Sleep Insomnia » Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Catarrh Remedies

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:46:27 +0000

Catarrh is an excessive production of mucus in one of the airways. It is usually located inside the nose, but can also be found in the ears and throat. It can cause nasal congestion, facial pain and discomfort. The symptom is due to underlying conditions like infections—ear infections, sinusitis, tonsillitis, and is most commonly seen in colds and flu. Treating this condition requires you to address the source of the infection first hand. It is a must that catarrh is dealt with immediately before it becomes chronic.

Fortunately, there are several catarrh remedies that can be used by children and adults safely. Remedies for catarrh may be herbal based, home remedies can also help or with the aid of prescribed medications.

Herbal remedies for catarrh help in clearing the nasal passage ways and decrease the production of mucus discharges. Eucalyptus oil is often added in steam inhalation to provide temporary relief. In addition, peppermint is also effective in loosening thick, sticky mucus discharges, especially when mixed with Eucalyptus or Tea tree. Other mint family member like Catmint helps ease nasal congestion and clear nasal passages. Aside from that, there are other natural remedies for catarrh that alleviates the symptoms, such as Elderflower— it reduces swelling of the mucus membranes because of its anti-inflammatory effect, Golden Rod— reduce mucus production, Hyssop— it loosens up thick phlegm, and several other herbal plants that can provide relief for catarrh symptoms.

When dealing with the symptoms at home, it is important to increase the humidity level inside the house to keep the nasal passages clear, especially during winter. During this season the air can become dry and the humidity level is low, which can affect the nose.

Another catarrh remedy is drinking plenty of fluids to help clear or thin the mucus secretions. In addition, getting adequate rest and sleep will definitely help a lot. Along with eating fruits, veggies and taking vitamins C and vitamin A to boost the immune system.

Aside from the mentioned catarrh remedies above, you may also need to consult your doctor if the symptoms persist especially if the causative factor is flu. Flu virus has many strains, it is essential to determine the virus strain in order to plan the appropriate course of treatment.

To provide an immediate short-term relief, your doctor may prescribe you with decongestant medications or nasal sprays to relieve nasal congestion. However, do not take any decongestants for more than a week, because it can exacerbate the symptoms.

Used CPAP Machines

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:52:48 +0000

Do you snore in your sleep? Or are you experiencing obstructive breathing problems, also known as sleep apnea? If yes, there is a solution to your dilemma. Why not undergo a CPAP therapy? Most people whose sleep is regularly disturbed because of breathing interruptions have used CPAP machines to relieve their condition.

Before thoroughly discussing what CPAP machine is, we need to understand what sleep apnea first. Sleep apnea is a medical condition characterized by breathing pauses or shallow breaths during sleep. As a result, the person’s sleep is disturbed, and may feel sleepy during the day. Sleep apnea could be obstructive type, it is the narrowing of the air passages, or it could central sleep apnea, wherein the brain fails to send the correct signal to the muscles that control breathing.

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Machine (CPAP) is frequently utilized as treatment for people suffering from moderate to severe apnea. This device consists of an apnea mask that fits snugly over a person’s mouth and nose. The machine then blows off air into the air passage at a specific pressure. The pressure is determined by the physician based on the observation made on the patient in the sleep treatment center. With the used of CPAP machine, it prevented the collapse of the upper airway.

Aside from sleep apnea sufferers, loud snorers can also used CPAP machines to stop their snoring. The CPAP device help keep the airway open to allow the air to flow smoothly thus reducing episodes of snoring.

Other than the snorers and obstructive sleep apnea, patients suffering from coronary artery diseases and heart failure also used CPAP machines to help in their breathing.

Initially, patients may find it difficult to adjust with the CPAP device; some find it uncomfortable especially when they sleep wearing a mask or nasal prong. There are also some problems experienced by CPAP users, like dry nose, swollen abdomen, headache, mouth dryness, sore throat, facial irritation and eye irritation. Nevertheless, problems in nasal and mouth dryness can be remedied by using a humidifier.

