CPAP Helps Vets with Gulf War Syndrome, Breathing Problems

A machine and a mask go a long way towards improving the lives of the men and women who fought for their country during the first Gulf War. A small pilot study suggests CPAP can reduce the symptoms of Gulf War Syndrome and sleep-disordered breathing for veterans.

The study, published Friday in Sleep and Breathing, involved a small sample of Gulf War veterans with sleep disordered breathing and gulf war syndrome. Eight veterans were prescribed three weeks of therapeutic CPAP in the double-blind study. Nine others used a fake, non-functional version of CPAP. Before and after treatment, each participant answered questionnaires about pain, fatigue, cognitive function, sleep disturbance and general health.

All of the veterans who received therapeutic CPAP reported significant improvements across the board compared to the control group. More in-depth research with larger samples is needed before clinicians can recommend CPAP for Gulf War Syndrome. Currently there is no treatment.
The Institute of Medicine reports more than one-third of the 700,000 Gulf War vets complain of symptoms associated with Gulf War Syndrome. The symptoms vary from gastrointestinal illness, confusion and numbness, to vertigo, mood swings, fatigue and chronic pain.

The cause of Gulf War Syndrome is still officially unknown. The common belief is exposure to airborne environmental hazards associated with the war including toxic chemicals and dust led to many of the cases. It remains a mystery why some troops developed the chronic illness after only a short tour of duty while others who served for years in the field remained healthy. It’s suspected that some troops were genetically predisposed to Gulf War Syndrome.

Another recent study shows another group of American heroes also have an elevated rate of sleep-disordered breathing. The rescue workers who rushed to the wreckage of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 sacrificed their own health to save lives during the country’s darkest hours.

CPAP is the front-line treatment for sleep apnea and sleep-disordered breathing. Whether you are a veteran, rescue worker or civilian you may discover more restful sleep and improve their overall quality of life by seeking treatment at an AASM-accredited sleep center.

Photo courtesy U.S. Army Korea

Dreams, Nightmares and 9/11

Today marks the eighth anniversary of the terrorist attacks against the U.S. on Sept. 11, 2001.

“Nearly 3,000 days have passed -- almost one for each of those taken from us,” President Obama said at a wreath-laying ceremony at the Pentagon. “But no turning of the seasons can diminish the pain and the loss of that day.”

Did that pain and loss affect our dreams in the days and weeks after 9/11? A study published in the journal Sleep in 2008 offers some answers.

The study involved 11 men and 33 women. For years they had been keeping a written record of all their dreams. Each participant submitted written accounts of 20 dreams for the study. These were the last 10 dreams they recorded before 9/11 and the first 10 dreams recorded after the attacks.

The 880 dreams were analyzed for features such as central image, intensity, emotion and vividness. They also were scored for content involving attacks, tall buildings and airplanes.

Results show a significant increase in the presence and intensity of a central image in dreams after 9/11. The researchers conclude that this change springs from an increased emotional arousal after 9/11.

Surprisingly, there was no increase in dream content involving airplanes or tall towers. There also were no “replay dreams.” None of the 440 post-9/11 dreams portrayed the events that were replayed time and again on television.

But there was a trend in these dreams to more content involving attacks. The dreamer was almost always the victim or potential victim. Attacks involved animals or monsters, violent criminals or battle scenes.

In these results the authors find support for the Contemporary Theory of Dreaming. The theory states that dreams are guided by the emotion of the dreamer. The central imagery of the dream depicts the dreamer’s emotion.

Earlier this week the Sleep Education Blog reported that smells can affect the emotional content of dreams. In May the blog reported on treatments for recurring nightmares.

Read more about the study of dreams and 9/11 on SleepEducation.com. Learn about dreams and nightmares and nightmare disorder.

Image by Brian Boyd