Latest news with #PositiveAirwayPressure
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Health
- Indian Express
Sleep apnea keeping you breathless and sleepless? Try blowing a conch shell, says study
When a 42-year-old man came in with snoring so severe that he had to sleep in another room so as not to disturb his wife and woke up in fits and starts, Dr Rajeev Gupta put him through a sleep test. The man was found to be suffering from obstructive sleep apnea, a disorder where your upper airway repeatedly becomes blocked or narrowed during sleep because of flaccid throat muscles and reduces oxygen flow in the blood. Dr Gupta recommended a sleep aid that forces the airways open but his patient could not just adapt to it. So he put him on a conch shell-blowing routine, twice daily, with a trainer. Within 12 months of this drill, regular walking and a low fat diet, the man's snoring subsided, his daytime sleepiness went down and his throat muscles became stronger. 'I gathered anecdotal evidence through all my patient outcomes and then decided to do a clinical trial on effects of conch shell-blowing on sleep apnea. Already, some studies on usage of wind-blown instruments like saxophone had shown positive results in reducing symptoms like snoring and sleep-disordered breathing. This led to our hypothesis that shankh-blowing might offer similar advantages. Our trial showed promising results; patients felt more alert during the day and had fewer breathing interruptions at night after regular blowing of the shankh,' says Dr Gupta, study author and chair, Preventive Cardiology & Medicine, Eternal Heart Care Center & Research Centre, Jaipur. The study by Dr Gupta and his colleagues has just been published in the European Respiratory Journal Open Research. Though small, it is significant because it eliminates the need for bulky breathing devices like the CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine, which is the gold standard treatment. Conch shell-blowing can even be used as complementary therapy. 'We tested this technique on 30 patients. Now we need to confirm the results through larger, longer-term, multi-centre studies in India and other countries to assess sustained benefits,' adds Dr Gupta. Excerpts: What did the study find? We divided 30 patients into two groups; 14 were trained to blow a conch shell twice daily for a total of 10-15 minutes (with 30 seconds of blowing into the shell and gaps to draw in fresh air) while 16 practised deep breathing exercises. After six months, those in the conch shell group showed a 34 per cent improvement in sleep, better sleep quality, lower daytime sleepiness and better oxygen saturation. The hypoxia index, which is a measure of the severity and duration of oxygen deficiency in the body, decreased by 4.4 events. In terms of overall sleep hygiene, 30 per cent in the conch shell-blowing group showed marked improvement compared to the five per cent improvement in the control group. Why conch shell-blowing is effective As we fall asleep, all our muscles relax naturally, including those in the throat. But in obstructive sleep apnea, the same muscles relax too much, causing the soft tissues in the back of the throat, such as the tongue, palate and tonsils to collapse and narrow or completely close the airway. This disrupts breathing in patients and forces them to wake up intermittently in the night, gasping for fresh air. Conch shell-blowing involves breathing in deeply and exhaling into a spiral-shaped shell. This action creates strong vibrations and airflow resistance, which strengthens both the tongue and throat muscles and prevents them from collapsing easily. This is a far easier drill to follow twice a day than remaining hooked to a CPAP machine, which delivers a continuous stream of pressurised air through a mask worn over the nose or mouth, keeping the airways open during sleep and preventing pauses in breathing. The patient has to maintain the same sleeping posture. How have the results held in patients who were not part of the study? I had first discussed the concept in an article published in the RUHS Journal of Health Sciences in 2018. Privately, I recommended it to patients of sleep apnea who somehow could not take to the CPAP machine. So going by anecdotal evidence, the conch shell-blowing patients have been able to stay up to four years off the CPAP machine. Can conch shell-blowing be a reliable therapy? If the results hold in larger trials, it can. It will be a cheap and at-home option for the billion people who suffer from sleep apnea.
