compared to the pile up that just happened. Yes, letting things go can have a huge cost associated with it doesn’t it?

So… what does all of this have to do with sleep apnea you may ask?

A few weeks ago I conducted a survey where I asked my subscribers what issues where important to them, and what were their concerns.

Of those surveyed 46.7% had concerns about having sleep apnea and 66.7% had questions about alternative treatments other than CPAP like an oral appliance. There were over 45% of people that were not treated but concerned! What opened my eyes was the next statistic.

85.7% of those surveyed were worried about the cost (expense) of getting treatment!

Yes, there is a cost of treatment, but there is an even greater cost of non treatment. The question I have for you is this: Which is greater? The cost of treatment or the cost of non treatment? This question gives new meaning to the term “Cost of Living.”

Here are some facts about the cost of living with untreated sleep apnea. Let’s put these in terms of value

Personal Cost:

Cost to Your Family:

Cost to Society:

If you are someone you love has sleep apnea and are worried about the cost of treatment, ask yourself this important question:

Are the costs of not getting treated more than I’d ever want to pay?

Call now for a free consultation.

Dr. Jonathan Greenburg
888-31-SNORE

Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder in which an individual actually stops breathing during sleep. While the person is in a relaxed sleep state, the muscles in the back of their neck and throat relax, allowing tissue from the soft palate to block the airway. This blockage triggers the brain to send constant signals to the body, causing frequent waking.

The sleep apnea cycle can be repeated hundreds if not thousands of times per night.The basic connection between the two ailments boils down to obesity. Both conditions are common in patients who are extremely overweight. In addition, these patients are more likely to suffer from insulin resistance.

Research has shown that the upper airway obstruction caused by sleep apnea can lead to a condition known as oxygen desaturation. This desaturation increases certain hormone levels such as cortisol, which causes increased insulin resistance. Increased cortisol levels are also common in diabetic patients. When levels are elevated, the body does not function properly and can create serious metabolic issues.

Cortisol is responsible for, proper glucose metabolism, regulation of blood pressure, insulin release for blood sugar maintenance and a variety of other biological functions. Another cortisol connection is the fact that it is often released when the body is under stress. A time of stress for the apnea sufferer is likely when the brain senses it is not receiving enough oxygen. To reduce the serious complications that sleep apnea and diabetes present, it is important to be aware of the symptoms of the conditions.

While not every sleep apnea sufferer is diagnosed with Type II Diabetes, having the condition puts you at greater risk of developing this and other serious aliments. In the end frequent monitoring and communicating health changes to your doctor are crucial to receiving the correct treatments and best possible patient care.

Traditional treatments with CPAP, though effective, has a high rate (over 60%) of patients that are intolerant to wearing the masks for a variety of reasons. As Dr. Ulysses Magalang, a sleep expert with Ohio State University Medical Center points out in the video segment, new alternative treatments are needed. New treatments like oral appliance such as the FDA approved Full Breath Solution, have over an 85% success rate.

Please do not hesitate to leave a comment or contact me directly at 888-31-SNORE

We’ve known the purpose of our other biological drives for hundreds of years: we eat to give our bodies energy, we drink to keep hydrated, we procreate to perpetuate the species – among other things. But what is the biological purpose of sleep?

It turns out no one really knows for sure. As correspondent Lesley Stahl reports, why we sleep is one of the biggest unanswered questions in all of science, which is why researchers all over the country are doing studies and coming up with some new and intriguing discoveries.
“We don’t sleep just to rest our tired bodies?” Stahl asks Matthew Walker, the director of the Sleep and Neuroimaging Lab at the University of California, Berkeley.

“Well, that’s been one of the long-standing theories. But I think what we’re starting to understand is that sleep serves a whole constellation of functions, plural,” Walker explains.

One thing that’s clear, says Walker, is that sleep is critical. In a series of studies done back in the 1980s, rats were kept awake indefinitely. After just five days, they started dying.”

The 60 Minutes piece also points out that research showed that patients that were sleep deprived and did not enter into REM (deep restorative sleep) were “pre diabetic” after only 5 days and found themselves ravenously hungry because there is a lack of a chemical in the brain that tells the body that it doesn’t need any more food. It shows us that lack of sleep can be a crucial part of the diabetes and obesity problems we are facing.

There are several other fascinating points made related to drowsy driving and several well known accidents. A National Institute of Health study done at the University of Pennsylvania by David Dinges, the scientist in charge, shared that “Studies show that all of that stuff people tend to do – slapping themselves in the face, rolling the window down, radio up, singing – they’re convinced it helps. But it’s only a matter of seconds or minutes. And you can have a sudden sleep attack right in the midst of doing that,” Dinges says.

