Snoring Isn't Sexy

This blog has moved

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Larry Barsh) — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 11:22:00 +0000

This blog is now located at http://snoringisntsexy.blogspot.com/.
You will be automatically redirected in 30 seconds, or you may click here.

For feed subscribers, please update your feed subscriptions to
http://snoringisntsexy.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default.

Will oral appliances byk taxed as well?

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Larry Barsh) — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 11:19:00 +0000

A bit of distressing news came across my desk this AM.

Ask Mike Amory where it hurts and the owner of a medical equipment supply business points to the health care reform signed into law last week.

The money to pay for a portion of the nearly $1 trillion overhaul package is coming out of the pockets of him and other business owners facing new taxes on the medical devices. The law imposes a $20 billion excise tax over 10 years on manufacturers of the power wheelchairs, sleep apnea, respiratory and other equipment sold at Amory Medical Associates.

[Emphasis added]

Since oral appliance therapy has been classified as a DME, does this mean that there will be a tax on an oral appliance as well?

We will just have to wait and find out.

Dr. Barsh

Choosing a dentist for Oral Appliance Therapy

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Larry Barsh) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 12:57:00 +0000

I know I've talked about this before but as more and more dentists start to provide oral appliance therapy for snoring and sleep apnea, it becomes more important that you, the patient, become more and more aware of the necessity to choose a dentist for this therapy with care and consideration.

Every dentist legally can provide this therapy but this does not mean that every dentist is qualified to do so. Treating snoring and sleep apnea - both problems with serious medical consequences - with a dental device is not dentistry. It is medicine and has to be approached differently than restoring a decayed tooth or replacing a tooth with a dental implant.

Remember that oral appliance therapy is not part of any undergraduate dental school curriculum at this time. Tufts Dental School is the only school (so far) that offers a post doctoral course in dental sleep medicine. This means that most education in this field is provided by continuing education course which, unfortunately, do vary in quality. No organization rates the quality of the courses or the qualifications of the presenters so it is up to you to question the dentist you select to provide this treatment.

I would like to refer you to the web page we have written on this subject as a guideline to choosing a dentist.

Happy Holidays

Dr. Barsh

The Internet and Medicine

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Larry Barsh) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 11:57:00 +0000

In an article today on Medpage Today by Lauren Cox of ABC Medical News Unit describes the 10 Top Medical Advances of the Decade. Among them was"Doctors and Patients Harness Information Technology."

She writes

Patients may not even think of it as they sign in with a pad and pen, then sit in the waiting room while the nurse pulls their file. But doctors say the Internet and information technology has actually changed the way they practice medicine for the better. Even doctors need to look things up from time to time.

"Early in practice, if I had a clinical question to research, I had to go to the library, pull out multiple years of the Index Medicus, look up the topic, write down the references, go to the stacks and pull the volumes of journals, find the article, read the article, go to the copy machine and make a copy& if I were lucky, I would have my answer in about four hours," said John Messmer, MD, associate professor at the Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey.

"Now I can be on rounds and in five minutes have more information on the topic than I need& on my iPod Touch, I can look up a medication, check the formulary to see if it's covered, check for interactions with a patient's other meds and double-check details of the pharmacology of the med plus quickly review the problem I am treating, and I don't even have to go online," said Messmer.

Information technology has also, to some degree, made life safer for the patient. Once admitted to a hospital, they get a bar code which matches their blood samples and their IVs.

"The ways in which computer systems are improving hospital care& are pervasive and radical," explained Margaret Humphreys, MD, PhD, editor of the Journal of the History of Medicine.

But many physicians have been reluctant to go digital because there is a significant upfront investment, which is why several of the healthcare reform measures now before Congress include provisions to underwrite some of this cost.

And with or without reform, the Obama administration has an ambitious program aimed at converting paper records to electronic health records. It has earmarked $20 billion to pay for the switch-over and named medical IT wonk David Blumenthal, MD, to serve as National Coordinator for Health Information Technology.

Snoring Isn't Sexy is proud to be able to provide information on dentistry's role in the recognition and management of snoring and sleep apnea without government or funding from commercial sources.

