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Wagamaga OP t1_jdzfco0 wrote

Researchers found that among nearly 100 teens who underwent brain scans, those with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) tended to have thinner tissue at the brain's surface, and some signs of inflammation in a brain area key to memory and learning.

Exactly what those brain structure differences mean is not yet clear, said senior researcher Dr. Raanan Arens, chief of respiratory and sleep medicine at Children's Hospital at Montefiore in New York City.

But the findings -- recently published in the journal Sleep -- do suggest that OSA can lead to observable alterations in kids' brains.

Studies estimate that anywhere from 1% to 5% of children have obstructive sleep apnea, a disorder in which tissues in the throat constrict during sleep, causing repeated stops and starts in breathing. Loud snoring is the most obvious symptom, but daytime sleepiness and attention problems are also red flags.

https://www.upi.com/Health_News/2023/03/28/8541679945074/

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ZiltoidTheOmniscient t1_je0q95k wrote

I would like to know if I have something like this but maybe because of inflammation? My family complains about my constant loud snoring. I've been to several specialists but they say because I'm a thin, active young woman, I'm not at risk for sleep apnea and it looks like I just have a small nasal passageway. I'm so exhausted that I need to rest during my lunches and after work and I still sleep a solid 8 hours a day. I've got a terrible memory to the point where it's actually a diagnosed issue but they don't know the cause. I'm desperate for answers and a solution :(

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AllSugaredUp t1_je0rhq2 wrote

You need a sleep study. You can definitely be thin and young and still have OSA. There are plenty of people on r/sleepapnea that fit that bill.

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ZiltoidTheOmniscient t1_je0rrbs wrote

Thank you! I had one done as a youth and they said I was fine, but that was 15 years ago now. I suppose things can change. I didn't even think about that, I appreciate your response

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Aggravating-Prize-73 t1_je1vd9x wrote

Weight gain/health changes/age all can play a part. Also if you still have your tonsils and adenoids those can cause an obstruction in your air passageways. See a doctor and get a referral for bother sleep study to at least rule sleep apnea out. Or if it is sleep apnea they can discuss a treatment plan with you.

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glintings t1_je0scpi wrote

you might need jaw surgery. my partner just had it and it increased her airway by 100%

what's happening is that (due to using pacifiers as babies, softer processed food diets and a few other things) modern jaws are frequently malformed in their growth in a way that makes the airway constricted.

so you could be thin, healthy and fit, but because of a malformed jaw, your airway just isn't big enough for you to breathe as comfortably as you should, and this is exacerbated when you're sleeping.

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ZiltoidTheOmniscient t1_je0uul2 wrote

Thanks! How would I find this out? Just ask my doctor to refer me to a jaw specialist to confirm?

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glintings t1_je183iz wrote

pretty much yeah, or if you have an orthodontist, they can refer too.

you're looking for a maxillofacial surgeon. it is an intense surgery. in our case she had her upper jaw bone broken into three and rearranged with metal plates, her bottom jaw in two.

and recovery is not easy. it's been a month on a liquid diet, and now soft foods.

but pretty much everyone who's done it is really glad they did. check out /r/jawsurgery

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KingKongAintGotShitt t1_je24tz5 wrote

I had jaw surgery to fix my sleep apnea a couple years ago and it didn’t help me. So in my case there may be something else at play. There are other surgeries that may help in your case. Also CPAP is great if it works for you. Unfortunately it caused me a lot of issues, which is why I tried the surgery. If you want any advice feel free to send me a message. I have a routine right now that has definitely helped but it’s not perfect.

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KingKongAintGotShitt t1_je2420s wrote

Unfortunately I had jaw surgery to fix my sleep apnea and it didn’t really seem to help much. It’s not a cure-all and it does carry some very serious side effects that I’m worried about. It’s a last resort option. I only decided to take the risk since I couldn’t use CPAP because I would wake up with severe abdominal pain from air filling my stomach. I guess this was caused by a faulty esophageal sphincter that would open when using the CPAP.

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Lizgandp t1_je31uy5 wrote

Look into UARS, sometimes called “skinny women sleep apnea.” And yes get a sleep study, but know that it may present differently on the study than obstructive sleep apnea. I would also consider looking into myofuntional therapy, it has been shown to improve the effectiveness of c pap machines, and is non-invasive. As a last resort people often get surgery, often called MMA surgery. If you can’t breathe through your nose for 3 mins straight start with an ENT to evaluate your airway.

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ZiltoidTheOmniscient t1_je3bomt wrote

I've never been able to breathe through my nose properly. It feels laboured but my ENT says it's just inflammation and small passages and if it bothers me, I have to be on a several year wait list for surgery, but not something that should be a problem. It definitely is a problem.

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Lizgandp t1_jealvra wrote

Well if you are already on a wait list maybe consider seeing a myofuntional therapist in the meantime - they often have a network of airway focused dental professionals and ents that take it more seriously, you might get info that is helpful. Maybe start with looking up the website for the breathe institute, lots of info and a list of professionals in your area that have focused on this area of study. Good luck!

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zeekenny t1_je489nv wrote

Do you have a bigger tongue? The checklist for sleep apnea is like, thicker neck, overweight, obstructed nasal passageway, bigger tongue. Doesn't have to be all of those either.

I had it for a long time before I went to get it checked out. In my case I check off everything on the list. It is better when I'm at a good weight, but because I check off everything else on the list I'm probably stuck with it.

I had my nose checked out, Doctor said one side was definitely constricted (slightly deviated septum), but he told me it wasn't bad enough that I'd ever get recommended for surgery.

The problem too is that, the clock might tell you you got 8 hours of sleep during the night, but with sleep apnea it's not solid sleep at all.

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Rosieforthewin t1_je1l1nu wrote

You left out a critical point of the study: "We examined whether OSA in overweight and obese adolescent children is associated with cortical thickness and hippocampal structure."

The study group was overweight teens, not all teens.

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