Despite the complaints of the CPAP users, there are some benefits that you can get when you used CPAP machines. For example, it will greatly reduce the sound of your snoring, using this machine enables you to concentrate and think clearly especially during the day, since you don’t feel sleepy anymore. Moreover, it also reduces heart complications and prevents increased in blood pressure in patients suffering from coronary arterial disease.

If you happen to travel all the time, a portable CPAP device is suitable for you. They run on high powered batteries which make it convenient to carry around.

Sleep Apnea Statistics

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 19:25:33 +0000

Sleep Apnea is a disorder that affects many people around the world every single night. In case you are not familiar with it, sleep apnea is a disorder that makes it difficult for one to breath at night while resting. For many people who suffer from sleep apnea the condition can be chronic and sometimes it can even get progressively worse as time goes on.

The sleep apnea statistics today show that approximately 18 million people are suffering from this disorder. The statistics on sleep apnea also show that for some, the condition can present itself in sleep deprivation. People can develop this condition so severely that they cannot sleep for more than a few seconds before being woken up by another bought of apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea statistics also show that this condition, even at its most severe, is not subject to any age specific conditions. In other words, it can affect anyone regardless of age or health. With that fact comes that scary truth that statistics for sleep apnea show every year around 38,000 people die in this country as a result of apnea related conditions that go untreated or even undiagnosed.

For anyone suffering from sleep Apnea, the conditions under which you are trying to sleep may be so daunting that you may miss what is actually going on. For the average person suffering from this condition they can experience up to 400 apnea incidents a night, which may or may not all result in loss of sleep, but do result in breathing issues. Children every year in this country must have their tonsils removed because they may become enlarged and result in the blocking of the airways. This can be especially dangerous to kids at night when they have no way of speaking about what is happening. For older people the results of having this condition go untreated or undiagnosed means that you are more likely to have issues like stroke and heart failure. Loss of oxygen is a problem to all of the systems of the body and on a nightly basis the effects of it can really add up.

For the partner of anyone suffering from apnea, sleeping for you can become difficult as well. The snoring and couching associated with apnea can keep fellow bedmates awake just as much as the actual sufferer.

If you think you might have trouble sleeping as a result of apnea, please look in to it for yourself and your partner.

Death from sleep apnea

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:47:28 +0000

People who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea are at the greatest risk for sleep apnea death. According to medical experts, the time of day from midnight to six in the morning is the most dangerous time for OSA sufferers to have heart attacks in their sleep and not wake up.

In an astonishing five to 50 times in an hour, this segment of the population stop breathing for at least 10 seconds and block their breathing passageways, including parts of the throat nose and mouth.

At the time that breathing stops, too much carbon dioxide and too little oxygen is flowing in the blood. The blood pressure becomes elevated, the heart rhythm is thrown off and the walls of the heart leap into distress. When all of these conditions escalate in the middle of the night, the outcome is cardiac arrest that ends in sudden death or sleep apnea death.

The statistics surrounding sleep apnea deaths are alarming. About 14.6 people per 1,000 die from sleep apnea each year. According to national research, nearly 40 million Americans who are at risk for obstructive sleep apnea death go undiagnosed. Almost 1,400 traffic deaths happen annually because people who suffer with sleep apnea are driving. About 17 percent of the population has sleep apnea and the greatest risk group is males between the ages of 40 and 70.

There are certain physical or medical conditions that might contribute to an increased risk for sleep apnea. The disease may have some genetic link, and the risk for it increases with age. People with thick necks, overbites and enlarged uvulas or swollen tonsils are also at high risk. Certain lifestyle patterns like obesity, smoking, heavy drinking and high blood pressure place people at a greater risk for sleep apnea death.

Some signs of sleep apnea include sleep deprivation, irritability, depression, sexual dysfunction and problems with memory. A pressing desire to sleep during the day after you believed you have had a good rest through the night is also a telling sign.

You can decrease your chances of sleep apnea death by changing your lifestyle if you are participating in anything that could place you at risk. Smokers should stop smoking. Obese sleepers should try to lose weight. You should also try to start a regular sleep pattern and maintain it in order to fight sleep deprivation. If your body is placed on a regular schedule, it learns to expect sleep at a specific time, and you begin to condition your body to relax during sleep.