Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010 at 10:05 AM
The Department of Veterans Affairs has recently observed that there is a sharp rise in reported cases of the breathing disorder sleep apnea. USA Today reported that over the last two years, the number of sleep apnea patients receiving disability benefits from the VA has risen 61 percent, at a cost of close to a half-billion dollars a year.
USA Today reported on the risk factors:
“More than 63,000 veterans receive benefits for sleep apnea, a disorder that causes a sleeping person to gasp for breath and awaken frequently. It is linked to problems ranging from daytime drowsiness to heart disease. The top risk factor for contracting the disorder appears to be obesity, though a sleep expert at the VA and a veteran’s advocacy organization cite troops’ exposure to dust and smoke in places such as Afghanistan and Iraq as contributing factors.
“More claims are likely to be made in the future as Baby Boomers age and get heavier, says Max Hirshkowitz, director of the Sleep Disorder Center at the Houston Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
“Veterans are four times more likely than other Americans to suffer from sleep apnea, Hirshkowitz said. About 5% of Americans have the disorder, he said, compared with 20% of veterans.”
Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010 at 10:17 AM
Baby boomers want to enjoy life, look good and feel good, even as they enter their senior years. With advances in dental technology and improvements in dental care, many folks are keeping their teeth. And for those who have lost them, there are viable options for regaining dental health.
Your dentures support your facial and throat muscles. If the muscles in the back of the mouth and throat relax, they can cause an obstruction. Throat muscles act as a flap over the trachea. This leads to episodes of obstructive sleep apnea, which prevents air from entering the lungs.
Sleep apnea can cause a host of problems, which I’ve detailed in past columns and will, no doubt, visit again. Suffice to say it can be a dangerous disorder. [Read in Complete ... ]
Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010 at 9:33 AM
Sleep apnea, a serious and potentially life-threatening disorder if left untreated, affects approximately 18 million Americans. During sleep apnea episodes, a person stops breathing for at least 10 seconds. Depending on the severity of the disorder, a person can have between 10 and 60 episodes a night. Sleep apnea treatment often involves a team of healthcare providers, including dentists, general physicians, surgeons and sleep specialists.
If you think you suffer from sleep apnea, the Pennsylvania Dental Association (PDA) recommends consulting with your dentist. Early detection is key because sleep apnea has been linked with irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes.
There are three types of sleep apnea, including obstructive apnea (OSA), central apnea and a combination of the two. The most common type of sleep apnea, OSA, is caused when the muscles in the walls of your throat relax too much, causing the airway to collapse. Central sleep apnea is caused when the brain fails to signal the muscles to breathe. Read the rest of this entry
The Department of Veterans Affairs has recently observed that there is a sharp rise in reported cases of the breathing disorder sleep apnea. USA Today reported that over the last two years, the number of sleep apnea patients receiving disability benefits from the VA has risen 61 percent, at a cost of close to a half-billion dollars a year.
