Sleep Apnea and Multiple Sclerosis

Obstructive sleep apnea can be remedied in a variety of ways, from losing weight to medical implants. But for certain kinds of apnea, the most effective solutions remain surgical, in particular septal surgery for a deviated septum, and turbinate reduction surgery for enlarged turbinates.

Yet long before most patients make it anywhere near a surgical consult, symptoms begin to appear. Most of the time, such symptoms can be identified quickly – daily fatigue is pretty hard to miss, for instance. But what if that fatigue is inaccurately attributed to a completely different ailment? This is the subject of a new study suggesting that patients suffering from MS, long associated with fatigue, may be more prone to sleep apnea:

The new findings suggest that sleep apnea may be a common but under-recognized contributor to fatigue in MS patients, and doctors should not hesitate to check these patients for sleep problems, study author Dr. Tiffany Braley, an assistant professor of neurology at the University of Michigan Multiple Sclerosis and Sleep Disorders Centers, said in an AASM news release.

Whether you suffer from a disease or simply have a natural predisposition toward apnea, it is wise to speak with an experienced Los Angeles ENT. Please contact my sinus surgery offices here to learn more today.

Tags: los angeles sinus surgery, ms, multiple sclerosis, septal surgery, sleep apnea, turbinate reduction surgery