The information and availability of resources to help manage snoring and sleep apnea have been brought to you solely by the dentists and physicians who are members of Snoring Isn't Sexy and, thus, have been able to remain unbiased with no obligation to any outside influence.

Dr. Barsh

Insulation Isn't Sexy

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Larry Barsh) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 11:30:00 +0000

Tuesday, December 15, 2010

(CNN) - President Barack Obama expressed his true feelings about
insulation.

"I'm calling on Congress to provide new, temporary incentives for
Americans to make energy efficiency retrofit investment in their
homes, and we want them to do it soon," said President Obama. "I know
the idea may not be very glamorous, although I get really excited
about it. We were at the round table and somebody said insulation
isn't sexy, and I disagree. Frank, don't you think? Insulation is sexy
stuff. Here's what's sexy about it: saving money."

Obama referred to someone who said "Insulation isn't Sexy"

Hmmm... Funny that phrase was never used before in Washington. And
just a couple of days after Snoring Isn't Sexy's ad appeared in the
Wall Street Journal Supplement.

Coincidence, I think not ;-)

Larry

5 Things Every Woman Should Know About Her Man's Snoring

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Larry Barsh) — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 13:21:00 +0000

"I'm too busy!" "It's nothing, it'll go away by itself." "I can't find a doctor I like." " My insurance won't cover it." "I DON'T SNORE!"

One excuse after another... We men are masters of avoiding a visit to a doctor's office. But whatever the excuse, a woman is often aware that her man is having medical issues long before he is willing to admit it. In the case of snoring and its serious counterpart, obstructive sleep apnea, stalling could be deadly.

So what do you need to know about your man's snoring?

1.Snoring is not his fault

Snoring results from a partial blockage of the airway during sleep. As a snorer breathes, air is forced through narrowed passages around loose tissue like the soft palate and uvula. As the air passes over these structures, noise is created much like the sound of a flag flapping in the breeze.

So snoring is an anatomic, medical noise that he can't control.

But it's still a problem. In 2006, Rosalind Cartwright of the Rush University Medical Center found that wives could be sleep deprived due to their husband’s snoring. This puts a strain on the marriage and creates a hostile and tense situation resulting in a high divorce rate.

2.Snoring alone can cause serious medical problems

Research at the University of New South Wales in Australia this spring found that one in four middle aged men who snore are at risk for developing brain damage while they sleep. Caroline Rae, the lead author, found that snoring associated with obstructive sleep apnea caused changes in brain energy levels that mimic the changes that happens just before dying or after a stroke.

And speaking of stroke, in 2008, a research team headed up by Sharon Lee, again in Australia, found that heavy snoring significantly increases the risk of plaque build up in the carotid arteries that supply blood to the brain. Plaque in the carotid arteries is a leading cause of stroke.

3. Snoring can be a sign of obstructive sleep apnea

When the airway becomes completely blocked, it's called obstructive sleep apnea. This blockage of the airway prevents oxygen from reaching tissues throughout the body and has been implicated in cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, obesity, depression, excessive daytime sleepiness and depression.

It has been estimated that in the United States alone 20 million men, women and children suffer from obstructive sleep apnea. Millions more snore. Of these 20 million, only about 10% have been diagnosed despite the fact that the average life span of an untreated sleep apneic is years less than those without sleep apnea.

4.Snoring and apnea can be a cause of ED

For those men with sleep apnea, erectile dysfunction may be part of the package (no pun intended). ED may be caused by long-standing intermittent decreased oxygen levels in the blood associated with episodes of obstructed breathing. What is important is that it is possible to reverse erectile dysfunction by treating snoring and sleep apnea dramatically improving the quality of life. One study showed that Cialis may ease the problem of ED, but does not totally overcome the problem in men with obstructive sleep apnea.

Snoring may even effect a man's libido. Men who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea produce lower levels of testosterone resulting in decreased sexual activity.

