Problems with CPAP Machines & an Effective Solution

October 13, 2020

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — drfedosky @ 2:32 am

Did you know that one-third to 50% of adults who patients with a CPAP machine stop using it? There are also reports of patients that say they feel just as tired as they were before the CPAP therapy. What are some main complaints and issues with the CPAP and is there a way to avoid the CPAP all together?

 

CPAP Complaints

  • Feeling claustrophobic
  • Not feeling comfortable with the mask on
  • Difficult time adjusting to air pressure on the throat
  • Expensive
  • Loud
  • Difficult to carry around
  • Causes nasal problems

Solutions to a problem are only as effective as the amount of use they are receiving, so if half of the patients aren’t even using it, it’s not working.

Luckily, Sleep Apnea has alternatives to CPAP Machines that are more comfortable, less expensive and users report a longer use.

An Effective Alternative to CPAP:

  • Oral appliance
    • Similar to a mouthguard
    • Worn nightly
    • Holds the lower jaw forward instead of pressurized air inside of your lungs
    • Highly customized by the experts at Sleep Rehab to ensure comfortability

If you’ve been experiencing difficulty sleeping, been waking up more exhausted than usual and experiencing increased snoring, it may be time to come in for a consultation at Sleep Rehab. We have a team of highly-trained professionals that will help you get to sleep comfortably by using non-invasive or machine-oriented techniques, like an oral appliance. Contact us today!

3 Myths About Sleep Apnea

September 15, 2020

Filed under: Sleep Apnea,Snoring — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — drfedosky @ 12:40 pm

There is so much information floating around the Internet, it’s hard to know what is true and what is false. When beginning your searches about symptoms regarding sleep apnea, you may have run across some scary, but not possibly quite true, information. At Sleep Rehab, our goal is to make you well informed and confident about treating your symptoms. So, let’s bust some myths about Sleep Apnea!

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Myth 1: Obesity is the main cause of Sleep Apnea.

Yes, there is a link between Obstructive Sleep Apnea and weight gain, as we wrote about in this blog post. However, there are several factors that can affect your breathing at night and obesity is just one of them. As concluded by the Lost Angeles Sleep Study Institute, “Weight is a factor in developing sleep apnea, as the fatty tissue in the back of the throat can collapse and block the airway as the muscles relax during sleep. However, even a well-conditioned athlete who has a large, muscular neck may have a similar problem. Even a thin person can have sleep apnea if he or she has a narrowed airway or structural abnormalities of the jaw, tonsils or adenoids, septum, tongue and soft palate.”

Myth 2: Snoring means you have Sleep Apnea.

Snoring is a common symptom of Sleep Apnea patients, but just because you snore does not mean that you have Sleep Apnea. Snoring is only a clue that Sleep Apnea may be a possibility. According to the Mayo Clinic, snoring can occur with alcohol consumption, having a narrow nasal airway, a family history of snoring, or being a man (men are more likely to snore than women).

Myth 3: A CPAP machine is the most effective treatment of Sleep Apnea.

A CPAP machine has been a popular treatment for Sleep Apnea patients for decades. It delivers air pressure to keep a person’s airway open. However, there have been issues surrounding the use of a CPAP machine including claustrophobia, dry mouth, skin irritation, and nasal problems. Thankfully, the medical community is always advancing and there are as effective, or even more effective, Sleep Apnea treatments and Sleep Rehab is always on the cutting edge. We offer easy-to-wear oral appliances that are a lot of like a mouthguard and much less intrusive than a CPAP machine.

 

We hope busting these myths about Sleep Apnea puts you on a more clear path to treating your symptoms of sleeplessness and snoring. When you’re ready, make an appointment to see a specialist at Sleep Rehab to get a better night’s sleep.

Sleeping Postion for Snorers

August 12, 2020

Filed under: Sleep Apnea,Snoring — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — drfedosky @ 9:53 pm
When you turn in for the day, you probably don’t think much about what position you end up falling asleep. Maybe you move the pillow around to get comfortable, but you may not realize how you are sleeping is a subtle aid in your overall restfulness for the night. If you find yourself waking up feeling more tired than when you went to bed, it may be time to find a new sleeping position.

woman sleeping peacefully and smiling

Snoring? Try side-sleeping
If you snore, there is a chance you may be suffering from sleep apnea, which is the condition in which your airway gets blocked at night, ultimately restricting your breathing. In order to create better airflow, the best sleeping position to reduce snoring is side-sleeping. Curling up reducing you breathing too deeply, too. If this isn’t natural for you, don’t worry, you’re not alone. The good news is that you can teach yourself to become a side-sleeper.

How do you change your sleeping position?
First, make sure you have a good mattress. If you can fall asleep without interruption of feeling uncomfortable, there is less of a chance to retreating to your old habits. Next, make sure you have pillows that can essentially contour your new sleeping position. For instance, hugging a body pillow can reinforce sleeping on your side and prevent you from turning over on your stomach. But most importantly, as with changing any habit, practice makes perfect. Constantly remind yourself to get back on your side if you wake up in the middle of the night in a different position. Have a spouse help keep you in the right direction, too!

