Lee A. Surkin, MD is the first medical practice in the state of North Carolina to offer Provent Sleep Apnea Therapy, an innovative, non-invasive treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) to patients in Greenville and throughout North Carolina. Cleared by the US FDA in 2008, Provent Therapy is a simple and effective new treatment option for obstructive sleep apnea. Provent Therapy utilizes the patient’s own breathing to provide clinically proven results in the treatment of OSA.

CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) is currently the gold standard for treatment of OSA and is extremely effective at treating OSA when worn as directed. However, up to half of all patients are not compliant with CPAP therapy due to the cumbersome nature of the treatment. Provent Therapy was developed to help patients who cannot tolerate CPAP therapy and may benefit from the small non-invasive and effective technology Provent Therapy provides. Read the rest of this entry

About one quarter of adults snore regularly. Almost half of normal adults snore occasionally. Men snore more than women. And snoring usually gets worse as we get older.As you fall asleep, your tongue, throat and the roof of your mouth relax. If they relax too much, they may partially block the flow of air to your lungs. Then the tissue at the back of your mouth vibrates, creating the sound of logs being sawed. As the airway narrows, the vibration intensifies and the snoring gets louder.

Common Causes Of Snoring

1. A soft palate that is long and low restricts the opening from the nose into the throat. That triangular thingy hanging in the back of the palate is called a “uvula.” If your uvula is long, that creates wood-sawing, too.
2. Overweight people have bulky neck tissue. Extra bulk in the throat narrows your airway.  Read the rest of this entry

Snoring is among the common sleep problems in adults, especially in middle-aged men. And children and kids are equally prone to this most uncomfortable sleep disorder.The effects of snoring upon the overall health of children is established to be detrimental up to great extent.

Association of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA among kids and children has now become a more common occurrence. Across the globe occurrence of persistent snoring on most nights has been reported in 8-12 percent of children.

The incidence of OSA (with significant upper airway obstruction leading to   oxygen desaturation and/or sleep fragmentation) is 2-3 percent in children under the age of 10. Read the rest of this entry

The University Hospitals Case Medical Center is conducting  research study and clinical trials  for evaluating effectiveness of a new implantable device to treat sleep apnea.

The study is aimed to evaluate an electronic device designed to deliver mild stimulation to the main nerve of the tongue — the hypoglossal nerve — on each breathing cycle during sleep.

This stimulation is intended to restore tone to the muscles that control the base of the tongue, which prevent the tongue from collapsing and obstructing the airway during sleep.

Sleep apnea obstruction may not be the only cause for loud snoring but it does affects sleep that is not refreshing. At the same time sleep apnea equally causes daytime sleepiness and a reduced quality of life. Other disorders associated with sleep apnea include development of high blood pressure, as well as cardiovascular diseases, stroke and diabetes. Read the rest of this entry

Innovative sleep apnea compliance solution integrates to leading Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) manufacturers.

Umbian Inc. is pleased to announce U-Sleep; the first commercially available, universal CPAP compliance monitoring solution. U-Sleep monitors CPAP device usage, providing critical daily feedback to CPAP users, their employers, sleep specialists and insurance carriers, based on customizable compliance standards.

CPAP devices are commonly used for the treatment of sleep apnea. The monitoring of CPAP device usage encourages regular use and subsequently improves the effectiveness of therapy. As part of an overall sleep apnea management program, U-Sleep can help companies achieve a decrease in absenteeism, accidents and liability while providing an increase in productivity and quality of life for their employees. Read the rest of this entry

The most effective treatment for the nighttime breathing disorder known as obstructive sleep apnea is the continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine, according to a new report.

A CPAP machine pumps air through a mask while the patient sleeps. This treatment is highly effective in improving sleep and reducing symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea, according to the review of available evidence.

However, side effects such as dry nose and mouth, nosebleeds, chest discomfort and feeling trapped can cause patients to abandon CPAP treatment, noted the authors of the report, which was funded by the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).

One expert called the report’s findings “valuable.” Read the rest of this entry

Wearing compression stockings could be an effective and cheap way to help people suffering with a common sleep disorder, scientists say.

Researchers from the University of Brescia in Italy, found that wearing flight socks during the day reduced the symptoms of  sleep apnea among sufferers at night.