The Citizen
03-08-2025
- General
- The Citizen
WhatsApp group builds community spirit in north Durban
INSPIRED by a television show to giving what you don't need to the community around you, Sunningdale resident Kyle van Reenen has started a WhatsApp group he hopes will build community. This year he started the Sunningdale Buy Nothing WhatsApp group as a way for community members to support neighbours by donating items they no longer needed to reuse rather than discarding. The group, which already has more than 100 members, has already helped residents in the area. So successful has the idea been, that Van Reenen has also started a Glen Hills, uMhlanga and Durban North Buy Nothing WhatsApp groups. Also read: Avoca's cultural activist to visit motherland 'I actually got the idea from a show called Chicago Fire, one of the characters was adopting a baby and they found what they needed through a Buy Nothing group, a reuse group. I put the feelers out in the area I live in and people were quite keen on the idea. We've had a number of success stories including our first one where a resident was looking for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine. 'He had actually contacted me before I had started the group asking if I knew where he could buy one. It just so happened one of the first things to be listed on the group to give away was this very machine. Since then we've had people give away books, beds, a car seat, a pram, and recently coffee beans. The groups, in Sunningdale and Glen Hills, are open to anyone who lives within the area. The only rule we have is these groups are not for selling. We also monitor the groups to make sure one person isn't taking everything on offer and then selling it on Facebook Marketplace,' he said. Van Reenen said in essence both WhatsApp groups promoted honesty. 'The ethos we hope to instil is to take what you need and give what you don't need. You can even request what you need, and there might be a person on the group who has that very item they are not using anymore. I have been asked why aren't we giving to charity, I feel there is enough people giving to charity, but there isn't enough people looking after our own community. It can be difficult asking for help but with the Buy Nothing concept we are strengthening our community,' he said. If you are a resident of the area and would like to join, email: [email protected]. For more from Northglen News, follow us on Facebook , X or Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok. Click to subscribe to our newsletter – here
NDTV
18-06-2025
- Health
- NDTV
Sleep Apnea: Are You At Risk? Here's What To Do
Sleep apnea is a common but serious sleep disorder in which a person's breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. The most prevalent type, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), occurs when throat muscles relax and block the airway. This leads to poor sleep quality, loud snoring, daytime fatigue, and can increase the risk of conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and depression. You may be at risk if you snore loudly, wake up gasping, feel excessively tired during the day, or have a partner who notices pauses in your breathing at night. Identifying your risk factors can help in early detection and prevention. Read on as we share factors that put you at risk of sleep apnea and how to overcome these factors. 10 Factors that put you at risk of sleep apnea & how to reduce them 1. Excess weight Obesity, especially around the neck, increases fat deposits that can obstruct breathing. Adopt a healthy diet, engage in regular physical activity, and aim for gradual weight loss. Even a small reduction in weight can significantly improve symptoms. 2. Neck circumference A larger neck (over 17 inches in men and 16 inches in women) can narrow the airway. Strengthen and tone neck and throat muscles through targeted exercises and manage overall body fat to reduce neck size. 3. A Narrowed airway Inherited traits like a narrow throat, enlarged tonsils, or adenoids can block airflow. ENT evaluation may help; in some cases, surgery or use of devices like CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) may be recommended. 4. Being male Men are more likely to develop sleep apnea than women. While gender can't be changed, men should be more vigilant about symptoms and seek early testing and treatment. 5. Older age Sleep apnea is more common as people age, due to muscle tone loss in the throat. While age can't be altered, good sleep hygiene and lifestyle changes can minimise the severity of symptoms. 6. Family history Genetics can play a role in your risk of developing sleep apnea. Reduce risk: Stay informed about your family medical history and monitor symptoms closely for early diagnosis. 7. Use of alcohol or sedatives These substances relax throat muscles, increasing the risk of airway obstruction. Limit or avoid alcohol and sedative medications, especially before bedtime. 8. Smoking Smokers have higher rates of sleep apnea due to increased inflammation and fluid retention in the airway. Quitting smoking can significantly improve breathing during sleep and enhance overall respiratory health. 9. Nasal congestion Difficulty breathing through the nose due to allergies or structural issues can increase risk. Reduce risk: Use nasal sprays, allergy treatments, or consider surgery if chronic congestion is an issue. 10. Medical conditions Conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, and PCOS are linked to a higher risk of sleep apnea. Manage chronic conditions effectively through medication, diet, and regular check-ups to prevent sleep apnea from worsening. By identifying these risk factors and making conscious lifestyle changes, you can significantly reduce your likelihood of developing sleep apnea or manage its impact more effectively. If symptoms persist, it's important to consult a sleep specialist for accurate diagnosis and treatment options. Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.
