What Causes Sleep Apnea

Frequently Asked Questions

1. QUESTION:
   What exactly is scarring from a septoplasty that causes sleep apnea?
   I had septoplasty they think I have scarring that is now causing sleep apnea how is that possible my roof of my mouth vibrates and my snoring increased after the septoplasty. What happened? He is doing a sleep study but cant you tell some other way?
   Is this a sign of a bad surgeon? Move septum vibrates too and the roof of mouth only when I sleep? Im not fat it was the surgery

   • ANSWER:
     Sleep apnea is an obstruction somewhere in the airway. It can be caused by a number of things. Scar tissue is very likely cause. Sleep apnea surgery does not work for many people because the scarring is actually worse than the original problem

     My question to you is did you snore before your nose job. If so you probably had OSA previously. Many people do.

     Sleep apnea is found in people of all sizes and shapes. Kids get SA as well.

     When you have the sleep study, you can ask many questions to the sleep techs and the doctor at the follow up.

     Best wishes

2. QUESTION:
   What causes Sleep Apnea besides being overweight?

   • ANSWER:
     I know that my dad had the kind of sleep apnea that was a problem in your head, like sinuses and brain. only like 1 percent of people with sleep apnea have this kind, the rest are in the throat.

3. QUESTION:
   What causes Sleep Apnea?
   I have been diagnosed with sleep apnea...I will be on a oxygen machine startin this week. What causes this condition?

   • ANSWER:
     being over weight is the main one. Having an enlarged uvula can cause it, being super exhausted can cause it.

     But the main one that health care professionals agree upon is weighing too much. If you are over weight, you need to loose the weight big time.

     Some times a bite block that is molded for your jaw to pull your bottom jaw forward some while you sleep can help if it is dealing with your tongue getting in the way of your esophagus and trachea openings.

     Hope this helps.

4. QUESTION:
   what causes sleep apnea?
   can anxiety disorder be a cause of it or stress ....what causes sleep apnea?

   • ANSWER:
     Truth is we don't really know, sometimes there is an obstruction in the airways, which can be treated with surgery to remove the part of the airway that is causing the problem, but in most cases there is no cause that can be found.

     That said, there are correlations to weight, the bigger you are the more likely you are to suffer with sleep apnea

5. QUESTION:
   What are the causes of sleep apnea?
   Im researching sleep apnea can someone please tell em what the causes are.
   Also please add the associated effects of sleep apnea

   • ANSWER:
     Blocked or narrowed airways in your nose, mouth, or throat can cause sleep apnea. Your airway can become blocked when your throat muscles and tongue relax during sleep.
     Sleep apnea can also occur if you have large tonsils or adenoids or a large uvula. During the day, when you are awake and standing up, these may not cause problems. But when you lie down at night, they can press down on your airway, narrowing it and causing sleep apnea. Sleep apnea can also occur if you have a problem with your jawbone.
     In children, the main cause of sleep apnea is large tonsils or adenoids.
     Sleep apnea is more likely to occur if you are overweight, use certain medicines or alcohol before bed, or sleep on your back.

6. QUESTION:
   what exactly causes sleep apnea?
   my friend sleeps most of the day that about 15 hours maybe a little less. but even when he is not in bed and just holding conversation he falls to sleep in med sentance. and one the rare occassion that he get up and move around he has no energy. can you give me some insight as to what may be going on with him

   • ANSWER:

7. QUESTION:
   The causes of Sleep Apnea?
   Could stress cause sleep apnea or sleep apnea like symptoms? I have been stressed because of school and work etc and have never experienced anything like I did last night. I would be asleep and then stop breathing a couple seconds wake up, go back to sleep and the same thing would happen all throughout the night. My chest is definitely feeling it this morning because it is really sore.
   I'm not even sure is one episode would even be considered "sleep apnea" What do you think? Any advice on what I should do. I mean I was reading about it and it said its mostly common amoung adults, i'm 19 years old. Could it just be stress? Should I have anythign to worry about?

   • ANSWER:

     http://www.medicinenet.com/sleep_apnea/article.htm

8. QUESTION:
   What causes obstructive sleep apnea in children that already have their adenoids & tonsils out?
   If adenoids and tonsils are out, what is the treatment? CPAP only?

   • ANSWER:
     Although adenoids and tonsils are the most common cause, problems with deviated septum, collapseable soft tissue in the neck, and underbite can be causes as well, and may be amendable to treatment surgically.

     CPAP is a good treatment, but if there's any other surgical intervention it should be considered first especially for someone young.

9. QUESTION:
   What causes Central sleep apnea?
   I have been diagnosed with both central and obstructive sleep apnea.

   My sleep studies both showed that I do got 0.00% delta sleep, which I understand is the deepest sleep, and allows the brain to do its regulation and restoration of necessary functions, such as sending growth hormone into the body.

   Is there any way to know why I am not making the effort to breathe at certain times in the night?

   I am about to go on C-PAP, but am not convinced that I will get delta sleep.

   Thank you for any helpful responses-

   • ANSWER:
     Hello Flam!

     Here is what I learned about central sleep apnea:

     A person with central apnea has issues with the respiratory center from the brain. The respiratory center controls the chest muscles to make breathing movements.

     When the respiratory center stops working during sleep, then your breathing stops, too. The brain does not respond to the changes of the respiratory gas levels from the blood (oxygen and carbon dioxide).

     In central apnea, you stop breathing in sleep for a period of time (at least 10 seconds), but there is no effort to breathe at all like in obstructive sleep apnea. Therefore snoring is not present in central apnea.

     But I understand you have a mixed sleep apnea, so you have obstructive apnea symptoms, too. Snoring is one of the symptoms.

     The cause of central apnea is unknown, but there are risk factors that can influence the development, such as:

     * age
     * gender
     * sleep state
     * thyroid disease
     * neurological or cardiological abnormalities

     I hope it helps!

