Night Terrors
When my son was very young he suffered from what we later discovered were night terrors.
At first I didn't know what was wrong, but I knew it was a horrible experience both for him and for us.
He would sit up screaming at night. Thinking he was awake I would go to him and hold him and try to talk to him to calm him. I soon realized that even though it looked like he was looking at me, he wasn't seeing or hearing me. He seemed to have no idea I was holding him, no idea of where he was at. I could do little to comfort him. I did some research and determined for myself that he was suffering from night terrors.
Night terrors arise from the victim not being able to go from one stage of sleep to another.It's like they are stuck in between and don't know their way back. The advice to stop these episodes was both easy and difficult for me as a parent. The victim has to learn to go from one stage of sleep to another on his own. There is not much you can do to intervene and help. So for a few more times what you must do is just let it happen and not try to wake them. As horrible as it was to see and listen too, it worked. After a few more times he had learned and the night terrors stopped. Later he started walking in his sleep, but that's another story.
by Kathleen Milazzo
at Great Blogs
Friday, September 22, 2006
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Whoever has this condition stops breathing many times during the night and usually snores. The muscles in the throat relax during sleep and block the airway. People with uncontroled obstructive sleep apnea are a real danger behind the wheel to themselves and to others. I have obstructive sleep apnea and I didn't realize I had it until I went to the doctor after falling alseep at the wheel at 70mph and waking up heading toward the ditch. My sleep apnea isn't controled because I have trouble using the machine. I also do not drive. I feel I'm too dangerous on the road to drive. I also have low vision and I'm unable to pass the driver's test. The written test is no problem, it's backing up.
Masks
There are two types of machine, one is called Continuous Positive Air Pressure (CPAP) and the other is Bilevel Positive Air Pressure (BPAP). I use the BPAP because I couldn't tolerate the CPAP. The BPAP adjusts the pressure automatically while you breathe in and out. Both machines depend on a plastic tube hooked to the machine and to a mask you wear. There are many different types of masks and can be used with either type of machine.
I tried several masks until I found one that I could tolerate. It doen't cover half my face, it looks like a beefed up canula like they use in the hospital to deliver oxygen. However, I'm still having trouble sleeping with the machine. I'm now considering surgery. I'm really tired of being tired.
Oral Appliance for Obstructive Sleep Apnea
While I was researching the different surgical options, I came across this nonsurgical option. An oral appliance fits into your mouth very much like a sports mouth guard. This can be used if the machine isn't being tolerated. It's for mild to moderate sleep apnea and for snorers who don't have sleep apnea. There are more than 40 different types of appliances available on the market, but most can be divided into 2 types, tongue retaining and mandibular repositioning.
A tongue retaining device uses a suction bulb to pull the tongue forward and keep it from falling back and obstructing the throat. It sounds rather uncomfortable to me, but I wouldn't know until I tried it.
A mandibular repositioning device pushes the lower jaw forward and since the tongue is attatched to the lower jaw, it keeps the tongue from falling back and obstructing the airway. Sounds a bit more comfortable. It's adjustable and made out of soft plastic.
Surgery
Palatal restoration is a minimally invasive procedure performed in a doctor's office that implants 3 small woven implants into the soft palate for support. This procedure has an 80% success rate and usually the patient can eat normally the same day of the surger. Over the counter pain medication should be all that's needed for pain.
A uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) is inteneded to enlarge the airway by removing the uvula (the fleshy thing that hangs down in the back of the roof of your mouth), tonsils, adenoids, and part of the palate (roof of the mouth). This surgery has only a 40.7% success rate.
A tracheotomy is a surgical procedure that bypasses the obstruction by cutting a hole in the throat. The hole is closed during the day and open at night to allow air into the lungs. They have been experimenting with a new mini procedure that relies on a small computer chip to regulate the flow of air into the lungs at night. The hole is much smaller and easier to conceal.
A laser midline glossectomy and lingualplasty reduces the tongue and palate. Does not change the dental bite and involves only soft tissue.