5.Snoring, Apnea and excessive daytime sleepiness

When complete airway blockage occurs during an apneic episode, your man will partially awaken to start breathing. Although he won't remember this in the morning, it can happen hundreds of times a night leading to fragmented sleep. As a result, he could awake with a headache and be more tired in the morning than he was the night before and tend to doze off easily while driving and at work.

According to the National Sleep Foundation's Sleep in America poll, 60% of Americans have driven while feeling sleepy and 37% admit to actually having fallen asleep at the wheel in the past year. Each year almost 2,000 people die in crashes caused by drowsy driving, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. And thousands more are injured as a result of sleepy pilots, boat captains and truck drivers.*

So what can you do to help?

Be aware!

If your man snores and stops breathing during sleep, if he has high blood pressure and if he dozes off while driving, get him to see a sleep specialist or a specially trained dentist. Help him to lose weight, help him to stop smoking, control the alcohol consumption - but most of all - make sure he gets to someone who can help.

* SnoringIsntSexy.com has launched a survey to determine the extent of sleepiness with those who interact with the public. The survey is at snoringisntsexy.com.

Sleep and the City

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Larry Barsh) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 11:55:00 +0000

There was an article in the Huffington Post yesterday entitled "Does Anyone in NYC Sleep Well Anymore?"

My wife and I live near the corner of 2nd Avenue and 70th Street, about half a block away from the construction site of the new 2nd Avenue subway line. City ordinances permit construction only between the hours of 7AM and 6PM. This morning at 5:17AM several large construction trucks with the backup signals on came by apparently the express purpose of dropping several heavy metal plates in the middle of the street. When I say dropping, I mean DROPPING.

When I called the city agency responsible for controlling noise, I was advised that indeed city ordinances permit construction only between the hours of 7AM and 6PM unless the construction company really truly feels that it must make noise. In that case the city will give them a variance.

I was also told that the EPA had no control over noise if they had a variance.

New York City can be a great place to live, but it is a lousy place to try to get a good night's sleep.

Forgive the rant, just really tired this AM and more than a little ticked off.

Dr. Barsh

Sleep and the City

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Larry Barsh) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 11:55:00 +0000

Snoring Isn't Sexy on NPR

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Larry Barsh) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 10:27:00 +0000

It's been a while since my last post and for that I apologize. Growth has been rapid at Snoring Isn't Sexy and we're averaging over 19,000 site visitors a month. Our coverage in the United States has made it easier for patients looking for an alternative to CPAP to find a qualified dentist.

The other day we were called by NPR to do an interview on oral appliance therapy. This is a welcome breakthrough after a number of years when oral appliance therapy was getting no coverage at all.

At any rate, the interview will be broadcast on Morning Edition in the Consumer health section on NPR on August 3. The interview will be available on NPR.org and, hopefully, in the Newsroom section of snoringisntsexy.com.

Please visit and comment.

Dr. Barsh

Father's Day - A perfect gift?

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Larry Barsh) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 16:31:00 +0000

Father's Day is approaching and with it an abundance of ads for over-the-counter anti-snoring devices. Unfortunately many of the over-the-counter, available on the Internet "snoring cures" might give your loved one more than he expects.

Most of the OTC devices will stop snoring (as long as they stay in the mouth and as long as the jaw muscles don't hurt too much) but they will also stop the warning signs of apnea. You see one of the signals that a bed partner has that there is a serious problem with apnea is the sudden cessation of the sound of snoring itself. In an apneic episode, snoring continues and suddenly stops followed by an explosive gasp, a partial awakening and then a return to the same series of sounds. With the OTC devices those warning sounds are obliterated. Same with the nasal strips and the devices one puts in the nostrils.

And don't forget, medical research has shown a strong correlation between snoring and stroke so as my wife says "Snoring is much more than the punchline to a bad joke."

If a loved ones snores, get him or her screened by a qualified dentist or physician. His life depends on it.