10. QUESTION:
    What are the causes of Sleep apnea? And how can it be fixed?

    • ANSWER:
      There's sleep apnea (neurological) and there's obstructive sleep apnea (structural and/or functional). There are many causes and each has its own form of treatment depending on the cause or causes. You might wish to check the links below to get a comprehensive overview of causes, symptoms, risks and treatment options.

      http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/SleepApnea/SleepApnea_Causes.html -

      http://www.helpguide.org/life/sleep_apnea.htm

      http://www.umm.edu/patiented/articles/how_serious_sleep_apnea_000065_5.htm

11. QUESTION:
    What are some books I can read to research the mental issues caused after a person has sleep apnea?
    I am doing an assignment on the mental conditions caused after a person is diagnosed with sleep apnea. This means what type of issues they mentally encounter as a result of sleep apnea (such as depression, changes the must do in their environment etc.) And I would like some literature to read and information that Sleep Apnea causes that most would not be aware to know about.

    • ANSWER:
      there are tons of sites dedicated to sleep ( after all you spend like 1/3 of your life doing it.)

      jsut google " sleep book"
      or "sleeping disorder"

      you will have more than you can read .

12. QUESTION:
    Can sleep apnea cause headaches during the day?
    I have sleep apnea...or atleast I think I do. People tell me that when I sleep, I stop breathing for awhile and make noises like I am choking. Is this sleep apnea? And if it is, does it cause headaches throughout the day? Because I have headaches almost everyday and I can't think of what causes them.

    • ANSWER:
      You kind of have 2 questions here so to answer, yes, when you stop breathing when you're sleeping it is typically referred to as sleep apnea. The noise may be you 'catching' your breath when you do start breathing again. Also, since the brain/body is being deprived of oxygen AND you don't sleep near as well with apnea as you would without this condition, your headaches could be caused by either the lack of oxygen, or the severe lack of sleep, or a combination of both. You should see your doctor and have a sleep study done. Then you can take steps to resolve the problem.

13. QUESTION:
    In a person with sleep apnea, what causes rises and falls in oxygen saturation of arterial blood during sleep?

    I am not obese and do not have sleep apnea. This is a biology question. If I made a graph of oxygen saturation against time of a person who had severe obstructive sleep apnea while they were sleeping, what might cause the saturation to go up and down over time?

    • ANSWER:
      When a patient has sleep events they temporarily stop breathing, which causes the desaturation of oxygen. Furthermore, the events do not happen all the time, events can happen only in specific sleep positions.

      generally they do not use Arterial Blood Gases during these overnight polysonomographs, they use a finger pulse oximeter.

      So the rise and fall is a direct result of when the patient has apneas and hypopneas

14. QUESTION:
    Can sleep apnea cause palpitations during the day?
    My heart skips beats all through the day, and my
    heart rate stays well above one hundred all of the
    time. I have been to a cardiologist, and he gave me
    a stress test and a ultrasound of my heart. Every
    thing came back normal. So, I would like to know
    what is causing this because it is driving me crazy!!
    I have a history of sleep apnea, but I am not sure if
    this is the problem.

    • ANSWER:
      Untreated sleep apnea can cause all sorts of problems, both physical and emotional. Your organs, such as your heart, simply do not get enough oxygen to function well. It may be that you also have anxiety, which can also cause palpitations. You really ought to be tested for sleep apnea in a sleep lab, and then get a CPAP machine to wear over your nose at night. You will feel better within a week or so, and the distressing symptoms will go away. BEEN THERE, DONE THAT. My very best wishes to you.

15. QUESTION:
    Dose sleep apnea causes hyperactivity and bad behavior ?
    My son has attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity and very bad anger issues. We live in Puerto Rico and the Doctors here are not very open to find out more, they just brand him and medicate him I don’t want to give him medication so I am hoping that maybe it is sleep apnea, he dose not sleep well. I told his pediatrician what I thought it was and if there was some test that can be done she just said to take the TV out of his room I did but he is still the same I would get up to get water at night and he was up watching T.V. I saw on 48 hrs. Hard evidence that sleep apnea may be the cause of his problem. He dose snore but not that much he talks very loud and stutters. He get out of the class room and when he is in the class room he dose not stay still. But the important part is that he is very, very smart.

    • ANSWER:
      Sleep apnea in children often cause hyperactivity and aggresivity. This is strange, because adults with sleep apnea are very tired during the day and they often fall asleep at inappropriate times, such as at work, behind the wheel, or at the cinema.

      Here are the most common symptoms of sleep apnea in children:

      - noisy breathing and mouth breathing

      - brief period of no breathing

      - restless sleep, including turning and tossing

      - sleeping in odd positions

      - irritability, frustration, hyperactivity and aggresivity

      - difficulty paying attention

      - daytime sleepiness and lethargy at obese children

      - poor performance at school, such as poor concentration, behavioral problems and lack of learning.

      - bed-wetting

      - morning headache

      - cardiovascular problems, such as abnormalities or arrhythmia.

      I hope it helps.

16. QUESTION:
    Can sleep apnea cause people to not sleep at all?
    i know someone that has sleep apnea and can hardly ever fall asleep. we have been wondering if sleep apnea can cause not being able to shut off and go to sleep or if it's more serious such as a brain tumor. also seroquel and other sleeping meds aren't helping her fall asleep so please tell me what should be done.

    • ANSWER:
      I had sleep apnea when my nostrils and neck are very clogged up. This means that whenever I had sinusitis or pneumonia(sinusitis and pneumonia go hand in hand it seems) I'd always have sleep apnea for a few seconds. Hell, even minor irritation on my neck can cause this. You should possibly go to a doctor and see if this has anything to do with that. Maybe he has polyps or some sort of benign mucus tumor.

      Usually, brain tumors are a rare diagnosis and most of the symptoms can be explained and linked to other problems. However, if you suspect a brain tumor and the tests your doctor recommended came out normal then you should talk to your doctor about the possibility of getting an MRI.

