Sleep Apnea - The Phantom of the Night: Overcome sleep apnea syndrome and snoring

Sleep apnea disrupts the lives of millions of unsuspecting victims. Their struggle to breathe during sleep is a major cause of daytime sleepiness, accidents, poor health, lost years of productivity and happiness, and even death. Experts in sleep medicine and a patient guide people with snoring and sleep apnea and their families to take advantage of dramatically effective medical treatment. Broughton, the medical director of the accredited University of Alabama Knollwood Sleep Disorders Center, updates current advances. Demko reviews oral appliance therapy. They explain sleep as well as sleep apnea, and show the person with apnea how to recognize it, obtain a diagnosis, treat it, and overcome social, physical, or emotional obstacles to recovery. Coverage of treatments including CPAP, bi-level, and automatic positive pressure treatment devices, surgery, and oral appliances. Travel, precautions for surgery, internet resources, directories of organizations, equipment and manufacturers. How to use this book o Do you snore loudly each night? o Do you have frequent pauses in breathing while you sleep (you stop breathing for 10 seconds or longer)? o Do you have headaches in the morning? o Are you very tired or sleepy during the day? o Do you fall asleep easily during the day? If you answer "yes" to any question you may have sleep apnea. What are the possible dangers? How can you find help? See the Introduction and Chapters 1–3 for a clear, accurate, in-depth explanation of this "Phantom of the Night," including sleep apnea, snoring, and other disorders of breathing during sleep. The rest of the book can answer specific questions and solve problems as they arise. What happens during the overnight sleep studies used to diagnose and treat sleep disorders? (Chapters 4–5) How does treatment work? What can you do to get the most benefit? (Chapters 6–7) How can you choose the best treatment? What can you do to improve your sleep? (Chapters 8–10) Frequently Asked Questions (Chapter 11). Children and adolescents can also have sleep problems (Chapter 12). What is the scientific evidence? Who has sleep disorders? What are the causes? What harm is done? Does treatment work? (Chapter 13) The Forewords are by Colin Sullivan, developer of the most widely used treatment for sleep apnea; William Dement, pioneering leader in sleep medicine, and Carl E. Hunt, Director, National Center on Sleep Disorders Research (NIH).