Dr. Barsh

Snoring and the Brain, CPAP and Oral Appliances

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Larry Barsh) — Tue, 19 May 2009 11:05:00 +0000

In the last few days there have been three articles released in the scientific literature that have a direct effect on those suffering with sleep apnea:

Professor Rae, in Australia, published a paper that showed that changes in brain chemistry linked to obstructive sleep apnea could be compared to the changes in brain chemistry of people who have "had a sever stroke or who are dying." She found that this may be due to a lack of oxygen reaching the brain during the apneic (lack of breathing) episodes.

In a second article, Dr. Pepin and colleagues in France reported that people who suffer from excessive daytime sleepiness may continue to be sleepy during the day even when they are treated with CPAP. There was no mention of whether patients treated with oral appliances showed the same problem.

Finally, a study from Korea found that success rates of patients treated with mandibular advancement devices (oral appliances) were actually higher in patients with the worst apnea.

What these articles show is that snoring is (as my wife points out) not the punchline to a bad joke. It is a serious problem that can and must be identified and treated appropriately. CPAP is appropriate and effective therapy but it is not the final word in the treatment of sleep apnea - residual problems do exists that must be addressed and resolution sought.

And, evidence for the efficacy of oral appliance therapy continues to grow. The option for treatment with an oral appliance must be offered to all patients with sleep apnea.

Dr. Barsh

The Kentucky Derby and Dental Sleep Medicine

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Larry Barsh) — Sat, 16 May 2009 12:15:00 +0000

I just was reading the New York Times this morning. In the sports section, there's picture of Calvin Borel, the jockey who rode the winning horse in the Kentucky Derby this year. Apparently he has conducted more than 140 interviews since winning the Derby. The article covered most of the page. Now I realize that the Kentucky Derby is big-time sports but the outcome really only influences the lives of a couple dozen people at most (with the exception of those that won a few bucks betting on the winner).

Yet when it comes to talking about oral appliance therapy for obstructive sleep apnea that can save thousands of lives, improve the health of millions and save countless dollars in medical expenses - we have to fight for an interview with the press.

Something's wrong!

Dr. Barsh

Angry that you weren't told about an alternative to CPAP?

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Larry Barsh) — Fri, 15 May 2009 15:25:00 +0000

CPAP is a wonderful therapy for thousands of patients who suffer from sleep apnea, but thousands more, for one reason or another, cannot tolerate their prescribed CPAP units. It may be irritation from the mask, it may be the feeling of being tethered to a machine, or it may be a feeling of claustrophobia.

Whatever the reason, many people simply cannot tolerate CPAP and just go without therapy because they are not being told about a medically approved alternative treatment that works nearly as well and is medically approved.

Oral appliances are small dental mouthpieces that hold the jaw in a forward position splinting the airway during sleep. Now I'm not referring to those over-the-counter devices that are being sold(illegally) over the Internet but to well-researched therapeutic appliances that are provided by dentists who have received special post-doctoral education and who work closely with their patients' physicians. The published research documents the efficacy of these appliances.

So don't be angry, just find a qualified dentist and get treated.

Dr.Barsh

The Voices of Sleep Apnea

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Larry Barsh) — Thu, 14 May 2009 16:12:00 +0000

There is a well presented blog written by Tara Parker-Pope at the New York Times web site. The link is http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/14/the-voices-of-sleep-apnea/. It's worth reading and commenting on especially if you have been treated successfully with an oral appliance.

Millions of people with undiagnosed and untreated sleep apnea suffer from heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and excessive daytime sleepiness without knowing the cause.

Obstructive sleep apnea has been causally related to many medical problems. While the conventional treatment for sleep apnea is a medical device known as CPAP (continuous positive air pressure delivered through a nasal tube) many people cannot tolerate this device.

Now there is a medically approved treatment known as oral appliance therapy that is delivered by specially trained dentists. This is not to be confused with the over-the-counter devices seen on the Internet or advertised on television. Oral appliance therapy is a treatment that has been approved by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine.

Dentists will work directly with physicians to determine if this therapy is appropriate for use for the individual patient and monitor the continuing therapy until therapeutic results are achieved.

The practice parameters for oral appliance therapy were published in the February 2006 issue of the journal Sleep. THe abstract is available at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16494092.