17. QUESTION:
    My son have been diagnoised with obustructive sleep apanea, and Dr have asked us to take of the adnenoids?
    us to remove Tonsils and adenoids and also he is planning to do turbinates to create more room for breathing, my only question and concern is He never really saw the size of adenoids or tonsils, and is assuming those are causing sleep apnea(moderate).. I am worried what if surgery does not help, My son would not like CPAP. as he is just 3 years and 3 months.... Please advice

    • ANSWER:
      Second opinion? We removed my sons tonsils after repeated infections, very large tonsils, bad snoring, sometimes he would have a short breath while sleeping. I'm glad we did it though. He sleeps hell of a lot better, does not snore, results were imminent, he hasn't had an infection since! Anyways u could get a different opinion. We were reffered and the doc did look at his throat etc did tests.

18. QUESTION:
    "What causes obstructive sleep apnea?

    • ANSWER:

19. QUESTION:
    Bradycardia and Sleep Apnea?
    My doctor said, I have an 'Acute' bradycardia. So, often, I have heart palpitations, and half the time feel like I'm not breathing. My mom is someone who snores very loudly, and she has all the things that would cause Sleep Apnea. But, she won't get checked for it.
    So, my question is, what exactly is bradycardia and sleep apnea?
    And, I don't know for sure, but sometimes Bradicardia kinda stuff happens during the middle of the night, so, more in less, I don't think I have Apnea, but should I be checked for it?
    And, is Sleep Apnea hereditary?
    My mom on the other hand, just because she snores REALLY loudly, does that make Apnea a risk factor?
    Thanks

    • ANSWER:
      Bradycardia and Sleep apnea are two different things. Bradycardia is slow heartbeat and Sleep Apnea is absence of breathing while sleeping. Regarding sleep apnea, it can be caused by several things, but usually it is the tissue in the back of the throat causing a blockage of your airway. When you sleep, the muscles in your throat relax and tissue will start to block your airway passage. There are a few contributing factors, such as weight, and how you sleep. I hate to recommend going to the doctors which cost money, but unfortunately, the only way to diagnose sleep apnea is to get a sleep study done, and have the doctors evaluate what is causing the blockage. If you absolutely can't afford the doctors, try sleeping on your side. If the apnea stops, then you can place tennis balls on both side of you to prevent you from sleeping on your back. You can also try losing weight if you are overweight.

20. QUESTION:
    Does Phentermine cause Sleep Apnea?
    Okay, I have been taking Phentermine for about 4 months now. Well, for the past maybe 2 months I haven't been able to sleep. Like I wake up in the middle of the night (right as I am falling asleep) gasping for air. It happens like 3-6 times and then I pass out. It's getting to be scary to fall asleep. It's 4 am and I am afraid to sleep. It happens like 6 days out of the week. I am fine if I wait until day time to fall asleep, just night time is hard. My doc said I may have asthma so I got tested and he said he didn't find I had asthma, just horrible allergies, they gave me pills that I have to take each night- it did nothing. The only thing that helped were these weird pills that my aunt took when she had asthma. Like I didn't wake up at all. It dried out my throat and made my lungs enlarge, it was great. What should I do?

    • ANSWER:

21. QUESTION:
    What are the affects of sleep apnea?
    Sometimes during the day, I suddenly feel disoriented, and a bit dizzy.
    A neighbor said it might be caused by sleep apnea, I'm not sure and before I go see the doctor, I want to find out a bit more about what sleep apnea actually is.

    • ANSWER:
      I would check with a doctor. You could be having rhythm problems with your heart.

      One of the main symptoms one with apnea will notice is that they are always too tired to do anything. They will have no energy, and will often drop off in a nap if they get still long enough.

      There are 2 types of sleep apnea-the most common (90%+)is called "obstructive apnea" and involves air passages becoming restricted during sleep. There is a lot of snoring. Usually the spouse of a person with obstructive apnea will know it. It is generally well treated with a "c-pap" machine. Positive air pressure is kept on the breathing passages to help keep them open. The success rate of treatment is generally very high.

      Then there is "central apnea" where the brain forgets to send out the signal to breathe. This is not common. Treatment usually is done with a "v-pap" machine (there are other types), and often medication (sleeping pill) is required. The "v-pap" varies in pressure from intake to outgo, and can even ventilate the patient when they stop breathing. Success is not nearly as good as with Obstructive apnea.
      Some people have varying degrees of both apneas called "complex apnea".

      Sleep studies are expensive, about grand. Some c-paps are just a few hundred dollars. But variable pressure auto ventilators costs about grand. If you have a decent insurance, then you may only spent a few hundred out of pocket.

      Sleep apnea is dangerous.

22. QUESTION:
    what is sleep apnea caused by, and can it be because you are to heavy? ?
    I am doing a research paper, and I was just wondering.

    • ANSWER:

23. QUESTION:
    what is sleep apnea and what causes it?
    i stop breathing at times when i'm sleep. my throat feels funny, like it's rubbery.

    • ANSWER:
      In some people, apnea occurs when the throat muscles and tongue relax during sleep and partially block the opening of the airway. When the muscles of the soft palate at the base of the tongue and the uvula (the small fleshy tissue hanging from the center of the back of the throat) relax and sag, the airway becomes blocked, making breathing labored and noisy and even stopping it altogether. Sleep apnea also can occur in obese people when an excess amount of tissue in the airway causes it to be narrowed. With a narrowed airway, the person continues his or her efforts to breathe, but air cannot easily flow into or out of the nose or mouth. Unknown to the person, this results in heavy snoring, periods of no breathing, and frequent arousals (causing abrupt changes from deep sleep to light sleep). Ingestion of alcohol and sleeping pills increases the frequency and duration of breathing pauses in people with sleep apnea.

24. QUESTION:
    Does lack of sleep cause insomnia or sleep apnea?
    Please explain ans give me sources. If not, then what other things can lack of sleep cause?

    Thank you!!

    • ANSWER:
      lack of sleep cab cause fatigue that never goes away. if you,re sleep deprives six days a week; the 7th day sleep in will not solve the issue. being sleep deprived is a little like having a cold without the congestion. nothing positive about this unfortunate situation at all.

