As a part of my ongoing networking with other health care professionals, I had an opportunity to meet today with Jennifer Stone, an acupuncturist who practices at East West Acupuncture, with offices in both Indianapolis and Bloomington.  I met Jennifer about a month ago when we were both lecturing at the Hearteam Conference held at Bloomington Hospital. 

Jennifer is a fascinating and well respected acupuncturist who is affiliated with Bloomington Hospital’s pain management center.  I was intrigued to hear that acupuncture could help with sleep issues.  I will put more information on this site as I learn more about this interesting therapy.

Sleep related breathing disorders have some resemblance to the old story about the frog that is placed in a pot of water on the stove.  At first, the frog is quite happy in this tepid water.  As the water starts heating up, the frog feels a sense of unease, but is not quite sure what is wrong.  By the time he understands that the cause of his discomfort is the rapidly rising water temperature, he is too weak to jump out of the pot.

Many patients with sleep-related breathing disorders (like sleep apnea) are like our friend the frog and get to a point in their disorder that they find themselves in a vicious cycle that they can’t get out of by themselves.  The sleep apnea causes fatigue and/or sleepiness during the daytime.  Because of the daytime fatigue and sleepiness, it is quite difficult to exercise.  Weight gain quickly follows.  As weight is added, some of it goes to the neck.  This added fatty deposit in the area of the neck causes the upper airway to narrow more.  As the upper airway gets more narrow from fatty tissue encroachment, the sleep apnea gets worse……. and on, and on it goes. 

It is this cycle that causes the new patient we saw today, who was referred to us by his physician, to describe his life as “a living death”.  I fully expect this patient to experience a renewed sense of living once we help him get his disorder managed.

Until recently, the most common method of treating sleep-related breathing disorders was with continuous positive air pressure (CPAP). This is a highly effective method of treating these disorders but patient compliance with this treatment is abysmal. However, highly trained dentists are now able to assist with more patient tolerant therapy. Please check this site often for current information on our understanding of these disorders as well as the newest techniques in managing them.

Dr. David E. Lawler