For more information, please visit http://www.snoringisntsexy.com

Dr. Barsh

Attention Family Physicians

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Larry Barsh) — Tue, 12 May 2009 13:25:00 +0000

It has been estimated that nearly half of the American population snores and yet snoring, which has been linked causally to carotid artery atherosclerosis , is still considered no more than a social nuisance. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which affects 20 million people in the United States alone, has been causally related to heart disease, hypertension, stroke, diabetes, obesity, sexual dysfunction and excessive daytime sleepiness. With obesity reaching epidemic proportions, the numbers will increase dramatically in the years to come.

Because of the medical ramifications of snoring and sleep apnea, recognition and management of snoring and OSA are the responsibility of every member of the health professions. Family physicians and family dentists, individually and working in concert, have a unique relationship with their patients – that being a close personal relationship that is not shared by any of the specialties. This interpersonal bond carries with it a special responsibility to recognize the medical and social problems of snoring and sleep apnea.

While continuous positive air pressure (CPAP) is still the primary treatment modality for OSA, dentistry now offers an accepted alternative in the form of an oral appliance for those patients who would rather not use CPAP and/or those who tried but cannot tolerate the CPAP.

A practice parameters paper was published in the journal Sleep in 2006 that stated

Oral appliances (OAs) are indicated for use in patients with mild to moderate OSA who prefer them to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, or who do not respond to, are not appropriate candidates for, or who fail treatment attempts with CPAP. Until there is higher quality evidence to suggest efficacy, CPAP is indicated whenever possible for patients with severe OSA before considering OAs. Oral appliances should be fitted by qualified dental personnel who are trained and experienced in the overall care of oral health, the temporomandibular joint, dental occlusion and associated oral structures. Follow‐up polysomnography or an attended cardiorespiratory (Type 3) sleep study is needed to verify efficacy, and may be needed when symptoms of OSA worsen or recur.

Oral appliance therapy (OAT) provided by a dentist who has received post-doctoral education in sleep medicine involves the use of a custom designed dental mouthpiece, much like an orthodontic appliance, worn during sleep. Oral appliances maintain the mandible in a forward position to prevent the collapse of the tongue and pharyngeal soft tissue maintaining airway patency during sleep.

Family physicians play a primary role in the management of care for their patients.
Hopefully this blog post will provide additional information that will be useful in managing treatment options for patients who snore, have observed cessation of breathing during sleep, are hypertensive and who exhibit excessive daytime sleepiness.

Dr. Barsh

Choice of Dentist to Treat Snoring and Sleep Apnea

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Larry Barsh) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 11:12:00 +0000

We often get requests at Snoring Isn't Sexy for a dentist to treat snoring and sleep apnea with an oral appliance. Just yesterday I had a request for a dentist in a city on the East Coast. Since we did not have a dentist in Snoring Isn't Sexy in that city, we referred her to a Diplomate of the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine who was not a member of Snoring Isn't Sexy.

She called his office but upon finding out that he was not a participant in her insurance plan she called a dentist who accepted her medical insurance. But accepting an insurance plan is not sufficient reason to choose a dentist for this very specific treatment. While any dentist can legally provide an oral appliance for sleep apnea, it does not mean that they are qualified to do so.

We have provided some guidelines for choosing a dentist at snoringisntsexy.com. Plese read these over before selecting a dentist to provide oral appliance therapy.

Dr. Barsh

Anti Snore device for sale on Amazon - Pay for Play Review Scheme

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Larry Barsh) — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 15:46:00 +0000

We have long warned you of the problems of do it yourself snoring devices that are sold over the internet. The many reasons for not using products like these include TMJ jaw pain, tooth movement and most of all - the possibility of disguising the more dangerous sleep apnea by eliminating the snoring and gasping sounds. Now another reason to be wary has come to the forefront.

There are reports that the sales of the Anti-Snore device has been suspended from Amazon.com because of a customer report that Anti-Snore offered him a free mouthpiece in exchange for a 5 star review. You can read the entire report at The Consumerist.

Other reviews of this product complained that it caused pain and discomfort.