25. QUESTION:
    sleep apnea causing seizures?
    diagnosed with sleep apnea now on a continious positive airway pressure machine because i stop breathing for short times whiles asleep and was told this is what causes my seizures. Have type 1 diabetes and was told this has nothing to do with my seizures as i do not have low blood sugars during my seizures

    • ANSWER:

26. QUESTION:
    Obstructive Sleep Apnea. How do you feel about surgical option?
    I have severe obstructive sleep apnea that caused mu oxygen levels to drop in the 60% range. The condition was bad enough that surgery was offered.

    My question: If you had surgery to correct you obstructive sleep apnea, what were your side effects (if any) and how long did it take to recover.

    • ANSWER:
      I've not had the procedure done (yet) but one of my coworkers had it done and it improved her whole life so much. Now that it's been 10 years (she's gotten older, plus she's gained weight) she started to have difficulty staying asleep again so badly that she asked her doctor if she could have a second procedure but instead he has her on one of those ventilating machines--which she detests (but maybe her condition hasn't progressed far enough to suggest surgery again yet). If your condition is bad enough your doc is recommending surgery, you ought to think about it--maybe get a second opinion. Surgery recovery may be painful but if it'll allow you to breath (and avoid developing other health problems related to oxygen depravity), then it is well worth it--and whatever pain there is is transitory, it'll go away once the incisions have healed and you['ll feel so much better.

27. QUESTION:
    can sleep apnea cause muscular chest pain if not wat can?
    so my chest hurts if i llike bend my shoulders in and flex ..i havent worked out and its been like 3 weeks ..it doenst hurt unless i flex like that but i dont work out at all sow hat could cause this..i have no money and no insuance so dont tell me to go to the doctor,....what can i do ...its like a 4 on the painn scale.

    • ANSWER:
      Hello Trav,

      there are so few details about your problem that I don't know if you really have a sleep disorder or not. We need a more ample description of your symptoms.

      If you think you have sleep problems and sleep apnea, this source can help you:

28. QUESTION:
    Could lactose intolerance be a contributing cause to sleep apnea?
    I'm a black female, 47, recently gained a lot of weight due to some medications I'm on, but I'm not really obese. A year ago, I realized I'd become lactose intolerant. It got so bad a few months ago, I took dairy out of my diet completely unless I took Lactaid. I got lax recently and noted something: during the two recent periods where I allowed myself a lot of dairy without the supplement, I had something like sleep apnea. When falling asleep, I would snort, make odd noise that would cause me to wake up, and my throat often felt mucousy. Normally, I don't have this. Someone (not a doctor) once told me a long time ago that many people of African descent are lactose intolerant, and that it causes excess mucous. Is that likely what's going on with me? I seem to breathe and sleep better when I leave off the dairy.
    I guess the most salient point here is that I never had anything resembling sleep apnea in the past, nor do I have those symptoms now unless I do the dairy.

    • ANSWER:
      Article: Sleep apnea
      Sleep apnea (alternatively sleep apnoea) is a common sleep disorder characterized by brief interruptions of breathing during sleep. These episodes, called apneas, last 10 seconds or more and occur repeatedly throughout the night. People with sleep apnea partially awaken as they struggle to breathe, but in the morning they may not be aware of the disturbances in their sleep. Nearly 40 percent of the population has some sleep apnea, and half of those cases are serious enough to warrent treatment.[1]

      http://goldbamboo.com/topic-t2968-a1-6Sleep_Apnea.html

      lactose intolerance
      Lactose intolerance is the inability to digest significant amounts of lactose, the major sugar found in milk. Lactose intolerance is caused by a shortage of the enzyme lactase, which is produced by the cells that line the small intestine. Lactase breaks down milk sugar into two simpler forms of sugar called glucose and galactose, which are then absorbed into the bloodstream. Not all people deficient in lactase have the symptoms commonly associated with lactose intolerance, but those who do are said to have lactose intolerance.

      http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/lactoseintolerance/

29. QUESTION:
    what kind of problems come with sleep apnea?
    can sleep apnea cause bleeding in the brain can it cause big problems

    • ANSWER:
      Untreated sleep apnea is linked with high blood pressure, inability to loose weight, daytime fatigue, car accidents, morning headaches, and their are links to strokes.

      Sleep apnea is easily treated with cpap.

30. QUESTION:
    I'm a sleep tech, and I know what this is, but I want to ask everyone if they or someone they know uses a CPAP
    How many of you use, or know someone who uses a CPAP machine at night to help them breathe and not to snore?

    I am very curious about this, since CPAPs save lives all over the world. I think we all need more education on CPAP machines, and we need to spread the word that if people snore or stop breathing at night, they should have a sleep study done.

    Sleep Apnea causes high blood pressure, can cause strokes and heart attacks. It sometimes makes people have heartburn at night, and makes them sleepy during the day. People can become forgetful or irritated. This is just a short list of all the damage that having untreated sleep apnea can cause.

    • ANSWER:
      I know many, in my personal life, who use C-paps or Bipaps. I most likely know more because I am an RT. I just found out that my Sunday school leader uses one today. We talked about it and different masks for 10 or 15 minutes.

31. QUESTION:
    Sinus trouble during sleep, need help?
    My sinuses sort of swell up, or stuff up during sleep, causing apnea and mouth breathing. I can't remember when the last decent night sleep took place. It's killing me, literally. I've heard of flonaise, etc, but what works best for opening the sinuses up? Should I try claritin? what are the long term side affects of flonaise? Usually, depending on what side I'm on, one sinus completely closes off, the other only partially opened. I do use nasal strips and they help, just not enough. Any tips, remedies, or medications that have worked for you, would be greatly appreciated.

    • ANSWER:
      Buy a Niti Cup ( i pretty sure thats what its called) it looks like a mini teapot but the spout can fi in your nose. Mix warm water with salt but not hot or too salty. Then lean over a sink and tilt your head sideways. Place the spout into the above nostrol then pour the liquid into your nose, it should come out the other nostrol. Repeat with other nostrol. If you feel like your drowning stop and lightly blow the water out of your nose, then try again while taking short full breaths through your mouth. Afterwards blow your nose.

