If you’ve watched television, recently, you may have seen a commercial touting a company which claims to provide members brand new CPAP masks via mail every single month. According to the advertisement, because these masks are new and flexible, they fit better, which supposedly allows them to quell the frustrating noises typically associated with CPAP machines.

Can they do what they say?

Since mail-order masks aren’t tailored to fit the contours of each patient’s face, they can’t possibly have a significant impact on the squealing and snorting sounds associated with CPAP breathing. Even if you were lucky enough to receive a mask that fit well; you’d still be forced to endure pressure sores, rashes, and the claustrophobic feeling that can come with CPAP-use, not to mention still having to wrestle with an air hose

Although CPAP works for some, most people can’t tolerate it. For an alternative treatment, contact Dr. Roubal’s office today. When treating sleep apnea, Dr. Roubal provides each patient with personal, one-on-one attention. This helps him craft a treatment plan tailored to each patient’s needs. You won’t get that from a faceless mail-order company.

The study, which focused on non-smoking, non-obese, and non-diabetic subjects, determine that AHI is a very important predictor of a person’s likelihood of suffering from coronary artery disease. Patients who unknowingly suffer from sleep apnea and neglect treatment are often at the highest risk of suffering from coronary heart disease along with other cardiovascular health problems. The same study also determined that patients with severe levels of sleep apnea are also at an extremely high risk of having coronary heart disease. The study also suggests that a patient’s AHI measurements should be used for diagnosing and determining his or her likelihood of suffering from coronary heart disease.

Sleep Apnea Is A Serious Health Condition

Sleep apnea has and continues to be linked to a variety of health conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, obesity, dementia, and many others.

If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, treatment is the next step to a healthier life. Dr. Roubal offers a variety of sleep apnea treatments including the highly advanced DNA Appliance. To learn more about the treatments available to you, email or call our office today for a consultation.

In fact, a study conducted on 784 men over the age of 65 found that 80 percent were unable to reach the stages of deep wave sleep, also known as non-REM sleep. When stages of non-REM sleep are not achieved, the body suffers. After 3.4 years, the study found that 234 out of the 784 men had developed hypertension, which is almost one-third of all of the tested subjects. Men who were found to spend less than 4 percent of their total sleep in non-REM sleep were at the highest risk of developing hypertension. The study determined that these men not only sleep for very little each night, but are more prone to sleep interruptions which only worsen the situation.

High Blood Pressure Is Widely Diagnosed

Deep sleep is known as restorative sleep, and when the body is unable to restore itself on a daily basis, internal health problems are bound to arise. Proper sleep is not only a problem amongst men 65 and older. In fact, studies have determined that one-third of all adults in the U.S. suffer from high blood pressure, which could be linked to poor sleep due to sleep apnea. Poor quality sleep can also lead to other health problems including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and others.

If you suffer from high blood pressure along with a daily feeling of being tired, fatigued, lacking energy or the inability to concentrate, you could possibly be suffering from sleep apnea. To learn more about sleep apnea, contact Dr. Roubal today.

Dr. Roubal cannot diagnose sleep apnea; however, once a diagnosis is obtained from a sleep physician, treatment can begin. Dr. Roubal offers a variety of treatments, including the new highly advanced DNA Appliance. To learn more, simply call or email our office today! Keep your heart and your body healthy by treating sleep apnea.

Many studies have shown that – in the long run – the success rate of UPPP is very low. In fact, some studies have determined only a 25 percent success rate. With this number in mind, one may wonder why and how this surgery can be so unsuccessful. There are two main reasons: for one, in some patients, airway obstruction isn’t caused by a soft palate problem; and in other patients, the occurrence of scar tissue can recreate the problem.

What some may not realize is that sleep apnea isn’t always caused by the same underlying issue. While UPPP may be a successful way to treat OSA in some patients, it isn’t the most viable method for each and every sleep apneic. For example, surgery isn’t ideal for patients who suffer from OSA due to the position of their jaw when the mouth closes. In some patients, when the mouth closes, the jaw hangs. This leaves the airway vulnerable to obstruction, as the tongue can roll back into the throat during sleep. Surgery wouldn’t be able to correct this problem.

Scar Tissue Can Be Just As Damaging

In other patients, the growth of scar tissues can work against the goal of surgery. When the tissues in the throat or any other place within the body are cut, the body’s natural reaction is to produce scar tissue. Though scar tissue may not be problematic in all patients; for some, high amounts of scar tissue can be just as dangerous as the original soft tissues that were removed during surgery.

While surgery can be successful in some patients; it’s important to remember that surgery is irreversible, invasive and expensive. For these reasons, it’s ideal to exhaust all alternative sleep apnea treatment methods before using surgery for treatment. If you want to learn more about sleep apnea and the available treatments, including the DNA Appliance, contact Dr. Roubal today. Call or email Dr. Roubal’s office to schedule a sleep apnea consultation today.

A recent story posted online described the accounts of a woman who sleeps next to her CPAP-using husband each night. She described the machine as one that causes whooshing noises, as well as “mask farts” and even high-pitched squeals. To help reduce such noises, some can have their CPAP mask adjusted; however, this doesn’t always work.