And it’s not just driving. Dinges has examined, sometimes as an expert witness, the role of inadequate sleep in some of the world’s most well-known accidents.

He thinks inadequate sleep may have contributed to the Exxon Valdez oil spill, Chernobyl, the Three Mile Island disaster and the 2003 Staten Island ferry crash.

60 Minutes checked. The Exxon Valdez spill happened after midnight with a man at the helm who’d slept only four hours the night before; Chernobyl and Three Mile Island also occurred late at night and involved human error. And the assistant captain who crashed the Staten Island ferry into a pier, killing 11, admitted that he felt exhausted before the accident.

As a doctor who treats sleep apnea and snoring, I see this many patients who are pre-diabetic, exhausted and at risk of heart attacks and strokes. Many of these symptoms and risk factors are reduced if treated.

Let’s face it. We all need our sleep. (and if you snore…so does your spouse…) Get treatment. Don’t put it off.

The enitre article is located at 60 Minutes-The Science of Sleep.

While men significantly outnumber women when it comes to snoring, nearly a quarter of the female population is affected. Women are also less likely to suffer from sleep apnea, however, to those who are affected, treating the disorder can take the romantic edge off of any date.

Snoring can be a very sensitive issue, especially for women. It leaves people in a very vulnerable position and open to ridicule and rejection. I have had many female patients who have been in this situation and it can quite literally mean the end of a dating relationship.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) occurs when the tongue, soft palate and tissues in the back of the throat block the airway.
When this takes place, the brain signals the body to wake so that breathing can resume. In addition to sleep deprivation, sleep apnea can cause a host of other serious medical conditions, including an increased risk of stroke, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat and even heart attacks.

In order to determine if you have obstructive sleep apnea you must be tested by a qualified sleep lab.

If you are a woman who snores, and are looking for help, there is hope! Your dating life can be revived. Just come on in and see me for a free consultation. My practice is located near Los Angeles.

What you will find is that some sleep apnea treatment may requires a patient to use a CPAP machine (continuous positive airway pressure). This device forces air into the patient’s nose through a specially designed mask, however many patients are uncomfortable with this type of treatment and I have found that nearly half are CPAP intolerant.

Another great option for treating sleep disorders such as OSA is the use of an oral appliance. The basic oral appliance treats apnea by adjusting the position of the tongue moving the jaw forward, eliminating the risk that soft tissues will obstruct the airway. We have a patented and FDA approved oral appliance called the “FullBreath”, which has been shown to reduce apneic incidents by close to 85 percent.

It’s covered by most insurance, Medicare and we have financing available. Comment’s are welcome.

Recently while I was checking out some videos on YouTube, I found a cool video of a TV talk show …informative yet entertaining. Just a short post to point you to it:

Sleep Apnea Gets Air Time

Because Sleep Apnea and Snoring are such under-diagnosed problems, and the average person may think it’s just “Loud Snoring”, it is great to see the press and TV giving it much needed air time..no pun intended…

It’s also refreshing to see many of the alternative treatments being presented in a quick easy to understand format..great job from the folks at iVillage Live.com.

The answer is a sleep study. A sleep study is a lab test like many other tests that requires a referral prescription to a facility licensed to perform sleep studies. Your family physician or myself can refer you for a study.

Sleep Studies:
Sleep studies are medical tests to determine whether or not a patient has a sleep disorder. These are usually performed overnight in a comfortably appointed sleep suite. Highly trained and experienced sleep technologists, who have received specialized training in the field of sleep disorders, will administer this painless study and observe your body’s sleep patterns.

The patient will arrive at the sleep clinic at a predetermined time, usually early evening, planning on sleeping there for the entire evening. Once the patient changes into his/her sleep attire, the technician will take very specific measurements of the head to determine exactly where to painlessly attach the surface electrodes. These electrodes will collect specific data on your sleep patterns, including respiration, muscle movement and brain activity.

During sleep our brain and body cycle between Non-REM and REM sleep every 90 minutes. During these transitions, many changes occur in the body. If abnormal changes are observed during a particular sleep stage we are able to define the problem as it occurs.

Once the study is complete a specialist will interpret the collected data and advise you of any sleep disorders that were apparent and recommend a course of treatment to manage your disorder.

In keeping with our philosophy of providing convenient access to Sleep Apnea treatment for patients, our facility houses a SleepMed sleep study center. SleepMed is the nation’s leader in Sleep and EEG diagnostic services and a major provider of therapy devices to sleep patients all over the United States.