The maxillomandibular osteotomy or advancement (MMO or MMA) is a more aggressive surgery involving moving the facial structure forward to keep the tongue from falling back and obstructing the throat. Usually done only after the soft tissue surgery has failed.
A two-part inferior sagittal mandibular osteotomy and genioglossal advancement with hyoid myotomy and suspension (GAHM), is a next to last resort (a tracheotomy is the last resort) and a very lengthy surgery.
The radio frequency tissue ablation (RFTA) or Somnoplasty is a minimally invasive and done in the doctor's office under local anesthetic. You can usually resume normal activities the next day.
The tongue suspension procedure or The Repose Bone Screw System, sounds terrible, but is a minimally invasive procedure that is reversible.
Otolaryngologists are specialists in the ears, nose, and throat. There are many subcategories in this specialty. We want to find an otolaryngologist whose specialty is sleep apnea.
Dale L. Edwards
Masks
There are two types of machine, one is called Continuous Positive Air Pressure (CPAP) and the other is Bilevel Positive Air Pressure (BPAP). I use the BPAP because I couldn't tolerate the CPAP. The BPAP adjusts the pressure automatically while you breathe in and out. Both machines depend on a plastic tube hooked to the machine and to a mask you wear. There are many different types of masks and can be used with either type of machine.
I tried several masks until I found one that I could tolerate. It doen't cover half my face, it looks like a beefed up canula like they use in the hospital to deliver oxygen. However, I'm still having trouble sleeping with the machine. I'm now considering surgery. I'm really tired of being tired.
Oral Appliance for Obstructive Sleep Apnea
While I was researching the different surgical options, I came across this nonsurgical option. An oral appliance fits into your mouth very much like a sports mouth guard. This can be used if the machine isn't being tolerated. It's for mild to moderate sleep apnea and for snorers who don't have sleep apnea. There are more than 40 different types of appliances available on the market, but most can be divided into 2 types, tongue retaining and mandibular repositioning.
A tongue retaining device uses a suction bulb to pull the tongue forward and keep it from falling back and obstructing the throat. It sounds rather uncomfortable to me, but I wouldn't know until I tried it.
A mandibular repositioning device pushes the lower jaw forward and since the tongue is attatched to the lower jaw, it keeps the tongue from falling back and obstructing the airway. Sounds a bit more comfortable. It's adjustable and made out of soft plastic.
Surgery
Palatal restoration is a minimally invasive procedure performed in a doctor's office that implants 3 small woven implants into the soft palate for support. This procedure has an 80% success rate and usually the patient can eat normally the same day of the surger. Over the counter pain medication should be all that's needed for pain.
A uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) is inteneded to enlarge the airway by removing the uvula (the fleshy thing that hangs down in the back of the roof of your mouth), tonsils, adenoids, and part of the palate (roof of the mouth). This surgery has only a 40.7% success rate.
A tracheotomy is a surgical procedure that bypasses the obstruction by cutting a hole in the throat. The hole is closed during the day and open at night to allow air into the lungs. They have been experimenting with a new mini procedure that relies on a small computer chip to regulate the flow of air into the lungs at night. The hole is much smaller and easier to conceal.
A laser midline glossectomy and lingualplasty reduces the tongue and palate. Does not change the dental bite and involves only soft tissue.
The maxillomandibular osteotomy or advancement (MMO or MMA) is a more aggressive surgery involving moving the facial structure forward to keep the tongue from falling back and obstructing the throat. Usually done only after the soft tissue surgery has failed.
A two-part inferior sagittal mandibular osteotomy and genioglossal advancement with hyoid myotomy and suspension (GAHM), is a next to last resort (a tracheotomy is the last resort) and a very lengthy surgery.
The radio frequency tissue ablation (RFTA) or Somnoplasty is a minimally invasive and done in the doctor's office under local anesthetic. You can usually resume normal activities the next day.