      This method i saw on Oprah. It works by cleaning out the mucus in the nostrol passages and in the sinus areas.

      Good Luck!

32. QUESTION:
    Can sleep apnea in a child...?
    be caused by allergies, he also has eczema what i think is caused from milk allergy, could that cause his sleep apnea too.

    • ANSWER:
      I don't know, but here are some links..you could take him to a university sleep clinic or an ear nose and throat specialist...

      Eczema and Atropic Dermatitis (sebborheic dermatitis,etc)

      atropic dermatitis (eczema is one type) at govt. website

      http://www.niams.nih.gov/hi/topics/dermatitis/ffdermatitis.htm

      National eczema Association
      http://www.nationaleczema.org/lwe/aboutad.html (about atropic dermatitis)

      Government clinical trials

      http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct/gui/action/FindCondition?ui=D004485&recruiting=true

      eczema topics on medline plus (national library of medicine)

      http://search.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/qu...

      some possible vaccine problems with smallpox vaccine and people with atropic dermatitis (eczema is one type) (link above says people with eczema should NOT take the smallpox vaccine)

      http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/news/newsreleases/2006/eczema_spox.htm

      they say sometimes food allergies are involved..here are some links...

      http://www.umm.edu/altmed/ConsConditions/Eczemacc.html

      http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/pa/pa_eczema_hhg.htm

      http://kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/allergies_immune/eczema.html

      a general discussion of food allergies (govt website)

      http://www.niaid.nih.gov/factsheets/food.htm

      an eczema diet

      http://kroniknya-duniaku.blogspot.com/2006/11/eczema-diet.html

      one woman's journey

      http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/eczema.htm

      http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/eczema2.htm

      http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/eczema2.htm#cause

      another person's journey

      http://www.eczemavoice.com/forum/messages/271/48.html

      here is questions about eczema on yahoo answers

      http://ca.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20061201032215AAtOUyG

      http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20061210040314AA20M0e

      http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=ArFUqUXxCk8Ca4YzgxRP5uTsy6IX?qid=20070227120626AAdFeNs&show=7#profile-info-852395927c9364fe1e8c7cdf222d61dbaa

      http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Ag6Dt9nBMrtRRIELgyTSyO_YxQt.?qid=20070305002036AAMc1lp

      In Japan and turkey they have a treatment for it where you get into a sauna and let little fish eat off the eczema flesh.

      http://www.realself.com/blog/psoriasis_treatment_doctor_fish.html

      here is the hygiene hypothesis

      http://www.theopenpress.com/index.php?a=press&id=13747

      eczema vs psoriasis

      http://curezone.com/forums/fm.asp?i=6909

33. QUESTION:
    What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?
    Is it associated with breathlessness and snoring while sleeping? What are the other symptoms? What causes Obstructive Sleep Apnea? What are the remedies easily available? Is the lack of adequate sleep/rest a factor?

    • ANSWER:
      Obstructive sleep apnea is when the muscles in the throat relax and close during your sleep, it interrupts your breathing in interrupts your sleep. Load snoring, stopped breathing gasping in your sleep are signs. Waking up with headaches, tired through the day and trouble staying awake. The only real home remedy for it is if you are overweight to lose weight, if you are a smoker to quit smoking. But these are not sure ways of curring it. To find out if you are suffering from sleep apnea talk to you Dr. about your symptoms and or go to a respiratory specialist and the can schedule a sleep study. The treatment for sleep apnea is either a cpap or a bi-pap machine to assist you will sleeping. What they do is keep air pressure in your throat will you sleep to keep it from closing up and interfering with your sleep. There is also a surgery which is very painful and not guaranteed to work.

      It is a serious condition can lead to high blood pressure and even an enlarged heart. I highly advise seeking professional help if you suspect you have it

34. QUESTION:
    Question : Would Sleep Apnea, during pregnancy - cause a Miscarriage?
    Okay, so last year I miscarried at 6 weeks - but I didn't even find out I was pregnant for sure until I was in the middle of misscarrying (took tests religiously everday for weeks, never registered positive until 1 day into the miscarriage) - if you read back on my questions about a year ago, I had about 10 x-rays to my stomach around implantation, and 3 weeks later began to bleed heavily. I blamed the x-rays all this past year, up until the other day when I got to thinking about SLEEP APNEA and pregnancy.....there is a chance I am pregnant right now, but this had NEVER crossed my mind until recently. It would make sense right?? A woman quits breathing 59 times an hour while she's sleeping - that's a part of EVERY minute, every hour....so it's cutting off oxygen to the placenta.....anyone ever stopped and thought about this before??....Now I'm almost 100 percent sure it caused my miscarriage last year, and am terrified this time around. If I am pregnant I would be 4 1/2 - 5 weeks and I don't go back for my cpap (breathing maching) fitting until this friday, and then it will take another 10 days after that before I can get my machine from the Medical Supply store...that's IF sleep apnea caused the miscarriage a year ago....what do you think?

    • ANSWER:
      Actually, my wife developed sleep apnea during pregnancy (found out in third trimester), so we were naturally concerned. Even got the sleeping mask / cpap machine (quite late). We were concerned about oxygen levels as well, but not miscarriage. We were more worried about fetal growth retardation, birth defects/brain damage and things of that sort. Everything turned out perfectly fine.

      There has been no research found linking sleep apnea to miscarriage yet. However, there are studies linking sleep apnea to fetal growth retardation. In your case, miscarriage at 6 weeks is almost definitely not because of sleep apnea. There are a handful of more likely reasons (such as chomosomal issues) for that. This early, the baby / fetus is tiny and doesn't need much oxygen to begin with and whatever it does need it is the first one to draw it from your body. Your blood does stores oxygen, so even if you are not breathing (temporarily), your body can function. Even with sleep apnea, the oxygen saturation level is usually above 85%.

      Also, at six weeks, there is no placenta to begin with. Placenta is still forming and only takes over supplying the baby with oxygen/nutrition by 10-12 weeks.