Around four per cent of men and two per cent of women in the UK have the condition that  interrupts breathing at night for ten seconds at a time.It can leave sufferers feeling exhausted as  the body reacts to obstructed airways by going from a state of deep sleep to  lighter rest.There are few effective treatments available  for the condition, which is particularly prevalent among the overweight and  over-65s. Many refuse to use available airway machines  as they require wearing a mask all night. Read the rest of this entry

SleepApneaDisorder/[ Press Release ]/ ST. PAUL, Minn., Aug. 2, 2011 /- Apnex Medical, Inc., received investigational device exemption (IDE) approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to begin a clinical study to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of its Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation (HGNS®) System to treat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Data from this clinical study are intended to support the Pre-Market Approval (PMA) application for the HGNS System to the FDA.“Many patients who suffer from OSA are unable to tolerate existing therapies such as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). The HGNS System provides a fundamentally new approach to the treatment of OSA. This study will help us further understand the potential role this device will have in treating the millions of people who suffer from OSA,” said the study’s co-principal investigator, Dr. Atul Malhotra, Clinical Chief, Division of Sleep Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Read the rest of this entry

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with obesity, insulin resistance (IR) and diabetes. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) rapidly mitigates OSA in obese subjects but its metabolic effects are not well-characterized.

The researchers postulated that CPAP will decrease IR, ghrelin and resistin and increase adiponectin levels in this setting.

In a pre- and post-treatment, within-subject design, insulin and appetite-regulating hormones were assayed in 23 20 obese subjects with OSA before and after 6 months of CPAP use. Primary outcome measures included glucose, insulin, and IR levels.

Other measures included ghrelin, leptin, adiponectin and resistin levels. Body weight change were recorded and used to examine the lationship between glucose regulation and appetite-regulating hormones. Read the rest of this entry

Sleep apnea is a disorder that results from interrupted breathing during sleep. Indicators of this condition are snoring and tiredness despite getting a full night’s rest.

Sleep apnea does not immediately present itself as a serious problem, but it may cause heart problems and other health complications. Because of this, it is important to seek treatment for sleep apnea.

The term “sleep apnea” is an umbrella term that can refer to different versions of the disorder. As a result, treatment for sleep apnea can vary from patient to patient. Treatment methods include continuous positive airway pressure, adjustable airway pressure devices, oral appliances, supplemental oxygen bi-level positive airway pressure, and adaptive servo-ventilation—to name a few. In severe cases, surgery may be necessary.

When diagnosing or treating sleep apnea, your doctor may first recommend some lifestyle changes before prescribing medication. Some helpful lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking and losing weight, are effective treatments.

Information on other at-home treatments, such as changing sleeping positions, are also helpful. However, be sure to consult your doctor first.

A 2007 Sleep in America poll showed that 60% of women are tired during the day. Sleepiness can be divided into three problem areas: not getting enough sleep (quantity); not getting enough good sleep (quality); and shift-work disruptions in sleep (circadian rhythm abnormalities).

“Women are sleepy because we work very hard, and we work a lot,” Fadness explained. Women work an average of 41.7 hours per week (compared with 48.8 hours for men), but when you add in the work they do around the home the total comes to 65 to 85 hours per week.

Lifestyle causes

“We are getting so much less sleep than we were 100 years ago,” said Fadness. This can be attributed to snoring spouses, children, job stress and domesticated animals. Read the rest of this entry

Sufferers of the sleep disorder obstructive sleep apnea could benefit from following a low energy diet to lose weight, finds research published on bmj.com today.

Sleep apnea is a common disorder caused by abnormal pauses in breathing during sleep. Sufferers rarely feel refreshed after a night’s sleep and the disease is linked to negative health effects such as increased risk of accidents, decreased quality of life and a higher chance of premature death.

Around 60-70% of patients with sleep apnoea are either overweight or obese. Previous studies in other patient groups have concluded that losing weight can improve the condition. Read the rest of this entry

What Is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a common disorder in which you have one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while you sleep. Breathing pauses can last from a few seconds to minutes. They often occur five to 30 times or more an hour. Typically, normal breathing then starts again, sometimes with a loud snort or choking sound.

Sleep apnea often goes undiagnosed. Doctors usually cannot detect the condition during routine office visits. Also, there are no blood tests for the condition. Most people who have sleep apnea do not know they have it because it only occurs during sleep. A family member or bed partner may first notice the signs of sleep apnea.

The most common type of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea. This most often means that the airway has collapsed or is blocked during sleep. The blockage may cause shallow breathing or breathing pauses.

When you try to breathe, any air that squeezes past the blockage can cause loud snoring. Obstructive sleep apnea is more common in people who are overweight, but it can affect anyone. Read the rest of this entry

If you are suffering from sleep apnea disorder then you’re not breathing properly while you sleep because your airflow is blocked repeatedly throughout the night.

Nearly one in four men and one in ten women suffer from the sleep apnea disorder . There are three specific types of sleep apnea disorder but Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common among them. Among all of the sleep disorders, OSA goes hand-in-hand with type 2 diabetes.

In a survey on the subject it was revealed that the obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has the strongest association with type 2 diabetes.” That’s even taking into account other risk factors, such as weight, sex and age. Read the rest of this entry