im trying to get an opinion from a doctor or expert on if sleep apnea is connected to ptsd.i wanted to get a rating for my sleep apnea from the VA and need evidence. i didnt have this problem before going into the military so i know i developed it while active service. i also did 3 tours in iraq so im thinking they are connected somehow.
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Anon,
Here is an case report that says sleep complaints are an essential component of the constellation of symptoms that make up posttraumatic stress disorder:
http://psy.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/39/2/168
Here's an article from the Denver Veterans Affairs Medical Center:
http://www.websciences.org/cftemplate/NAPS/archives/indiv.cfm?ID=19960171
It also refers to this study, which a library could help you find:
Woodward, S.H. (1993) Sleep disturbances in posttraumatic stress disorder. PTSD Research Quarterly, 4: 5-7.
This New York Times article links the two near the bottom of the article:
http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/post-traumatic-stress-disorder/risk-factors.html
Here's the abstract of an article in the American Journal of Psychiatry. You can get the full text but you must register and purchase it:
http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/abstract/152/1/110
And here's an abstract on a National Library of Medicine article:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17854251
Does this information help?
April 29, 2010 - 9:28amThis Comment
Have you been diagnosed with sleep apnea, and if so, what kind? I'm wondering if you have a sleep condition that is connected with PTSD that may be something other than sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea occurs primarily because of the muscles in your throat relaxing, and can be caused from many factors: being overweight, high blood pressure/hypertension, smoking, etc.
I wonder if the connecting cause of sleep apnea is hypertension, and if you have this from experiencing being under chronic stress and PTSD?
The information that would be helpful from you is:
April 27, 2010 - 5:15pm- Can you describe your specific symptoms?
- Have you been diagnosed with PTSD? With sleep apnea?
This Comment
i have been diagnosed with ptsd and have been diagnosed with OSA. i have been told i hold my breath in my sleep.im not over weight and im 30 years old. ive read a few articles on how sleep apnea and ptsd are connected somehow
April 28, 2010 - 11:34amThis Comment