      In second or third trimester (once placenta takes over), then it when you start to need worrying a lot more. Sleep apnea "may" cause slower fetal growth and complication if hypertension develops. So, you should definitely get the CPAP machine (get the auto one) for the pregnancy and use it.

      If you want to minimize chance of miscarriage, take progesterone suppositories and baby aspirin for the first trimester. talk to your doctor about it.

      Good luck with the pregnancy.

35. QUESTION:
    What is the cause of sleep apnea?

    i'm only 35.....wt 70 kg......waist 31.....not really a candidate for sleep apnea.......i did had sleep test done......and now i'm under study.....at present i'm using CPAP machine every night...the worst is that i will be using that machine for lifetime......it's a disater......worst is i'm single....just imagine that.....
    i'm only 35.....wt 70 kg......waist 31.....not really a candidate for sleep apnea.......i did had sleep test done......and now i'm under study.....at present i'm using CPAP machine every night...the worst is that i will be using that machine for lifetime......it's a disaster......worst is i'm single....just imagine that.....

    • ANSWER:
      there are lots of causes. more common in males, in overweight people, people over the age of 40, if you have a large neck(17inches or more in a man, 16or more in woman), if you have large tonsils or adenoids, if you have an abudance of tissue in the back of your throat, having an extra large tongue, a deviated septum, a receding chin, snoring(the repeated vibrations of the soft palate during snoring can cause the soft palate to lengthen, which can obstruct the airway), if you use alcohol or sedatives before you go to bed, if you smoke or someone else smokes a lot around you and nasal congestion/irritants/blockages. its also genetic and can be caused by other diseases as well (hypothyroidism, acromegaly, amyloidosis, vocal cord paralysis, post-polio syndrome, neuromuscular disorders, marfan's syndrome,and down syndrome).

36. QUESTION:
    Why does sleep deprivation make the symptoms of sleep apnea worse?
    I recently did a sleep study and found that I have obstructive sleep apnea and it causes me to wake up during the night - often many times. I go through cycles where the problem gets much worse, one night of poor sleep leads to another worse night of interupted sleep, and so on - sometimes for a month or even more. I have heard that sleep deprivation makes the symptoms of sleep apnea much worse, and as I am searching for the right treatments, I was just interested in finding out why - what is the mechanism that causes this? Very strenuous exercise during the day or early evening can have the same effect. Thank you for any insights.

    • ANSWER:
      Actually, sleep apnea is a condition where you actually stop breathing during sleep. For most people, this causes them to wake up quickly; for others, it's a life-threatening situation (especially for babies and small children). I imagine if you're not getting much rest, when you do finally get to sleep your body is so tired it's hard for your body to wake up when you stop breathing. Also, even though your body eventually trains itself to sleep lightly in order potentially avoid apnea, when YOU finally get some sleep your body falls into a deeper sleep. This makes it harder for your body to avoid apnea. I would advise you to get plenty of rest whenever possible. I believe you should obtain a sleep apnea monitor from your physician. This will sound an alarm to wake you up when you stop breathing, or if your oxygen saturation level drops below a certain percentage. This may alleviate some of your anxiety and help you sleep better at night. Just a thought. Good luck.

37. QUESTION:
    Question about sleep apnea and brain cancer/tumors?
    does sleep apnea cause light-headedness, dizzyness, and feeling unbalanced. i also have high blood pressure and stress out easily. in the past two nights i've been waking up shaking. the first night, 5 hrs after i went to sleep, it happend. last night two hrs. after i went to sleep, dad and sister woke me up when they got home, it happend. i also don't sleep that well because in my dream i feel like i suffocate and then wake up. the past week i was stressed out because i was going away from my parents with my cousin to my aunt's in Canada for a chek-up over there and today, day i was leaving, i didn't leave because i got pain in the middle top of my chest, but it went away, turned out to be air and gas in my chest. what is the main thing you feel when you have brain cancer/ tumor depending anywhere it would be located? Seizures right. i don't have them.i'm really feeling light headedness but it's also is hot. oh and i also felt chest tightness and presure which didn't let me breath deep. i also felt head pressure and dizzy, but when i forgot about it,or rested on the bed, it went away. is this all caused because of sleep apnea. i haven't gone to the docter or sleep speacialist,but going on tuesday to doctor so might get a sleep study done to so don't say go to doctor.

    • ANSWER:
      I have sleep apnea,but have never had those problems.I doubt it's brain cancer but you should talk to your doctor on tuesday when you see him.

38. QUESTION:
    Are sleep paralysis and sleep apnea related?
    Are sleep paralysis and sleep apnea related in any way? Because when i get sleep paralysis, i find sometimes that i am not breathing.. Or maybe it's my imagination.
    Also can sleep apnea be caused by hear problems? If so, what are they? And will the doctor give you treatment for sleep apnea if you only get it sometimes?
    thank you for your time. <3
    also, is it rare for teenagers 14 years old to have sleep apnea?

    • ANSWER:

39. QUESTION:
    Am I experiencing Sleep Apnea?
    Since I have gained weight (close to 45 lbs, yikes) I have noticed that on some nights, I will be falling asleep or have just fallen asleep, when I cannot breathe and wake up. Then I am able to breathe again just fine and reposition myself and go back to sleep. It does not happen very often. But something that has been happening every few days, is that I am almost asleep, or have just fallen asleep, and my heart begins to beat at an extremely rapid pace; so fast that I cannot even count the beats and I get very scared. But then I sit up and after a few minutes, my heart beat will return to normal and I am able to go back to sleep. Could this be Sleep Apnea? Can Sleep Apnea cause damage to my heart? I am working hard to lose weight and have completely changed my eating habits: I've cut down considerably on my caffeine and only eat fruits, vegetables, lean meats, low-fat dairy and whole grains (occassionally). Does anyone know what this might be? I do not lay there and worry or think about anything at night, but could it be an anxiety attack or possibly Asthma?

    • ANSWER:
      Yours is case of tachycardia(fast heart beat) associated with Sleep Apnea syndrome. Have a look......

