Why is it so important to recognise the signs and symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea? What is a CPAP Machine? How can a dental device help? Who should have a Sleep Study?
Obstructive Sleep Apnoea or OSA can lead to other conditions, known as co-morbidities, such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and is definitely linked to the Obesity Epidemic.This is why early diagnosis and treatment – like all things in medicine – is the key prevention to the subsequent conditions that arise as a result of untreated OSA.
If you have a history of Cardiovascular disease (such as Hypertension and Stroke), if your Body Mass Index (or BMI) is greater than 30, if you snore or if your partner notices that you stop breathing at night, if you have problems concentrating or remembering, if you have depression, if you urinate a lot during the night – it can suggest that you need to have a Sleep Study. This can be done in the comfort of your own home – known as a Home orAmbulatory Sleep Study. Please call us on 9332 8890 to find out more.
A GP Education Event.
Sleep Centres of Australia would like to thank their guest presenters for the GP Education Seminar held on the 23rd of July 2013 and also thank the General Practitioners who attended. It was an informative and enjoyable evening.
Dr. Anup Desai, Consultant Sleep and Respiratory Physician emphasised the responsibilities of drivers with OSA and urged all GPs to be familiar with NSW Government guidelines.
Dr. James Otton, Consultant Cardiologist, spoke about the effects that OSA has on the heart. He explained the importance of early detection and the associated reduction in cardiovascular risk if OSA is treated.
Dr. Manish Shah, General and Sleep Dentist, spoke about how OSA can be successfully treated with Oral
Appliances.
Should you like further information on subsequent events to be held by Sleep Centres, please contact us on (02) 9252 6144.
Snoring can cause, not only yourself to have a bad night’s sleep, but also your partner. The cause of snoring is well known to be vibration by the tongue or soft palate at the back of the throat. To sleep soundly it is hard to combat snoring with just diet and exercise and additional options are on the market. At Sleep Centres of Australia we pride ourselves on offering the best range of devices with guarantees and warranties, to ensure you and your household get a good night’s rest without having to be woken by loud snoring. The SnomNoSnore – a device specifically targeting snoring which we offer here which will not destroy your teeth as it is custom made to correctly fit your mouth. It is fitted by a Specialist Dentist and looks similar to a mouth guard that you would wear in sport. This device allows the lower jaw to come forward to create more room in the back of the throat which stops the vibration while breathing during sleep. We are able to treat your condition in just two simple visits that will CHANGE YOUR LIFE!
There are different types of masks available for CPAP users. The full face mask is a mask that covers the mouth and nose and suits people that habitually breathe through the mouth during sleep. There is a new full face mask on the market released by Fisher & Paykel called the Simplus! We have added this to our trial pool of masks so that we can offer those that require a full face mask a greater range of choice in full face masks.
Want to get a great mask fit, but having problems with your mask irritating the bridge of your nose? We have a new mask that may just put this problem to rest! The mask is called a Swift Fx Nano and has been released by Resmed. It is similar to its cousin the Swift Fx but is not a nasal pillow. Rather it covers the tip of the nose and is designed to keep pressure off the bridge of the nose. The simple headgear makes it easy to put on and take off without any fuss. This mask can be trialled with us or purchased so contact us on 9252 6144 to find out more!
Yet another new mask on the market! This one is from Philips and utilises “tip of the nose technology.” The mask is called the Wisp and sits underneath the bridge of the nose. This minimal contact mask has also been added to our trial pool and will be utilised for patients who find that a nasal mask is leaving marks on the nose, or perhaps even leaking at the corner near the eyes. This mask is easy to take apart for cleaning, and easy to assemble after cleaning. CPAP masks are getting more and more comfortable with more options available!
We are hosting a free public information session!
Come and join us on Wednesday 12 June from 10:30 – 11:30am to learn about Sleep Apnoea and Snoring, and
how to maintain your CPAP machine and mask. There will be a question and answer session with an experienced CPAP consultant and hands on with the machines. So if you have a CPAP machine, or you have a friend or family member who is interested, or you are a health care worker who would like to know more you can call us on 9252 6144 to register for this free event.
Change of Season – Change of Temperature!
Most people need to adjust their humidifier so that they breathe in warmer air during Autumn and Winter. If the humidifier is set too low CPAP users may experience the following difficulties: Nasal congestion leading to mouth breathing with a dry mouth on waking, dry sinus passages, and possibly headaches. So as the nights get cooler don’t forget to set the humidifier to a warmer setting as necessary. If you can’t remember how, you are welcome to visit our sleep centre for a CPAP refresher.
CPAP Filters and Machines - It is not unusual for CPAP users to neglect changing or cleaning the air filter on their machine. Many of them aren’t aware that there is a filter on the machine. The purpose of the filter is there to filter the air that you will be breathing in and help to keep out dust and other particles. A blocked filter can make it more difficult for the machine to function properly. So for a good night’s sleep with fresh air from your CPAP machine don’t forget to clean or change the filter every 1 - 3 months.