Wednesday, February 21, 2024

Chronic Sinusitis And Sleep Apnea

What Is Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Sinusitis & Sleep Apnea: GNO Snoring & Sinus Treatments With ENT Specialist Dr. Anand

Obstructive Sleep Apnea is the most common breathing-associated sleep disorder. Individuals with sleep apnea often experience dry mouth in the morning, as well as daytime sleepiness, which can negatively affect energy and focus. The bed partners of individuals with OSA at times may notice snoring, choking, or gasping for breath during the night.

Can Sinusitis Cause Sleep Apnea

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Treat Any Nasal Congestion Obstruction Sinus Infection Cold Or Flu

If youre suffering from sinus infection snoring, nasal congestion, or a nasal obstruction such as nasal polyps or a deviated septum, then youll be forced to breathe through your mouth at night, increasing your chances of snoring. The best way to stop snoring if this is the case is to treat the root issue.

For sinus infections and nasal congestion caused by a cold or allergies, you can try over-the-counter medications or nasal sprays. But if you have a nasal obstruction, youll want to get with your doctor to discuss the best course of treatment. Treatment options may include surgery, balloon sinuplasty, or LATERA implants.

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Tips To Improve Tinnitus And Improve Sleep

Avoid a too-quiet room: Ringing in the ears is much more noticeable when a room is quiet. Using an app or device to create sleep-friendly sounds may help drown out the ringing.

Meditation and mindfulness: Meditation and mindfulness are important to help reduce stress. Studies have shown meditation to be a beneficial tool in better managing tinnitus, as it makes you focus on your breathing rather than the noise in your ears.

Other relaxation techniques: Tinnitus can provoke anxiety, so its important that you utilize techniques to help promote relaxation. Some other techniques include deep breathing exercises, progressive relaxation, guided imagery, aromatherapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy.

Limit use of earplugs: Earplugs, although they can protect your ears, can reduce the ability to hear external sounds and make tinnitus appear worse. Furthermore, frequent earplug use can lead to wax buildup and impaction, which can further worsen tinnitus.

Dont ignore ear pain: Ear pain in combination with tinnitus could be a sign of another cause for tinnitus that, if left untreated, could worsen your symptoms. Always speak to your doctor about these types of symptoms.

Seek treatment for hearing problems: If you begin experiencing difficulties hearing, then speak to your doctor, as there could be an underlying medical condition that is triggering this. Underlying medical issues could also be contributing to your poor sleep.

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Symptoms Of Sleep Apnoea

A Case of Chronic Sinusitis and Sleep Apnea

People with significant sleep apnoea have an increased risk of motor vehicle accidents and high blood pressure, and may have an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. In the over-30 age group, the disorder is about three times more common in men than women. Some of the associated symptoms include:

  • daytime sleepiness, fatigue and tiredness
  • poor concentration

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Does Nasal Congestion Cause Sleep Apnea

Congestion is the main cause of both chronic sinusitis and sleep apnea. There are multiple conditions that contribute to sinusitis and snoring, such as allergies, humidity, obstruction in the sinus , enlarged turbinates/deviated septum, and even obesity.

While there are lots of similarities between the two, the connection is still unclear. According to a scientific report in 2016 that studied 971 sleep apnea patients and 4855 patients who did not suffer from sleep apnea, only 7% of sleep apnea patients were diagnosed with sinusitis. Only 2% without sleep apnea had sinusitis.

The 5-year long study suggests the correlation was not significant. Therefore, those diagnosed with sleep apnea do not necessarily develop sinusitis, and vice versa. However, there is a small increase in risk of developing sinusitis among sleep apnea patients.

Since nasal congestion symptoms make it difficult to breathe normally while sleeping, people suffering from chronic sinusitis who do not properly treat their nasal problems are prone to develop sleep apnea. Fortunately, sleep apnea caused by sinusitis can be treated effectively if the sinusitis is treated first.

How Can Dr Bublik Help

Dr. Bublik is a triple board certified physician specializing in treating allergies and diseases of the ear, nose, and throat. He is highly skilled in treatment of sinuses with medication or minimally invasive procedures including functional endoscopic sinus surgery and in-office balloon sinuplasty. Dr. Bublik and his team are committed to improving your sleep and sinus health! Contact his office at or [email protected] to make an appointment today!

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Home Remedies For Chronic Sinusitis And Sleep Apnea

If you regularly deal with chronic sinusitis and sleep apnea, we highly recommend seeing your doctor. However, there are steps you can take on your own to find some relief. These steps include:

  • Quit smoking to decrease additional tissue inflammation in your airways.
  • Take a break from alcohol . Sedatives may have the same effect.
  • Weight loss and regular exercise may help alleviate sleep apnea symptoms.
  • Get tested for food and airborne allergies to see if your sinus passageways are becoming inflamed by allergens, as well as chronic sinusitis.
  • Maintain healthy sleeping habits, which include going to bed and waking up at consistent times, avoiding caffeine after midday, and eating your last meal no less than two hours before bedtime.
  • Va Using New Internal Process To Review Scientific Evidence To Support Its Rulemaking

    Patient Testimonial: Sinusitis & Sleep Apnea

    The VA is using a new internal process to review scientific evidence to support its rulemakingthis is a good thing for veterans. A review of the evidence led the VA to presume a link between these specific respiratory conditions and fine particulate matter exposure.