      Tachycardia is often associated with sleep disorder called Sleep Apnea Syndrome(SAS). SAS is a condition in which during sleep the breathing stops for a few seconds when oxygen concentration falls and CO2 rises and the then the person suddenly wakes up. Many heart beat rhythm problems are associated with SAS, some might be serious.

      A sleep test, called polysomnography is usually done to diagnose sleep apnea. There are two kinds of polysomnograms. An overnight polysomnography test involves monitoring brain waves, muscle tension, eye movement, respiration, oxygen level in the blood and audio monitoring. (for snoring, gasping, etc.) The second kind of polysomnography test is a home monitoring test.

      A 24-hour Holter heart monitor can detect the reason for increased heart rate. EKG or Echo can not record these changes. My advice is to undergo investigation from this angle. Good Luck.

40. QUESTION:
    Does sleep apnea cause Insomnia?.?
    i've had insomnia for little more then 6 months, wasn't bad enough to get the cpap machine, well i came down with sinusitus about 5 days ago, and ever sence i've had trouble sleeping, like either i sleep a little or i dont at all.. dr's perscribed me Zolpidem to sleep but that only let me sleep for a good 3-4 hours, they also perscribed me antibiotics Omixicilin for infection, and Prednisone for my asthma, wich the prednisone kinda made my breathing a little better so i thought i'd sleep a little better ( wich i kinda do but not a whole lot) and i've been taking that in the morning cause i know it can make you stay up. but i think this is causing anxiety too.. cause i kinda freak out that i cant sleep so i get all worried and stuff.. and i'm really tired i just want to sleep.. i'm getting a sleep study done soon so i can get a machine.. but i wanted to know what i could do mean time. it's really starting to get to me.

    • ANSWER:
      Sleep apnoea is a condition in which you stop breathing in your sleep, often because the airways relax too much & become blocked. Sufferers often don't know they have the condition becuase you only wake up for a few seconds to breathe & you don't remember doing it in the morning. Often your partner will be the person who realises. Have you been told you have sleep apnoea then? It is often caused by obesity. If you do have sleep apnoea your doctor can help you becuase it will affect your quality of sleep.
      I don't think it can be direcly related to insomnia. Perhaps you are worried about falling asleep & not being able to breathe? The anxiety could be causing the insomnia.
      Until you have your sleep study, you could get somebody to sleep in the same room as you & see if you wake up in the night. Also, losing weight if you're overweight & stopping smoking if you smoke can help. And try some meditation/ warm milk/ warm bath before bed to help you relax a bit.
      Good luck

41. QUESTION:
    do the devices used for sleep apnea cause dehydration, or mouth dryness? and if so, what is prevention?

    • ANSWER:
      yes these devices can be uncomfortable and will cause your mouth to be very dry. try to use nasal prongs rather than the full face mask----drink plenty of water.

42. QUESTION:
    Is sleep apnea a result of obesity, or is obesity a cause of sleep apnea.?
    My doctor thinks I may have sleep apnea and wants me to be evaluated through a sleep test. Well, my insurance won't pick that cost up, and it's an expensive evaluation. Looking at the machines available, it seems a much more cost effective route to pick up a machine, and if there are no perceived benefits, then just put it away. There are several machines that are much more affordable, compared to the cost of the test.

    That issue aside . . . I am in fact overweight. And my neck is thick (always has been, even when I was slender and in great physical shape). So taking into consideration the neck thickness issue. I think my most important hurdle is to get my weight down and manage it, along with a healthy diet, and an exercise regimen.

    I realize sleep apnea has a detrimental effect on one's health, and is said to lead to obesity. But from my understanding most people with sleep apnea are in fact overweight. So is weight a larger contributor to sleep apnea . . or is sleep apnea a larger contributor to being overweight?

    I just feel that correcting my unhealthy life choices would be much more beneficial, reduce my chances for heart attack, and other related problems, and the lack of excess weight should relieve a lot of burden on my body including help my sleep.

    I realize that it isn't necessarily one or the other . . that a better lifestyle is what one should always shoot for. I just feel the sleep test is an unnecessary cost as I can buy the machine cheaple in comparison to the cost of the test, and also, if i were to consider taking the test . . wouldn't it make far better sense to get my weight down to a healthy level before shelling out the $$ for a test that will be swayed by my weight in the first place.

    Any flaws in my thoughts on this subject?

    • ANSWER:
      Which came first - the chicken or the egg? This is a hard question to answer, as many people with sleep apnea are overweight, but people with undiagnosed sleep apnea feel the need to eat more due to sleep deprivation and lack of energy.
      I have many many customers with sleep apnea who are not overweight, and I myself have sleep apnea and am not overweight. Most sleep apnea is caused by a small jaw. It is my opinion that obese people may be the first to be diagnosed due to being unhealthy, and possibly having other health issues.
      Unfortunately, it's not usually possible to cure sleep apnea through weight loss, as even if the weight is shed, the fat will remain in the neck.
      Sleep apnea is a serious 'condition' so do your best to get that sleep test. Good Luck!

43. QUESTION:
    what can cause obstructive sleep apnea?

    • ANSWER:
      Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is caused by a blockage of the airway, usually when the soft tissue in the rear of the throat collapses and closes during sleep. In central sleep apnea, the airway is not blocked but the brain fails to signal the muscles to breathe. Mixed apnea, as the name implies, is a combination of the two. With each apnea event, the brain briefly arouses people with sleep apnea in order for them to resume breathing, but consequently sleep is extremely fragmented and of poor quality.

44. QUESTION:
    Sleep apnea induced seizure in a non-epileptic patient?
    Is there a relationship?

    I know that it is well documented that sleep apnea can cause seizures in a patient diagnosed with epilepsy but what about in a patient with no clinical history of epilepsy or seizure disorder. I can't seem to find any difinitive references on the subject.

    • ANSWER:
      Sleep apnea causes sleep deprivation and hypoxia...both of which will lower the seizure threshold. "Non-epileptic" patients that have seizures related to sleep apnea probably have some predisposition to seizures that would not otherwise be identified if it weren't for the stressors related to the apnea.

