Sunday, July 31st, 2011 at 7:42 PM
Treatment with pregabalin significantly improved sleep and pain in patients with fibromyalgia, according to research presented at the 63rd annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology, in Honolulu (S27.003).
According to the researchers the improvement in total sleep time was comparable to that seen with standard, FDA-approved sleep-promoting agents such as zolpidem [Ambien, Sanofi-aventis] or eszopiclone [Lunesta, Sunovion Pharmaceuticals],
The researchers enrolled 119 patients, 103 of who were women, to treatment with pregabalin (300-450 mg per day) or placebo in a randomized double-blind fashion. Patients had a mean age of 48.4 years. Dose adjustment took place in the first 14 days, followed by maintenance dosing until day 29. After a two-week taper and washout period, patients repeated the protocol in the other study arm. Read the rest of this entry
Friday, March 25th, 2011 at 5:37 PM
People with fibromyalgia who are also obese have greater sensitivity to pain, more impaired sleep,sleep disorders like obstructive sleep apnea, and less physical strength than their non-obese counterparts, according to new findings from a prospective study.
“Obesity seems to be a big barrier to fibromyalgia patients getting better,” said lead author Akiko Okifuji, PhD, professor in the Department of Anesthesiology’s Pain Research and Management Center at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City (J Pain 2010;11:1329-1337).
Previous research demonstrated that in the United States, obese individuals generally have a heightened sensitivity to nociceptive pain and a higher frequency of painful conditions, such as headache and back pain (e.g., Psychiatry Res 1983;8:119-125), and as many as 75% of patients with fibromyalgia are overweight or obese. Although the current study did not address why the correlation between weight and pain exists, the investigators concluded that weight reduction interventions may be pivotal to treating fibromyalgia. Read the rest of this entry
Wednesday, November 24th, 2010 at 10:16 PM
SleepApneaDisorder/[Press Release]/ SPOKANE, WA,/– An estimated 40% of adult men and 24% of adult women suffer from habitual snoring, according to a report by the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine (AADSM). In addition, the AADSM has found that 50% of snorers have Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), a dangerous, life threatening disorder that affects nearly 20 million Americans.
Fortunately, help is close at hand for the nearly two million people living in the Inland Empire, an area that stretches from Western Idaho through Eastern Washington
Inland Empire Sleep Solutions.com conveniently connects patients with a select group of health professionals who are highly trained in treating OSA and a wide variety of sleep disorders. Read the rest of this entry
Thursday, November 18th, 2010 at 7:03 PM
Adults with fibromyalgia had a much higher prevalence and risk of restless legs syndrome than healthy controls, according to new research. The study suggests that treating RLS may improve sleep and quality of life in people with fibromyalgia.
Results of the study, published in the October 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, found that the prevalence of restless legs syndrome was about 10 times higher in the fibromyalgia group (33%) than among controls (3.1%). After statistical adjustments for potential confounders such as age, gender, and ethnicity, participants with fibromyalgia were 11 times more likely than controls to have RLS (odds ratio = 11.2). As expected, considerable sleep disruption was reported by participants with fibromyalgia using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Insomnia Severity Index, and Epworth Sleepiness Scale. In the fibromyalgia group, these sleep problems were more severe among people who also had RLS. Read the rest of this entry
Sunday, October 10th, 2010 at 8:38 PM
Common eye disorder called floppy eyelid syndrome is strongly linked with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, a new study finds.
“This is very significant,” says researchers at the Moorfields Eye Hospital in London. “When doctors diagnose one condition in a patient they should also look for the other, in this case OSA.”
The study tracked 102 patients with floppy eyelid syndrome (FES) from 1995 through 2008. People with FES have rubbery-textured upper eyelids that may easily flip up during sleep, which can lead to irritated eyes and or discharge. Read the rest of this entry
Monday, July 5th, 2010 at 7:38 AM
Long term chronic illness like sleep apnea can affect a person’s mental health as well as physical health.
Chronic illness is long term, and may never go away; sometime there is no perceivable cause for the illness. Conversely, a person with a chronic illness never regains a baseline of normal functioning.
Acute illness is what we experience when we do something like catch a cold or have bronchitis.
Sleep apnea is one of the most Common chronic illnesses aprt from arthritis, auto-immune disorders (Hashimoto’s Disease, Graves Disease), asthma, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, endometriosis, fibromyalgia, lupus, and severe joint and back problems. Read the rest of this entry