In the field of sleep medicine, they operate over 140 sleep centers in hospitals, medical practices and at freestanding facilities. Recognized for their customer service leadership, they provide comprehensive diagnostic and treatment services at our sleep centers for the patients of thousands of primary care physicians and hundreds of sleep specialists that comprise our network.

SleepMed’s technologists will strive to make you comfortable and keep you informed during the waking portion of your stay. Throughout your sleep study process, no needles, drugs, x-rays or invasive procedures will be used – making this a very safe and painless process.

What is Sleep Apnea:
Obstructive sleep apnea, OSA, is a breathing related sleep disorder, which can cause people to snore, as well as pose serious health threats. OSA is a condition that occurs when a person regularly stops breathing (apnea) for 10 seconds or longer during sleep. This usually caused by either the tongue or the soft palate falling back against the back of the throat when the muscles in the neck and throat relax during sleep. Periods of not breathing cause an alarming drop in the blood oxygen level and can lead to high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and stroke.

Sleep apnea episodes can happen from 5 to more than 100 times an hour, and sometimes breathing stops hundreds of times each night. Additionally, from the interrupted loss of sleep, excessive daytime sleepiness can occur. This may put a person experiencing obstructive sleep apnea symptoms at even greater risk by causing them to fall asleep while driving or working.

Apnea severity is usually categorized by the frequency of apnea episodes:

Mild: 5 to 19 episodes per hour
Moderate: 20 to 39 episodes per hour
Severe: more than 40 episodes per hour
These episodes can last anywhere between 10 to 90 seconds each, terminating with at least a partial awakening. A severe apnea patient may have more than 300 episodes per night!

Sleep Apnea Centers:
If you suspect you or someone you love has sleep apnea, call our facility at 661-259-2000 and let our caring, knowledgeable staff help you understand this dangerous disorder and find the treatment best for you. Make sure you sign up for the free CD and listen to a very informative interview that I did.

Sleep Apnea:
Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder that affects more than twelve million Americans, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Untreated, sleep apnea can cause high blood pressure, other cardiovascular disease, memory problems, weight gain, impotency, and headaches. Untreated sleep apnea may be responsible for job impairment and motor vehicle crashes. Fortunately, sleep apnea can be diagnosed and treated.

Treatment:

Four years ago I became involved with the treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). As I observed and trained it became apparent to me that there were few treatment options and most had limited success. So I set out to find the best method of helping people with this condition. I found I could believe in two treatment approaches. The CPAP and the dental appliance.

CPAP:
The CPAP (continuous positive air pressure) machine is the most effective treatment. It delivers pressurized air forcing the patient’s obstructed airway to open and allow airflow to the lungs ensuring the patient maintains healthy oxygen levels throughout their sleep.

Unfortunately, many patient’s reject the CPAP because of it’s awkwardness. Many patient’s find the face mask claustrophobic or the constant sound of the motor disturbing. Spouses complain of air leaking from the mask blowing in their faces. All too often the patient’s CPAP machine goes into the nether-reaches of a closet and is long forgotten.

Dental Appliances:
While CPAP remains my first choice of treatment, there is an alternative for those who cannot tolerate the machine. Using a small dental appliance that looks similar to an orthodontic retainer, sleep apnea can be dramatically reduced.

Traditional Dental Appliances:
In past, dental appliances were only moderately effective, if at all. The primary action of the appliance was moving the lower jaw, forward forcing the airway open. This approach not only led to limited results but also potential irritation of the TM joint (a delicate jaw joint located in the ear area).

I reviewed all the appliances available and discarded them as feasible treatment options. The risks vs. benefit just wasn’t acceptable for my patients.

New Research and Dental Appliance Breakthrough:
New clinical research is showing that the key to mild and moderate OSA is the tongue. As the body relaxes the tongue falls back and blocks the airway, causing the upper airway to collapse.

Armed with this information I went searching for an appliance that would address the issue of the tongue and I found it. A new design that was so unique it earned it’s own patent and so effective it received FDA approval for OSA treatment. It is the only design I have found that successfully targets the tongue and only minimally moves the jaw. More benefits with lower risks. Today I am treating my OSA patients with fantastic success!

Complete Treatment Facility:
After watching and studying the field, I decided to dedicate my career to helping patients with OSA by creating a comprehensive treatment center. In a combined office setting we have a certified sleep study center, a CPAP distributor and customized dental appliance (CPAP Alternative) treatment program.

If you suspect you or someone you love has sleep apnea or was diagnosed with needing to use a CPAP machine but can’t, call our facility at 661-259-2000 and let our caring, knowledgeable staff help you understand this dangerous disorder and find the treatment best for you.