Sound Sleep Guide

Archive for June, 2008

Of all the methods of treating snoring and sleep apnea, laser surgery for snoring is one of the most effective ones available today. The procedure, called uvulopalatoplasty, or LAUP, requires the surgeon to use a laser to cut off the uvula (the uvula is the tissue that dangles in the back of your mouth). By doing do, the obstruction of your airway can be removed in order to stop the patient’s snoring.

How Does Laser Surgery for Snoring Work?

Laser surgery for snoring is an outpatient procedure, meaning that you do not have to stay in the hospital after the surgery is performed. It is completed under a local anesthesia, which is sprayed on the back oral cavity, tonsils, uvula, and soft palate. Then, additional local anesthesia is injected into the muscle of the uvula. After several minutes have passed, the surgeon will use a laser to make two vertical cuts in the palate on either side of the uvula. This shortens the uvula and gets rid of what was once the obstruction that caused your snoring.

The entire operation is performed while you are sitting straight up in a chair. Oftentimes, it takes more than one procedure to complete the surgery; in fact, it can take as many as five laser surgery for snoring to complete the operation. When multiple surgeries are required, they are spaced anywhere from four to eight weeks from one another.

After you have laser surgery for snoring performed, you will most likely see a quick recovery. Right after the procedure, most people experience a pain, similar to that of a sore throat, which occurs when they swallow. This may last for up to ten days, and it can be relieved by over-the-counter medications. Although patients themselves are unable to witness the results of their laser surgery for snoring, their sleeping partners will definitely notice a difference!

Making a Decision

If you are trying to decide whether or not to have laser surgery for snoring performed, you should consult your doctor. He or she will most likely ask you some routine questions, such as ‘Do you wake up often in the middle of the night?’ and ‘Do you feel tired during the day?’ If the doctor is able to diagnose you with a severe snoring problem and feels you are a suitable candidate for LAUP, then you will probably have to complete a sleep study in order for the doctors to determine the severity of your sleep apnea or snoring problems.

A sleeping baby is such a wonderful sight for new parents. Infants require so much time and attention that when they finally do settle down for a lengthy nap, parents may feel it is time that they can finally relax themselves.

However, sometimes nap time may bring added concerns for the parents. Many mothers and fathers talk about getting up several times at night to check if their infant is alive and breathing. If the infant snores loud enough that the parents can easily hear the child without a baby monitor, they may begin to be concerned about infant snoring. The parents may question if infant snoring is normal, if the baby is breathing correctly, and what should be done about infant snoring.

Infant snoring may be caused by several factors. Because infants do not breathe through their mouth, if they have any nasal congestion they will tend to snore. Nasal congestion can be caused by allergies or colds. Some studies have shown that if the parents snore the infant is likely to snore as well. This may be related to familial allergies or inherited facial and throat structure. Determining the cause of the infant snoring can help the parents intervene appropriately.

What Can Be Done to Alleviate Infant Snoring?

Suction Bulb

One of the first things a parent can do to determine if the infant snoring is a serious problem is to begin by some basic treatments. Most parents are familiar with suction bulbs but do not use them enough. Using a suction bulb before bed or nap time may clear the nasal passageway enough to allow quiet breathing.

Saline Spray and Humidifier

Another simple remedy for nasal congestion is saline spray. Many pediatricians recommend a basic saline spray to help clear the nasal cavity. These sprays can be bought over-the-counter is the local drug store. Parents just need to be cautious to by only a saline spray and not a nasal spray with medication unless advised by their physician. Another easy home remedy is using a humidifier in the baby’s room. Humidified air can help keep the nasal discharge moist so it is more easily moved through the nasal passageways.

Medical Advice

If the infant snoring is not easily cured by basic home remedies it is best for the parents to consult the pediatrician. If the infant has sleep apnea or structural obstructions which prevent adequate oxygen intake it is very important that medical intervention takes place. The infant may need to wear a breathing mask when sleeping or have supplemental oxygen.

In some rare cases surgical intervention may be required to remove obstructions in the throat or nasal cavity which are causing the infant snoring. While this may sound harsh some simple surgeries may be a great advantage to the infant for its whole life. Good oxygen intake while sleeping will enable an infant to grow, develop, and learn to its full potential.

Are you suffering from any sleep apnea? Assuming you know what sleep apnea is but don’t know which type you are suffering from. Don’t worry in the following article we are going to look at what central sleep apnea is and what are the available treatments. Central sleep apnea happens to be the least usual one. If you have problems in receiving and transmitting brain signals which result in continuous stopped of breathing while you are sleeping, most probably you have it.

Furthermore, you may also become affected by obstructive sleep apnea which is more common form of sleep apnea than central sleep apnea, it occurs as the name implies, due to blocked or obstructed airways.

Treatment For Central Sleep Apnea

Treating With Ambien

Handling obstructive sleep apnea may be easier than central sleep apnea because there are many different types of treatment methods for it, but it is not the same case for central sleep apnea. However, good news is central sleep apnea sufferers may have the choice to use Ambien, a sleep drug as the treatment because there are new advancements in its uses. Therefore you may benefit from it.

Furthermore there is no doubting the fact that, according to facts gathered as a result of studies made on patients using Ambien, its effectiveness has been proven to be quite promising. In addition the drug has helped in reducing sleep apnea problems from an average of thirty to thirteen per patient, this should be taken into account when considering its effectiveness for treating central sleep apnea.

On the contrary, proper study should be carried out on the long term effects of Ambien as a drug which is used in the treatment of central sleep apnea. Be apprised that Ambien is still needed to be fully tested for its use. Therefore before you take the decision on using it for your problem, you should only use it if it has been specifically recommended by your doctor as the form of treatment.

There will be an advantage to know the difference between them and even better if you are aware whether or not you have a central sleep apnea which is recognized as mixed sleep apnea that is basically a combination of both types of sleep apnea types.

It is quite difficult to to really notice the difference or symptoms for both of the sleep apnea types because they can sometimes be so similar. Furthermore, the causes for each kind are more than likely going to be varied in each case. As mentioned earlier, it is the least common type of sleep apnea and it is quite dissimilar with the more common obstructive sleep apnea, and if you have the former, you will definitely going through difficulties in brain timing, meaning it has problem firing the way that it should be. As a result there is insufficient oxygen supply while you are sleeping.

Just like with other cases of sleep apnea, it is also no different if you are suffering from it to wake up constantly during the night when you gasp or choke for breath, and such incidents can occur as many as hundred times in a night and you are robbed from the valuable sleep and rest needed.

You need to consult your doctor and get a prescribed treatment program as early as possible so that you will get better treatments, whether you are suspecting of having central sleep apnea or obstructive sleep apnea.

Therefore even with central sleep apnea, you still can get treated, provided you seek advice from your doctor, and not being the doctor yourself.