Inflammation and how it relates to chronic diseases -- latimes.com

Inflammation and how it relates to chronic diseases -- latimes.com

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Benefits From Upper Airway Surgery For Sleep Apnea Found To Equal CPAP

ScienceDaily (Aug. 1, 2009) — Adults who struggle with CPAP treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) should be considered candidates for reconstructive surgery on the upper airway, because it holds the same quality-of-life (QOL) benefits but with more permanence.

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy is a highly effective means for treating obstructive sleep apnea, but because it involves a mask and set of hoses, it can be frustrating and uncomfortable for some patients, and compliance may be short-lived.

The Australian authors of the study discovered that among moderate-to-severe OSA-suffering patients, those treated through upper airway surgery experienced the same level of long-term quality-of-life improvement as their peers who were treated with CPAP therapy. Among the QOL benefits were improvements in snoring, sleepiness, and neurocognitive impairment. In contrast, those patients who were prescribed, but did not adequately use CPAP, had minimal QOL improvement.

The upper airway includes nose and throat (pharyngeal) areas, particularly behind the soft palate and tongue. Reconstructive surgery to treat sleep apnea involves clearing any blockages in those areas that might be hindering breathing.

This thesis is in new research published in the August 2009 edition of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. The study's authors are Sam Robinson, MB, BS, FRACS; Michael Chia, MB, BS, FRACP; A. Simon Carney, MB, ChB, MD, FRCS, FRACS; Sharad Chawla, MB, BS, MS (ENT); Penelope Harris, BSc (Hons); and Adrian Esterman, PhD, MSc, BSc (hons), DLSHTM.

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Adapted from materials provided by American Academy of Otolaryngology -- Head and Neck Surgery, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

View this article at Science Daily

Last Week I Got My CPAP Machine

On Thursday, August 13, there was a cancellation at the sleep center and I was able to slide into that appointment. I had to spend the night yet again to get a CPAP machine calibrated for me. The tech showed me many different face masks to choose from for the machine. I ended up going with the one that only covers my nose. Since Thursday, I have been sleeping with the "nose mask" on every night. It is somewhat difficult to fall asleep yet with it on my face. However, once I get to sleep, I don't wake up, which is awesome. I have been feeling more rested and not as achy. My joints still hurt though.

For now, I will keep using the machine and resting as much as possible for the next month while I'm off work on doctor's orders.