Changing your sleeping position is just one way to try and reduce your snoring due to sleep apnea. If you have tried everything and still waking up listless and exhausted, contact Sleep Rehab today for a consultation. We’re here to help!

Can Sleep Apnea Affect My Other Medical Conditions?

February 4, 2020

Filed under: Sleep Apnea — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , — drfedosky @ 12:20 am

A true Sleep Rehab patient story, originally published on YouTube

Mrs. Dillard wasn’t feeling very rested in the morning and was snoring more often than before, as reported by her husband. In addition to some allergies she was experiencing, she went in for a consult with her Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) doctor. The ENT doctor, after a check-up, noticed some irregularities in her current medical condition thus recommending a professional sleep test by Sleep Rehab.  She and her husband both came into the Sleep Rehab office for Mrs. Dillard’s first sleep test, and sure enough, Sleep Apnea was diagnosed.

However, she wasn’t the typical patient that Dr. Fedosky usually sees, because of her lack of the usual symptoms – Mrs. Dillard wasn’t crippling exhausted upon waking, nor was her snoring out-of-control and unbearable. But, her Sleep Apnea was in fact, making her other medical conditions worse and there was no question that it needed to be fixed.

Sleep Apnea can worsen other medical conditions like, but not limited to:

  • Propensity for strokes
  • High blood pressure
  • Arrhythmia of the heart
  • Heart disease

So, by controlling Sleep Apnea, you can also potentially control these other medical conditions, as they can be linked.

We are happy to report that after working with Dr. Fedosky and the Sleep Rehab team, Mrs. Dillard was relieved of her former tiredness and even snoring (which makes for a very happy husband!) and her Sleep Apnea is now controlled.

See the full patient story of Mr. and Mrs. Dillard below! Do you identify with Mrs. Dillard and interested in having a sleep test performed? If you believe you may be experiencing unusual symptoms for Sleep Apnea or looking for a doctor that can help you, contact Dr. Fedosky at Sleep Rehab today.

The Science Behind Snoring & How to Fix it

November 4, 2019

Filed under: Sleep Apnea,Snoring — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — drfedosky @ 1:39 pm

Your dog does it, your hamster can do it, and even that hummingbird in your backyard can do it. We’re talking about snoring. And while it is one of the more common animal behaviors, do we know what causes it? Turns out a variety of factors could be causing your, or your sleeping dog’s, snoring. It also turns out you don’t have to go night after night snoring – there is a solution!

 

According to Lynn A. D’Andrea, a sleep specialist at the University of Michigan Medical School, “[Snoring] is the combination of turbulent airflow through the hypotonic airway structures that results in the harsh vibratory noise known as snoring.”

But get this – snoring is not an illness. It is merely a symptom and you may be experiencing snoring because of something else. One of the more common causes of snoring is obstructive sleep apnea (60-70 million Americans experience this), which is a disorder causing gaps or pauses in a person’s breathing during sleep. Obstructive sleep apnea and snoring leads to fatigue, waking up exhausted and overall less quality of sleep. Sound familiar?

If your partner has requested you sleep in the other room nightly, or you find yourself dozing off at work, it might be time to take care of your snoring and sleep apnea.

Thousands of Americans find solutions like the CPAP machine, medication and surgery to be effective, but you don’t need to connect to a machine, take pharmaceutical drugs or go under the knife to remedy your snoring.

At Sleep Rehab, our Board Certified Professionals use non-invasive, non-surgical and non-pharmaceutical solutions and come up with a customized treatment plan for you. Contact us today to find out your options and stop this snoring today!

Will a Sleep Apnea Appliance Work for Me?

August 8, 2018

Filed under: Sleep Apnea — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , — tntadmin @ 1:01 am

Woman waking feeling restedNo treatment is right for every patient, but if you’re suffering from sleep apnea, oral appliance therapy can offer significant improvement in the quality and quantity of sleep. Many patients with sleep apnea struggle to adjust to treatment using the more traditional continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy. For these patients and those who don’t achieve adequate improvement in sleep using CPAP alone, an oral appliance may provide effective treatment to help you get a good night’s sleep.
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Treating Snoring and Sleep Apnea in Plano, TX

August 21, 2016

Filed under: Sleep Apnea — Tags: , , — drfedosky @ 10:08 pm

For snoring and sleep apnea in Plano, TX, residents make the short drive to Garland for effective treatment at Sleep Rehab.Snoring may be something that people joke about, but in truth it can be a sign of a much more serious medical condition called sleep apnea. That annoying sound that emanates from the mouth while you sleep is caused by the vibration of soft tissue in your throat as air passes by. Bigger problems arise, however, when this same tissue blocks your airway. To treat snoring and sleep apnea in Plano, TX, Dr. Keane Fedosky at Sleep Rehab will create a customized oral appliance that helps maintain an open airway so you can breathe and sleep at night.

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