Please think carefully about purchasing medical devices over the Internet. Dental mouthpieces (oral appliances) are highly effective when prescribed, inserted and monitored by a qualified dentist.

We'd like to hear from you if you have had a problem with an over-the-counter dental device for snoring and sleep apnea. Please comment on this blog posting.

Dr. Barsh

Media Ignores Drowsy Driving

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Larry Barsh) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:17:00 +0000

A press release from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health decried the fact that the press, while reporting the fact that young celebrities drink and drive, included minimal coverage of the public health aspect of this problem and stated that only 4% of the reports made any mention of injury or potential injury.

The same problem exists in the reporting of accidents caused by drowsy driving. While the press reports major incidents like oil spills, nuclear plant malfunctions and truck and bus crashes, it very rarely presents a full report of the thousands of accidents caused by the driver falling asleep at the wheel. In these myriad unreported accidents often there is only minor injury or property damage so the media ignores them instead of reporting the problem from a public health standpoint.

Drowsy driving is a serious problem that we at Snoring Isn'tSexy would like to bring to the attention of all those who snore or suspect they have or have been diagnosed with sleep apnea.

If you have ever fallenasleep at the wheel, tell us your story by commenting on this blog. No names are necessary - it is our attempt to bring alert everyone to the dangers of drowsy driving.

Dr.Barsh

Validation for Oral Appliance Therapy

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Larry Barsh) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 16:45:00 +0000

The University of Texas Health Science Center confirms that oral appliances are successful in treating patients with severe sleep apnea.

The entire press release can be read at http://www.uthscsa.edu/hscnews/singleformat.asp?newID=2976.

This is a significant breakthrough but results are limited to those appliances provided by specially educated and trained dentists and not for those appliances purchased over the internet.

Posted with permission from The University of Texas Health Science
Center at San Antonio.

Dr. Barsh

Sleep Apnea and Motor Vehicle Accidents

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Larry Barsh) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 11:20:00 +0000

The NTSB recently revisited a bus crash near Mexican Hat, Utah that occurred on January 8, 2008. In the accident 51 of the 53 passengers were ejected when the roof was sheared offthe vehicle. 9 people were killed and 43 others were injured.

The NTSB found that lack of adequate motorcoach occupant protection systems contributed to the accident's severity and that the driver was speeding.

One other factor that came out in the investigation was that the driver had been diagnosed with sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea leads to fragmented and inadequate sleep leading to excessive daytime sleepiness. Untreated sleep apnea has been implicated in many motor vehicle accidents and in the Chernobyl Disaster and the Exxon Valdez oil spill.

The lesson here is that if you or a loved one has fallen asleep at the wheel, see your physician or a qualified dentist and get evaluated for sleep apnea. Treatment can be non-invasive using CPAP or an oral appliance.

Dr. Barsh

Snoring and the News Media

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Larry Barsh) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 10:56:00 +0000

Last evening, on the CBS affiliate in New York City, Dr. Holly Phillips (the local on air doctor) presented a piece ostensibly on snoring. The story described how a CPAP unit could control snoring and renew relationships between husband and wife.

Perhaps I'm being somewhat paranoid but the title of the piece "HealthWatch: Dealing With Sleep Apnea: If Your Partner's Snoring Is Out Of Control, It Might Be Time To Have Him Or Her Try Out The A Proven Device" seemed to diss all other therapies including oral appliances which were not mentioned in the report.

Furthermore, it is highly unlikely that a CPAP machine would ever be prescribed or reimbursed for the treatment of primary snoring.

Stories like this negate the possibility that those who cannot tolerate CPAP will ever learn that there is an alternative treatment that can be lifesaving. Dentists who have taken the time and energy to study dental sleep medicine and patients who are now stabilized with an oral appliance have got to speak out.