      As a pharmacist you are probably well aware, but its a cruel relationship that some AEDs may actually worsen apnea due to central respiratory depression and reduced tone of respiratory musculature.

45. QUESTION:
    Life threatening sleep apnea caused by precognitive dreams. NEED HELP!?
    My boyfriend has precognitive dreams almost every night. Sometimes he'll dream of someone suffocating or being shot/stabbed.
    The other night he woke me up by thrashing and gasping for air. His eyes were were rolled back and he was choking. I tried waking him up but it didn't work; after that he got weak and started passing out, so I panicked and gave him mouth to mouth (yes I know its extremely stupid and dangerous to give mouth to mouth to someone who's heart is beating or something, but i freaked!). It worked. I got air flowing again and he woke up gasping and scared....he said I saved his life.

    Im afraid of how serious this is. What if next time no one is there to help, or i just don't wake up? (he's had a full out seizure once because of a serious precognition so it's not like im just paranoid)
    What do I do? What can be done to help him? is there any way to wake someone up from a precognitive dream?

    • ANSWER:
      His dreams are called nightmares...and are not causing the sleep apnea...the sleep apnea is most likely causing the nightmares. For whatever reason, he stops breathing while he's sleeping and that transfers into his dreams of someone being suffocated...kind of the same way an alarm clock will go off and it melds into the dream of the sleeping person and becomes part of the dream.

      He needs to get to a sleep disorder clinic and have a sleep study done. Obstructive sleep apnea is a medical disorder and can cause A LOT of serious medical problems if not treated.

46. QUESTION:
    I have sleep obstructive apnea and I'm only in my twenties...?
    What treatment options are there besides cpap cause I really don't want to have to use the face mask every night. Plus I was wondering if sleep apnea could cause anxiety and breathing difficulty during the day. I have been checked out by several doctors and I don't have any other serious conditions but I'm worried about the long term effects and complications of sleep apnea. I want to lose weight I heard that could help significantly(I'm about 50 lbs overweight).

    • ANSWER:

47. QUESTION:
    What reason besides sleep apnea could be causing severe sleepiness?
    My CPAP is not making the severe sleepiness go away. I get so sleepy I trip over things and am like being drunk. Yes-the sleep apnea was severe.

    • ANSWER:
      ask your homecare company to put you on a auto-titrating cpap machine for 2-3 weeks, it will record your optimal cpap pressure and let you know how your mask is fitting and your leak factor,perhaps you need to use a heated humidifer if you are not already, nd maybe you need to try a different interface like a full face mask or nasal pillows. your pressure may not be accurate, you may have restless leg syndrome, although your PSG should have picked this up.
      My best guess is you have poor sleep hygiene, you should go to bed the same time 7 days a week, exercise daily, proper diet, and use the bedroom only for sleep and intimacy- no reading or tv, computer in bed. Stress in your life can also leed to poor sleep, bruxism or grinding of teeth, an improperly warm sleep environment, poor mattress, sleeping with disruption , IE dog, sleep partner, children can all result in poor sleep.
      Hope this helps.

48. QUESTION:
    Sleep apnea? What is causing me to be CONSTANTLY tired in class?
    I used to be so happy to enter class and learn, but ever since I turned 14 (im now 15) i've just entered class sulking and tired. I have no will to learn.
    Am I tired? What is causing me to be so tired? I sleep 9 hours a night!

    • ANSWER:

49. QUESTION:
    What causes frequent waking during sleep?
    It is not due to having to use the bathroom, and I do not have issues with snoring or breathing (such as sleep apnea) during sleep. It just seems that I happen to wake every few hours (about two to three) for no apparent reason. I'll dream, wake, dream again, wake, etc. I am often still exhausted even after eight or nine hours of sleep, and have heard that the waking can interfere with the benefits of sleep.

    Does anyone know of anything that could be causing this. I haven't always had this waking problem, it is fairly recent.

    • ANSWER:
      Some people are just light sleepers, I guess.

50. QUESTION:
    I have "central sleep apnea." What is this? What causes it? Is there treatment?
    I already had a sleep study, and the doctors said I had apnea, but it was "central apnea." They said I would stop breathing 20+ times during the night. My follow-up MRI was normal. No brain injury, damage or tumor--glad to hear THAT! I am not overweight, and they told me a PPAP or other sleep machine would NOT help me. I would like to know more about "central sleep apnea."

    • ANSWER:
      In pure central sleep apnea , the brain's respiratory control centers are imbalanced during sleep. Blood levels of carbon dioxide, and the neurological feedback mechanism that monitors it do not react quickly enough to maintain an even respiratory rate, with the entire system cycling between apnea and hyperpnea(faster breathing). The sleeper stops breathing, and then starts again. There is no effort made to breathe during the pause in breathing: there are no chest movements and no struggling. After the episode of apnea, breathing may be faster for a period of time, a compensatory mechanism to blow off retained waste gases and absorb more oxygen.In central sleep apnea, the basic neurological controls for breathing rate malfunctions and fails to give the signal to inhale, causing the individual to miss one or more cycles of breathing. Possible causes of central sleep apnea include heart or neuromuscular disorders, and treating those conditions may help.
      Here are a couple of treatments you could ask your physician about:
      Bilevel positive airway pressure (bi-PAP). Unlike CPAP, which supplies steady, constant pressure to your upper airway as you breathe in and out, bi-PAP builds to a higher pressure when you inhale and decreases to a lower pressure when you exhale. The goal of this treatment is to boost the weak breathing pattern of central sleep apnea. Some bilevel PAP devices can be set to automatically deliver a breath if the device detects you haven't taken a breath after so many seconds.
      Adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV). This more recently approved airflow device is designed to treat central sleep apnea and complex sleep apnea. The device learns your normal breathing pattern and stores the information into a built-in computer. After you fall asleep, the machine uses pressure to normalize your breathing pattern and prevent pauses in your breathing.
      Courtesy Mayo Clinic