Tonsillectomies help breathing problems in children

When tonsillectomies were first performed, they were mainly done as a way to combat recurrent sore throats. Yet, after a study was done in 1980, showing that only children with severe sore throats benefitted from the procedure, it was not performed as widely. However, tonsillectomies are now on the rise again.

According to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2006 nearly 530,000 tonsillectomies were done on children 15 and younger.

This spike is believed to be because of chronic snoring, breathing issues, and sleep problems. The tonsils are clusters of tissues located on both sides in the back of the throat. They can become enlarged and obstruct the upper airway. Almost 2 percent of children have obstructive sleep apnea according the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM).

Most children see their symptoms improve within 6 months after the surgery. Tonsils have been associated with respiratory illness, sinus infections, ear disease and sleep disorders. The American Academy of Pediatrics says that before getting the procedure, children should be submitted to a sleep study so that a proper diagnosis can be made.

To find out if you or your child has sleep apnea, visit an AASM accredited sleep center to have a sleep study done.

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

Urban Air Pollution Spikes Sleep Disordered Breathing

Add sleep-disordered breathing to the list of health ailments associated with heavy air pollution. New findings may further fuel the green movement by providing another reason to curb emissions.

People living in highly-polluted urban areas get poorer quality sleep, which is often plagued by breathing problems. The effects only get worse during the sweltering summer heat, when ozone alerts are often issued.

Sleep disordered breathing and air pollution both increase the risk for cardiovascular disease.

The study published in the June issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine used data from the Sleep Heart Health Study (1995-1998), a project exploring the cardiovascular symptoms of sleep-disordered breathing.

The authors narrowed down the field of participants from around 6,000 to about 3,000 to include residents from seven places: Framingham, Mass., Minneapolis, Minn., New York, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Sacramento, Calif., and Tucson, Ariz.

Researchers cross-referenced the results from the Sleep Heart Health Study with pollution data from those cities during the period of the original study. The Sleep Heart Health Study looked at trends in sleep quality, blood oxygen levels and number of breathing pauses. It included controls for external risk factors, such as smoking.

Results show a spike in sleep-disordered breathing cases when the temperature increased, along with pollution levels.

The authors speculate sleep disordered breathing may be more prevalent in poor urban environments. These types of neighborhoods are often exposed to the brunt of automotive and industrial air pollution.

Residents of low-income areas are especially at risk for sleep-disordered breathing due to the lack of nutritious food options in low-income areas. Because grocery store chains stay clear of these “food deserts” residents opt for fast food or the junk food sold at liquor stores. The rate of obesity, a risk-factor for obstructive sleep apnea, is generally higher in these neighborhoods.

There are a few things you can do to counteract urban pollution and prevent breathing pauses. The Sleep Education blog recommends staying in an air conditioned area when an ozone alert is issued or the temperatures are high. Over the counter allergy medication may also reduce allergies from the pollution.

If this does not result in more restful sleep or your family or partner continues to notice pauses in breathing you may have obstructive sleep apnea. In this case we recommend you seek treatment at an AASM accredited sleep center.

Image by Ben Amstutz

Study: Sleep-disordered breathing swells in the summer months

Summertime may spell sleep complications for children with seasonal allergies. Some children develop temporary sleep-disordered breathing similar to sleep apnea about the time school gets out.

The results of a study (#0392) featured at SLEEP 2010, the 24th annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies LLC, may lead to new treatment strategies.

Sleep-disordered breathing in elementary school-aged children tended to continually increase from June to September before steeply dropping off in November.

Parents of 687 children in grades K-5 filled out questionnaires before each of their children underwent overnight sleep studies in a sleep laboratory in June. The authors continued to observe the children through November.

Children who had one to five breathing pauses per hour of sleep had mild sleep-disordered breathing. The frequency of these cases escalated each month. The authors included controls in the study for factors such as age, body mass index, gender and race.

It’s unclear which allergies may contribute to mild sleep-disordered breathing. Identifying and minimizing the allergic responses through medicine may alleviate the symptoms.

Past research suggests nasal problems such as chronic sinusitis and rhinitis are risk factors for mild sleep-disordered breathing.

Image by Grant MacDonald