We've got to do more

Dr. Barsh

The "We All Snore in the Same Language" Project

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Larry Barsh) — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 12:55:00 +0000

Snoring Isn't Sexy LLC announces the launch of a new micro-site www.weallsnoreinthesamelanguage.com. The site was created in response to requests from around the globe to www.snoringisntsexy.com, for information about snoring and sleep apnea. The micro-site is currently asking users in every country to send a video greeting to demonstrate that people have more similarities than differences regardless of country, skin color, religion or sexual preference. The "We All Snore in the Same Language" Project is seeking volunteers to translate the one page site into as many languages as possible. To volunteer or for more information send an email or call (888) 203-0488.

The Internet presents an opportunity for all people who suffer as a result of snoring to connect with one another, as well as to learn about treatments for their condition. The micro-site, designed with the dual purpose of unifying and educating, welcomes submissions in all languages.

Dr. Barsh

The Secret [Sex] Life of Snorers

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Larry Barsh) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 10:51:00 +0000

There's an old saying "Laugh and the world laughs with you, snore and you sleep alone." It's pretty obvious that snorers end up in separate beds, often in separate rooms but what's not so obvious is that snoring which leads to sleep apnea can seriously alter both your sexuality and your ability to perform.

Our absolutely free, no sign in required, e-book The Secret [Sex] Life of Snorers walks you through the psychological, emotional and physical side effects of snoring and sleep apnea and provides a quick look at the possible solutions including one that your physician will probably not tell you about.

One caveat, if you enjoy sleeping alone - please do not DOWNLOAD and read this e-book.

Dr. Barsh

"When Economy Sours Tootsie Rolls Soothe Souls"

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Larry Barsh) — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 11:57:00 +0000

Well folks, to follow up on its March 18th story extolling the virtues of Whoopie Pies, the New York Times has done it again with a front page story on how sugar comforts the soul in times of economic downturn. Story after story relates the comforting effect of candy during hard times and how the candy industry is reporting "rising sales and surprising profits." Not one mention anywhere of the adverse effects of increasing dietary intake of refined sugar: dental caries, obesity, diabetes, heart disease and sleep apnea.

In the past 30 days, the New York times has had no less than 19 stories about the risk of diabetes. One story published today is entitled "Awareness: Calculator Gives Risk of type 2 Diabetes." The article references another article that states "Nearly two-thirds of the United states population is overweight."

The story may have merit but by giving it a positive tone, it is essentially condoning an increased consumption of sugar. The article neither belongs on the front page nor should the bias be positive.

Anyone else feel this way?

Dr. Barsh

Too Sexy for CPAP

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Larry Barsh) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 20:23:00 +0000

Now don't get me wrong, I am in no way minimizing the importance of CPAP. CPAP is still the first choice for treating obstructive sleep apnea. The problem is that compliance is low. (Compliance is the adherence to the time and pressure setting recommended for a patient to utilize the CPAP unit.) Sometimes lack of compliance is discomfort, sometimes air leakage, sometimes a claustrophobic feeling and sometimes it's just emotionally unsettling.

There are a growing number of couples whose sexuality has been disrupted by sleep problems and even by their solutions. Lack of adequate sleep leaves many too tired for sex, others are so annoyed by a bed partner's snoring that even the thought of sexual intimacy is out of the question. Men who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea can even have physical problems with erectile dysfunction.

For some the CPAP unit itself is the turn-off. The tubing and hum from the machine are a deterrent to sexual intimacy. Comments like "It's like sleeping with DarthVader" and "the most unromantic device ever" can be found in social networking sites all over the Internet. And yet, many physicians fail to offer an alternative.

The only advice offered by physicians usually amounts to "Suck it up and wear the CPAP!" Dr. Michael Breus states at his blog "Certainly you can think of a million reasons - other than a CPAP machine - for why you're not feeling randy. You're simply not trying hard enough (no pun intended)."

Why, when there is an alternative, one that has been researched and approved,one that effectively manages the airway and one that is readily accepted by patients who cannot tolerate CPAP - is it not offered by most of the medical community?

If you feel that you are "Too Sexy for CPAP" ask your physician to refer you to a dentist who has received post-doctoral education in dental sleep medicine for an evaluation to determine if you are a candidate for oral appliance therapy. The dentist you are referred to will work with your physician to find the most appropriate therapy for you.

Dr. Barsh