New to all of this - would appreciate some help

[mmacdonald]

Hi everyone,

I think my wife has sleep apnea, as she has some of the symptoms (at least I think they're symptoms - I read them on Wikipedia).

Even though we think she might have it, she refuses to get diagnosed - largely, I think, out of fear of having to use a CPAP machine.

My wife has had panic attacks in the past, and she also feels claustrophobic easily. So the idea of sleeping with a mask on her face completely freaks her out.

I have a question that has probably been asked on this forum many times before, but I'll ask again anyway: is there a "natural" cure for sleep apnea, or any kind of natural treatment that reduces its severity? The reason I ask is that my wife has always been into yoga and asian-type remedies, so I think she'd get diagnosed if she know there was an alternative to CPAP.

Thanks a lot for your help!

Mark MacDonald

[James @ Intus]

Hi Mark,

Welcome to the forums. It's often the partner sussing things out but 9 out of ten times it's the wife enquiring on behalf of the husband.

First off, here's a good way to work out more symptoms and whether they relate to sleep apnoea. It's a set of questionnaires that will give you instant results: http://www.sleep-tests.co.uk

She's not the only one scared about the mask but she should really see that separately from getting diagnosed. Research is literally flooding in saying that even mild sleep apnoea puts people at a long list of scary things including heart failure so a sleep study is the very least she should do to at least understand where she's at. It's important to know whether she has it and if so, how bad it is. This will go a long way to finding out whether the mask is really necessary.

Even though it's slightly premature as you can never know for sure unless you've had a sleep study like pulse oximetry done, there are alternatives to the mask.

First off, most OSA cases are born out of being overweight. You didn't mention whether she is or isn't, but if she is above a healthy BMI, loosing it will most likely go a long way to improving the sleep apnoea situation. Whether naturally or by means of an operation, it can bring about dramatic improvements.

Weightloss and operations aside, the other only real alternative for at least mild and moderate cases (for severe apneics to a lesser degree) is Oral Appliance Therapy such as with the SomnoDent MAS. Without a mask and by being able to open the mouth as normal, patients experience no claustrophobic feelings. There are many such splints out there and again, it's important to know how severe she is but a custom fit one is required to make it a decent OSA treatment.

If she turns out to be mild, she can try the singing-for-snorers or didgederoo playing. Those are the most alternative forms of treatment there are and whilst results are mixed, it could be worth a try in a bid to avoid the mask and air pump. And there's the possibility of reducing apnoea events by ensuring she sleeps on her side (but again, a sleep study will tell more). She can get PJs with a ball sewn in the back to avoid lying on the back. But none of these have results as quick and reliable as Positive Airway Pressure and Oral Appliance Therapy. Not fully treating OSA can be a risk, especially when there's other health issues involved already (diabetes, stroke etc.).

That's it really. Everything starts with a diagnosis/sleep study. If she doesn't, and just embarks on one of the abovementioned methods, she could be still suffering from something else entirely.

[mmacdonald]

Thanks very much for your thoughtful response, James - it is greatly appreciated.

I will certainly ask my wife to complete your online questionnaire.

I have one further question, if you don't mind: do you know where I can get additional information on the singing for snorers and digeridoo therapy? In particular, I'd like to read about people this kind of therapy has helped.

Thanks again,

Mark

[James @ Intus]

Someone experienced with the didgeridoo posted here on the forums:

http://forums.cpap.co.uk/showthread.php?t=318&highlight=didgeridoo

Singing for Snorers info can be found here:

http://www.singingforsnorers.com/

Telegraph article on it here:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/main.jhtml?xml=/health/2007/03/17/hsnore17.xml

A few peoplpe on the BSSAA forum are big on it:

http://www.britishsnoring.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=3226

[mmacdonald]

Great - thanks again, James. Will follow up on the links you've provided.

Mark