While the noises caused by a CPAP machine are enough to have some sleep apneics seeking another option, others stray from the technology because they simply don’t want to wear a mask each night. For many patients, wearing a mask is too unnatural, and for patients with claustrophobia, it can be downright scary. Because of this, some sleep apneics are said to be CPAP-intolerant, which in some cases causes a patient to neglect treatment altogether.

CPAP is the gold standard and the go-to method of treatment for patients diagnosed with sleep apnea; however, the treatment doesn’t work for everyone. Patients should know that there are other treatment options, such as oral appliance therapy, that have proved to be just as effective. To learn more about sleep apnea and alternative treatments, contact Dr. Roubal’s office today by phone or by clicking here.

The study also indicated what many mothers have known for a long time: that being a mom is a job in itself. In fact, motherhood may be a contributing factor to sleep apnea. The study found that 72 percent of working moms suffered from insomnia. Age also appears to increase the risk of sleep problems in women. According to the researchers, women over 50 are highly likely to suffer from some type of sleep disorder.

One of the most common sleep disorders diagnosed in women is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Like other types of sleep apnea, OSA is known to cause daytime fatigue, a lack of energy, and nightly sleep deprivation.

It doesn’t matter if you are a man or woman; you can suffer from sleep apnea. While some women may be at a higher risk, sleep apnea and other sleep disorders can be diagnosed in anyone at any time. Undergoing a sleep study is the only way to properly diagnose any type of sleep disorder, including sleep apnea. Contact Dr. Roubal’s office today to learn more about sleep apnea and how proper treatment can change your life.

Acurest, a company specializing in the creation of CPAP nasal masks, now offers personally-designed and fitted masks in an attempt to help minimize the discomfort of normal CPAP masks. The company offers masks designed to take the sleep apnea sufferer’s facial shape into consideration. With a more customized mask, Acurest hopes to provide a new level of comfort.

Are Personalized Masks The Answer To All CPAP Complaints?

On its own, CPAP is a very dependable treatment for sleep apnea; however, while new masks may solve one of the many complaints that CPAP-users have, the fact is that newly designed masks are not a foolproof fix. In many cases, any type of mask is an inconvenience for sleep apnea sufferers, especially for claustrophobic patients and those who live in humid climates, where the mask may be uncomfortable due to environmental temperatures.

The uncomfortable mask isn’t the only common complaint associated with CPAP machines. Some users also find the machine too noisy, too immobile, and just not suited to their lifestyle. For these types of people, oral appliance therapy is a much better option.

To learn more about oral appliance therapy as a treatment for sleep apnea, call Dr. Roubal’s office to schedule a consultation. Oral appliance therapy does not involve the use of a machine and is much more comfortable when compared to CPAP. Call or email our office today to learn more about this alternative sleep apnea treatment.

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Another NFL player who also suffers from a sleep disorder has recently spoken out. JaMarcus Russell, the Oakland Raiders’ #1 draft pick of 2007 seemed to have a promising career. At 6’7, Russell had an amazing throwing arm, though when the regular season began, he played as though he had no skills at all. But Russell blames his lacking work ethic on sleep apnea, a condition that he says interfered with his overall physical condition.

According to Russell, sleep apnea caused him to become lethargic at practices and less-than-alert when the team sat down to watch films. Russell didn’t know that he had sleep apnea until the Raider’s quarterback coach John DeFilippo suggested that he undergo a sleep study after getting tired during each practice despite the fact that his nightlife was rather calm and was spent at home relaxing.

A Sleep Study Can Be Life-changing

After undergoing a sleep test, Russell was diagnosed with sleep apnea though there is no word as to whether or not he has undergone treatment for his sleep apnea either through the use of CPAP or oral appliances.

Whether you’re a quarterback for an NFL team or just an average person, it’s clear that sleep apnea can impact anyone at anytime. If left untreated, sleep apnea can ruin careers and even lead to death. If you find that you are commonly fatigued, restless when you try to sleep, or have issues concentrating, now is the time to undergo a sleep study provided by a sleep physician. A positive diagnosis means that you’ll want to seek sleep apnea treatment. Dr. Roubal can provide you with a variety of sleep apnea treatment options for you to try before having to resort to CPAP or surgery. Call or click here to email our office today.

Sleep apneics who need to lose weight may benefit from a low-energy diet combined with traditional treatment options for sleep apnea. Because being overweight can further harm a patient already suffering from sleep apnea, weight loss is a crucial part in successful treatment. In fact, a study conducted at Korlinska Institute found that a low-energy diet (Cambridge diet), exercise, and proper counseling all benefited patients diagnosed with sleep apnea. The finished study went on to show that out of all of the participants, after losing weight for a year, 48% did not use CPAP anymore, but only 10% of participants saw their OSA disappear.

Sleep apneics who are overweight, according to this study and many others, will benefit not only from traditional sleep apnea treatment methods but also weight loss. Unfortunately, because only 10% of patients who lose weight actually “cure” their sleep apnea, sleep apnea must be tackled from two different sides, further increasing one’s chance of a successful treatment. If you are overweight and have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, it is critical to find the sleep apnea treatment that is right for you. Work with Dr. Roubal to learn more about sleep apnea, treatment types, and what you can expect after treatment.

Ready to begin? Contact our office or email us through our website. You can also click here to complete our sleep evaluation form.