    The new process found sufficient evidence to conclude that particulate matter pollution is associated with chronic asthma, rhinitis, sinusitis, and rhinosinusitis for veterans who served in the Southwest Asia theater of operations from Aug. 2, 1990 to the present, or in Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Syria or Djibouti from Sept. 19, 2001 to the present.

    If you developed one of these conditions within 10 years from your date of discharge from active duty service from one of these locations and time periods, you will likely qualify for a presumptive claim.

    While the rule has not yet been officially published in the federal register, the VA will begin applying the new rules to claims starting August 2nd. The VA has created the Burn Pit Presumptive List, which you can visit on their website for more information.

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    Make Sure Youre Getting Enough Sleep

    Sleep deprivation can actually cause snoring because it can lead to increased relaxation of the throat muscles as your body tries to catch up on some much-needed zzzs. Adults should be getting around seven hours of sleep a night. If you are getting less than that, look at ways you can prioritize better sleep hygiene.

    Sleep Disruption And Mental Health

    CRS patients are at higher risk for depression compared with healthy controls. A case-control study evaluated depression in CRS patients in comparison with healthy controls using the Beck Depression Inventory II and found that BDI scores were significantly higher in patients with CRS even when controlling for comorbid conditions including asthma and AR . Sleep disruption often clusters with fatigue, pain, and depression in the context of other illnesses such as malignancies and autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis . In rheumatoid arthritis, sleep deprivation can result in increased fatigue, depression, and pain . In a report by Alt et al., poor sleep in CRS was associated with a history of depression . A second study by the same group evaluated the link between depression, pain, and sleep disruption in CRS by standard questionnaires evaluating these conditions and found a significant positive correlation between sleep quality, measured by PSQI, and all pain measures . In this study, positive correlations were found between pain measures and total PSQI score or the 3 PSQI subdomains that measure sleep latency, sleep quality, and daytime dysfunction . Interestingly, the link between sleep dysfunction and pain was limited to CRS patients who were at risk for depression, indicative of the clustering of these major symptoms in CRS .

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    Nasal Blockage And Sleep Disruption

    In a large population-based study focused on understanding the link between nasal blockage and sleep-disordered breathing, participants with symptoms of rhinitis were significantly more likely to report chronic excessive daytime sleepiness and chronic non-restorative sleep than those who rarely had rhinitis symptoms . In a large multicenter study of patients with AR, nasal obstruction was significantly associated with poorer sleep quality . It is noteworthy that subjective nasal blockage was correlated with objective nasal airflow measured by acoustic rhinometry . Therefore, reported nasal blockage could potentially be a reliable marker of decreased nasal airflow. Nasal airflow was correlated with respiratory distress index at night , supporting its link to disordered breathing during sleep. A study on chronobiology of patients with AR showed that nasal airflow has a circadian rhythm nasal blockage increases during the night and peaks at 6 AM . Furthermore, two studies have shown that positional variation can affect nasal patency, which is lowest in the supine position . These two factors can further compromise nasal air passage during nighttime sleep.

    How To File A Presumptive Claim For Sinusitis Rhinitis Or Asthma

    Getting Sleep with Chronic Sinusitis &  Sleep Apnea

    The VA will be conducting outreach to veterans and survivors impacted by service in this theater of operations to inform you about eligibility and how to apply.

    If you are a veteran who was affected by these now established presumptive conditionsand therefore eligible for benefitsyou should not wait for the VA to contact you to file your claim.

    To apply, use VA Form 21-526EZ if applying for the first time or VA Form 20-0995 if youre reapplying for these conditions.

    You can also view the VAs page on Airborne Hazards and Burn Pit Exposure Public Health for more information.

    Since this is a brand-new rule, making it easy for the VA adjudicator to see the correlation during your claim process will be important.

    You may want to include a statement with your medical documentation that clearly notes the chronic respiratory diagnosis during the qualifying time frame.

    The statement might read:

    To whom it may concern, please see my diagnosis for asthma. I wanted you to be aware that I served in Afghanistan in 2006 and, per the new ruling by the VA on 8-2-21, my condition now qualifies as presumptive since I served there during the time frame specified in the new rule that makes asthma a presumptive condition.

    If you need help with your claim or have questions, dont hesitate to reach out to us.

    VA Claims Insider and our team of veteran coaches will be keeping abreast of the rule and its impact on veterans. Stay tuned for more information!

