Advanced Sleep Apnea Advice: A Doctor Discusses CPAP, Health Risks, More |
Note: Only your doctor can give you personal advice. Please see the bottom for our disclaimer.
Question 1: My CPAP mask isn't comfortable. Any tips? There are now masks that go solely over the nose, those that cover the nose and mouth, and a few that just connect with the mouth. If you hate your mask, there are probably more than 20 other models available, and most of those come in four to six sizes (petite, small, medium and large) and configurations (wide, medium and narrow). You should have the option of trying on many of these briefly before taking one home. If you find it intolerable at home, bring it back and exchange it for another that feels right for you. I recommend gradually getting used to any new mask. Make sure you can tolerate it for 20 to 30 minutes while awake first.
Question: I'm not overweight. Why do I have sleep apnea? Answer: A significant minority of people with sleep apnea don't have a weight problem. They have an air passage that's unusually narrow or prone to collapse. In children, this is most commonly because of very large tonsils. A relatively small jaw or an overbite can also cause problems by narrowing the upper airway. Nasal obstruction can aggravate sleep apnea but is never the primary cause. Occasionally, an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) can bring out sleep apnea. Rarely, we see patients with cancerous or noncancerous throat tumors that cause airway obstruction. In 25 years, I've seen this only once.
Question: My sleep apnea is under control. Has my risk of death decreased? Answer: To the best of our knowledge, yes! All the research done to date strongly supports the fact that patients with significant sleep apnea (moderate to severe) who use CPAP regularly have a markedly reduced risk of death from all causes and specifically from heart attacks and strokes. We're awaiting further studies that are looking at whether CPAP also protects people with more mild forms of sleep apnea. Until that data is available, the prudent patient will try to get his or her sleep apnea under control even if it's mild. ![]()
Last updated and/or approved: April 2010. Original article appeared in March/April 2009 former print magazine. Bio current as of March 2009. This article is not meant as individual advice. Please see our disclaimer. Comments (5)
![]() ![]() written by CpapGuide , July 21, 2017 A very urgent issue these days. Thanks for the info! report abuse
vote down
vote up
Votes: +0
![]() written by Morge Heymann , March 14, 2011 I hear it's vital for these type of problems. I've never had it myself, but i've had friends with it who never took it seriously, as Leonard says. It's sad, actually. My best friend was prescribed with a muscle relaxant, but I don't know what he's taking really, I could ask tho. Im really intrested in this subject, i don't think enough people know about this and it's really important to highlight it as a more and more common health issue nowadays. report abuse
vote down
vote up
Votes: +1
![]() written by Leigh Ann , March 08, 2011 Interesting, Leonard. That demonstrates how serious the disorder really is. Thanks for the insight. Leigh Ann Otte Managing Editor, MyFamilyDoctorMag.com report abuse
vote down
vote up
Votes: +0
![]() written by Leonard Robbins , March 05, 2011 As an independent life insurance agent, I have found more and more clients suffering from this problem. In many instances I find potential applicants don't take their diagnosis seriously until they are "declined" for coverage due to non-compliance with physician's instruction. report abuse
vote down
vote up
Votes: +0
![]() written by Sleep Apnea Chin Strap , July 29, 2010 Another new type of device that's helped in some cases outside of CPAP are sleep apnea chin straps that help with snoring and in some cases sleep apnea. There are some medical studies that have shown improvements in patients. report abuse
vote down
vote up
Votes: +1
Write comment
|