Northshore Sleep Medicine
If you hate CPAP, then you need to check out my blog every Tuesday for the Tuesday Tips for CPAP Strugglers. If you can’t get use to the CPAP, the most common reason is that you have not found the right mask, so you think that you hate the CPAP when in fact you hate [...]
More than once, the question has come up from one of my Jewish patients: Can I use my CPAP on the Sabbath? Most Rabbis agree that it is alright to use medical equipment such as CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) that your doctor has determined is medically necessary for treatment of your obstructive sleep apnea. [...]
My patient, Tom, recently emailed me to say that since he started using his CPAP regularly, he has had no episodes of atrial fibrillation (a condition marked by an irregular heartbeat and one that greatly increases your chance of stroke). He is delighted to have a reprieve from this troublesome disorder and he attributes his [...]
The US National Transportation Safety Board has made a recommendation to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and to the Coast Guard that they begin to screen drivers and ship navigators for sleep apnea. See the report at: http://www.ajc.com/health/content/shared-auto/healthnews/prss/632222.html. This is has been a long time coming and will be welcomed news in the sleep [...]
A recent study published in the medical journal, Pediatrics, in July 2009 found that one third of the 194 study subjects (who were age 4-10 years and had asthma) had Sleep Apnea (AKA Sleep Disordered Breathing). And these children also had significant behavioral problems when compared to those kids who did not have Sleep Apnea. The [...]
The National Sleep Foundation (http://www.sleepfoundation.org/alert/ntsb-makes-recommendations-sleep-apnea?utm_source=NSF+Alert&utm_campaign=3f724bfd5d-NSF_Alert_8_18_098_18_2009&utm_medium=email) is reporting on the recommendations made by the National Transportation Safety Board (www.ntsb.gov) after they investigated the case of the pilot and co-pilot falling asleep on a flight from Honolulu to Hilo. It was found that likely the pilot’s untreated obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) was a major contributing factor as [...]
One of my patients told me the funniest thing the other day. I diagnosed him with severe sleep apnea a couple of months ago and when he started CPAP he was really a new man. He sleeps better at night and wakes up refreshed and full of energy. On the most recent visit, when I asked how his [...]
On August 3 2009, NPR (www.npr.org) ran 2 pieces on sleep. Once again, I would like to add some nuance to their reporting. First, I must take objection with the statement that CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machines are “loud and cumbersome”. CPAP machines have changed so much in the past few years. They are [...]
In March 2009, A health reporter for National Public Radio, Allison Aubrey, did a piece on snoring without once mentioning that it can be (and usually is) a sign of a serious sleep disorder (obstructive sleep apnea), nor did she educate her listeners that only an overnight sleep study can distinguish benign snoring from sleep [...]
Yesterday NBCchicago ran a short piece about how sleep apnea increases your risk for stroke. Research does show a 2-3 fold increased risk for stroke if severe sleep apnea is left untreated. In fact, there are many studies that show even snoring puts you at higher risk for stroke and cardiovascular disease. It is important to note that [...]