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    Obstructive Sleep Apnea In Patients With Chronic Rhinosinusitis With Nasal Polyps: A Cross

    Obstructive Sleep Apnea in individuals with nasal polyps is frequent.

    NP patients do not show classic apneic predictors.

    Typical OSA and NP OSA patients have different anthropometric characteristics.

    NP patients experience intermittent hypoxia and sleep fragmentation.

    NP patients should be suspected of sleep apnea and investigated accordingly.

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    Types Of Sleep Disorders

    Patient Testimonial – Sleep Apnea & Sinus Problems

    Sleep apnea is a potentially dangerous condition that occurs when you repeatedly stop and start breathing during sleep. Sleep apnea not only causes chronic exhaustion but it can also lead to heart problems and other complications. There are three different types of sleep apnea:

  • Obstructive sleep apnea, the most common variety, happens because of a blockage in your nose, mouth, or the back of your throat.
  • Central sleep apnea happens because your brain stops sending signals to the muscles that control your breathing.
  • Complex sleep apnea occurs when you have both obstructive and central sleep apnea.
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    A Quick Refresher: Does Nasal Congestion Cause Sleep Apnea

    Before we dive deeper into sinusitis and sleep apnea, lets back up a little and discuss how the two conditions are connected. While the relationship between nasal congestion caused by chronic sinusitis and sleep apnea is still being researched, most ENT doctors agree that the two are linked.

    The most understood means by which sinusitis is linked to sleep apnea has to do with a patients anatomy. In fact, patients with a nasal obstruction caused or exacerbated by sinusitis will almost certainly fail a sleep study. Nasal obstructions can cause sleep apnea can interfere with the use of sleep masks.Additionally, anatomical problems such as a deviated septum or nasal polyps create less than ideal conditions within your sinus passageways, which in turn can lead to the occurrence of either chronic sinusitis, sleep apnea, or both.

    Note that sleep apnea can be worsened by non-chronic sinusitis related nasal congestion, such as allergies or even a cold. For more information, we recommend reading up on the difference between sinusitis and a cold and making sure you know how to answer the question, What is chronic sinusitis?

    Diabetes Obesity And Being Overweight

    Extra pounds and too much exertion of physical activity also causes chronic fatigue syndrome . Obesity makes it difficult to stretch the legs, arms and even reach the floor. Moreover, diabetes, which is a metabolic disease that causes high blood sugar. When the body doesnt produce much insulin or has an insulin immunity to breaking down food into energy. When there is not enough energy in the body, the person may consistently feel tired or drained.

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    What Is Burn Pit Exposure

    Burn pits are either controlled or uncontrolled open-air trash-burning areas used by the U.S. military and military contractors. They were especially predominant in Iraq and Afghanistan military sites but in many other countries as well. Theyve been used as a means to dispose of a vast assortment of waste products including metal, rubber, chemicals, paint, medical waste, munitions, petroleum products, human waste, plastics, and more.

    When these different forms of waste are burned together, the result is a cocktail of toxic substances and carcinogens that many service members inhaled, sometimes for long periods. Burn pit exposurebreathing these uncontained airborne pollutantcan lead to long-term medical conditions.

    The high levels of dust and other existing air pollutants in the countries most typically using these pits further compounded the effects. Air pollution in Afghanistan and Iraq especially is known to be extremely high, with excessive levels of particulate matter. Particulate matter may be made up of acids, organic chemicals, metals, soil particles, dust particles, and allergens.

    The Department of Defense has identified open-pit burning as a source of particulate matter pollution. While these kinds of pollution are regulated under federal laws in the US, these laws generally dont apply on foreign soil.

    Also, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and hydrogen cyanideall produced by burn pitswere not measured in the governments study.

    Do I Qualify For A Presumptive Claim For These Chronic Respiratory Conditions

    The painful symptoms associated with chronic #sinusitis can be ...

    In order to establish presumptive service connection for asthma, rhinitis, and/or sinusitis under 38 CFR 3.320, your evidence must show qualifying service at one of the specified duty locations, and manifestation of the qualifying diagnosed chronic disability within the presumptive period .

    With those conditions met, the nexus between the condition and your exposure to particulate matter in the duty location is presumed, and you will be service-connected for that condition.

    EXCEPTIONS: Presumptive service connection for these conditions cannot be established if there is affirmative evidence the conditions were caused by another condition or event that occurred between your qualifying service and the onset of the disability. Another exception would be if there is evidence that the condition was caused by the veterans own willful misconduct or the abuse of alcohol or drugs.

    IMPORTANT: There is no minimum time requirement for the service in the qualifying duty location. As long as your service took place in the Southwest Asia theater of operations from Aug. 2, 1990 to nowor in Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Syria or Djibouti from Sept. 19, 2001 to nowit doesnt matter if your service was two weeks, two months or two years.

    What does matter is that your condition manifested within 10 years of discharge from active duty service. The limitation of 10 years past your date of active duty discharge means you must have developed the condition during that period.

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