The statistics are alarming. Nearly 30 million Americans have sleep apnea, but only 6 million are
diagnosed with this condition. Why the big disparity? Are people intentionally forgoing medical diagnoses and treatment for sleep apnea? The answer is simply that people are not informed or aware that they stop breathing during the night. Diagnosing sleep apnea usually involves a healthcare provider (dentists included) asking many questions.
How are chronic pain and sleep disturbance interrelated? Pain disturbs sleep and sleep disturbances exacerbate pain. Impaired sleep is a predictor of pain, leading to a risk of chronic pain. Narcotic pain medications (acute or chronic) can affect your breathing, and increase your risk of sleep apnea. Patients diagnosed with sleep apnea who are on narcotics have a greater likely hood of morbidity and
mortality. If you snore loudly, are overweight, or fatigued, sleepy, and irritable, throughout the day, you could have sleep apnea.
Jeff Toups CRNA NSPM-C at Pain Specialist of Brighton offers a full
holistic assessment and provides a variety of treatment plans for treating acute or chronic pain. Jeff approaches pain from a wellness perspective to eliminate any potential contributing factor. He looks at your; eating habits, stress, sleep habits, and lifestyle. Jeff works with you to develop a plan for healing.
Sources:
Cleveland ClinicAIAMNILJCSMAMA