The tongue suspension procedure or The Repose Bone Screw System, sounds terrible, but is a minimally invasive procedure that is reversible.
Otolaryngologists are specialists in the ears, nose, and throat. There are many subcategories in this specialty. We want to find an otolaryngologist whose specialty is sleep apnea.
Dale L. Edwards
Monday, September 04, 2006
Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy is a chronic neurological sleep disorder. It disrupts the sleep/wake cycle and is caused by the inability of the brain to properly regulate the sleep/wake cycle. Narcolepsy causes a person to fall asleep at odd moments and at odd times. The symptoms of the disorder are excessive daytime sleepyness, cataplexy (a sudden loss of muscle tone), vivid halucinations before falling asleep or just after waking, and brief periods of paralysis before and after sleeping. At this point the cause of narcolepsy is unkown.
The Narcolepsy Network is a source for free information about narcolepsy. Secondary symptoms include automatic behavior, performing a familiar task without conscious thought or memory of performing the task, disrupted nighttime sleep involving many arousals during the night, trouble focusing the eyes, and trouble handling alcohol.
Narcolepsy disrupts the REM phase of sleep. Usually, REM sleep doesn't start for 90 minutes after falling asleep, but with narcolepsy REM sleep starts immediately, and cause halucinations because the person isn't completely asleep before dreaming starts. Dreaming occurs in the REM phase of sleep. Sleepiness during the day is caused by fragments of REM, or periods of REM, occuring inappropriately throughout the day.
According to studies people with narcolepsy have low brain levels of orexin. This was discovered by 2 different research groups, one in California involving dogs and one in Texas involving mice. They have done tests on humans also. They have found that narcolepsy could be a neurodegenerative disease similar to Parkinson's. Other studies have shown that a brain chemical called hypocretin, another name for orexin, is either quite low or missing from the spinal fluid of a person suffering from narcolepsy.
This list of strategies for coping with narcolepsy is from Healthguide for an active healthy lifestyle:
The Narcolepsy Network is a source for free information about narcolepsy. Secondary symptoms include automatic behavior, performing a familiar task without conscious thought or memory of performing the task, disrupted nighttime sleep involving many arousals during the night, trouble focusing the eyes, and trouble handling alcohol.
Narcolepsy disrupts the REM phase of sleep. Usually, REM sleep doesn't start for 90 minutes after falling asleep, but with narcolepsy REM sleep starts immediately, and cause halucinations because the person isn't completely asleep before dreaming starts. Dreaming occurs in the REM phase of sleep. Sleepiness during the day is caused by fragments of REM, or periods of REM, occuring inappropriately throughout the day.
According to studies people with narcolepsy have low brain levels of orexin. This was discovered by 2 different research groups, one in California involving dogs and one in Texas involving mice. They have done tests on humans also. They have found that narcolepsy could be a neurodegenerative disease similar to Parkinson's. Other studies have shown that a brain chemical called hypocretin, another name for orexin, is either quite low or missing from the spinal fluid of a person suffering from narcolepsy.
This list of strategies for coping with narcolepsy is from Healthguide for an active healthy lifestyle:
- Take several short daily naps (10-15 minutes) to combat excessive sleepiness and sleep attacks.
- Develop a routine sleep schedule – try to go to sleep and awaken at the same time every day.
- Alert your employers, coworkers and friends in the hope that others will accommodate your condition and help when needed.
- Do not drive or operate dangerous equipment if you are sleepy. Take a nap before driving if possible.
- Join a support group.
- Break up larger tasks into small pieces and focusing on one small thing at a time.
- Stand whenever possible.
- Take several short walks during the day.
- Avoid caffeine and nicotine.
- Consider taking a break for a nap during a long driving trip.
- Carry a tape recorder, if possible, to record important conversations and meetings.
No treatment for narcolepsy that will cure or mask symptoms to make symptoms totally disappear. This is a chronic disease where there are good days and bad days.
Dale L. Edwards
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)