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Bananas, Didgeridoos and now Surface Lubricants and OSA

Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., Volume 157, Number 5, May 1998, 1522-1525

Surface Tension Forces in Sleep Apnea: The Role of a Soft Tissue Lubricant
A Randomized Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Trial
RUZICA JOKIC, ARTUR KLIMASZEWSKI, JOSEPH MINK, and MICHAEL F. FITZPATRICK

Division of Respiratory Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

Upper airway obstruction in patients with sleep apnea may occur in the absence of a negative intraluminal upper airway pressure. We hypothesized that surface tension forces may play a role in the pathogenesis of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and that a topical soft tissue lubricant might reduce the severity of OSA. Ten male patients (age 49 ± 10 yr [mean ± SD]; body mass index [BMI] 31 ± 5 kg/m2) with OSA (apnea-hypopnea index [AHI] 17 ± 9) were studied. The arousal index was lower with the lubricant treatment than with placebo (mean difference 8; 95% CI 4 to 11 arousals/h; p = 0.001). The AHI was lower, in each of the 10 patients, on the lubricant treatment than the placebo (mean change 10, 95% CI 6 to 13; p = 0.0003). The lower AHI with lubricant as compared with placebo was present in both supine (mean difference 13; 95% CI 5 to 20; p = 0.006) and nonsupine (mean difference 6; 95% CI 0 to 12; p = 0.05) positions. There was no significant difference in sleep architecture between the lubricant and placebo treatments. Application of a topical lubricant consistently reduced the severity of OSA. This implies a pathogenetic role for surface tension forces in OSA, and a potential role for surface tension-reducing agents in the treatment of OSA.

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The only EFFECTIVE SUBSTITUTE for CPAP therapy is a tracheotomy. In my not at all humble opinion and to the best of my knowledge, etc, etc..
The only EFFECTIVE SUBSTITUTE for CPAP therapy is a tracheotomy. In my not at all humble opinion and to the best of my knowledge, etc, etc..

At best the above and weight loss for the obese MAY reduce pressure needs.

Hi, 

Actually, the didgeridoo can help some people.  I invite you to visit us for more info at http://sleepapneadidgeridoo.com

Thanks,

Steve 

On a personal level, I thought this was funny and a chance to have a bit of humor.

I just recommended this site to a friend who has been struggling with using his cpap and I couldn't help but hope this was not the first discussion he came upon. We might as well advise people to go out and get a Harry Potter magic wand.  This just has to look weird to people who are coming here looking for serious help! For old timers, it is seen as fluff.

Steve and Mike, I'm not one to poo poo reasonable studies even if they sound like fluff to some.

Steve, I'm a wind player but haven't played since 1995 when I retired from teaching instrumental music. Would playing or not playing an instrument make a difference in the throat and tongue? I bet it does.

I just found out last Monday that my vocal cords close when I inhale. I know there have been studies saying that wind players are inclined to have vocal cord disorders (VCD) and I'm a prime example - unless I was playing all those years despite my VCD.

Would playing my flute or clarinet help or do I need to get a digeridoo? Some of them are nicely decorated and would make a nice wall decoration too. <G> I never did master circular breathing, try though I did.

I used to sing well, but not now. At least I know why now. But phooey anyway!

I used to have OSA, never used a machine but I don't have it anymore. FWIW, I also perform and teach Tuvan Throat-Singing and did long before taking up the didg, but that didn't help (I believe). Those styles of singing use the tongue and throat in many ways ordinary singing does not, but I noticed no improvement. 

Marcia, that's quite an unusual problem with your vocal folds, and I hope it is easily corrected. Flute, trumpet, clarinet, etc., are unlikely to provide the same relief attributed to the didgeridoo, as they don't employ the same (several) techniques.

I was afraid of that. I'd probably have better luck with a low pitched instrument like a tuba where everything in the embouchure is relaxed. I think a didgeridoo would be more manageable though not very melodic.

I seem to be the queen of unusual problems. I even had a cecal volvulus back in 08. I never even heard of a cecum until it twisted on me. Now vocal cord troubles. The right one is almost behind the left one. Weird, and weirder.

Yeah, the tuba just doesn't use the same techniques as the didg. But most didges are played with a relatively loose embouchure, when compared to say, a trumpet. They tend to be more like a trombone, baritone or bass. D and E, btw, are my preferred keys for beginners. If you need one, I can recommend an appropriate instrument for not much $.

It's true that you won't be playing normal melodies on a didg, but there is a whole universe of wonderful sounds and feelings inside that hollow tube, that will likely surprise and delight you!

Wow, really!

I saw a  very pretty one on Amazon but I don't remember the price. I don't think it was too expensive.

Tell me about the one you have in mind.

Ah, I wondered where I got the link. Thanks, Mike! I was wondering which one Steve Sklar had in mind. That one sounds awesome; the fellow playing it has advanced technique!

Mike C (at the Beach!) said:

Yep. I posted the link above to the one I bought long ago. Here is another link:

http://www.amazon.com/Meinl-Percussion-SDDG1-R-Synthetic-Didgeridoo...

  And till you know if it is for you? It sounds just FINE! Don't thinks so? Here is a video of the one I bought, listen & YOU decide:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqiYqIatrhU

I've been cleaning litter boxes the last 20 years. Two cats, one 16, and one 20.  Great image of cats hearing a didgerdoo. By the way, neither were freaked out over the masks or the machine. It didn't bother the greyhounds either. I was surprised at that.

Mike C (at the Beach!) said:

Yeah....Only technique I have is chasing 2 fat old cats and giving payback for 15 years of cleaning their liter box.....

We stock these: link delted and also the 1-piece version in D (flared didges at the bottom of link deleted (see post below) . I prefer these for a variety of reasons: they sound better than other budget didges we've tried; the mouthpiece is far more comfortable than on the molded didges (the mouthpiece is the most important part of a didg); the key: I recommend D-E for beginners. They are easy keys to start in, and if one wishes to jam with musician friends, those keys are very workable. C#? Not so much. And the slider didges give several key options, so they're very handy that way.

We also stock some fine, handcrafted instruments.

IMO, the least important thing about an instrument is the cosmetics: If an instrument is really cheap and has a fancy paint-job, you know where the $ has gone. Not tone or comfort/playability.  

The gent demonstrating the Meinl didg is ok, but certainly not advanced in that video. This is advanced: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cy6EBOFclIs&list=UUBmqYRrKwAiBdS...

Best wishes,

Steve 

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