Community Education Your Back: After Spine Surgery DO YOU STILL HAVE PAIN? During this educational program Dr. Feinberg will explain; what Failed Back Syndrome is and the many treatments that are available. Barry I. Feinberg, MD Board Certified Anesthesiologist- Subspecialty in Pain Medicine Medical Director, Injury Specialists Wednesday, January 18, 2012 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Plaza Frontenac Hilton Hotel 1335 South Lindbergh Blvd. Frontenac, MO 63131 This event is FREE , but registration is required. To register, please call 314-995-3990 or email slevko@uspi.com with your name, address and the number attending. Laugh and the world laughs with you; snore and you sleep alone Snoring and other sleep disorders are no laughing matter. If left untreated, they may lead to serious safety and health risks such as: • Heart attack • Stroke • High blood pressure • Insomnia • Depression • Obesity • Diabetes • Auto Accidents Getting a good night’s rest is essential for good health. Call us today and let our Sleep Specialists help you sleep well tonight for a better tomorrow. Sleep Center | Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital 969 N. Mason Road, Suite 260 Creve Coeur, MO 63141 www.BarnesJewishWestCounty.org 314-996-8680 BJW11245 44 | TOWN& style | DECEMBER 28, 2011 [ things that go zzzzz in the night ] A snoring bed partner can make a good night’s sleep impossible. But good news: Loud snoring can be diagnosed, treated and muted. Dr. Hamsa Subramanian, Asthma and Allergy Docs At least 35 percent of the patients in my allergy practice snore. I can manage the allergy part of it, and counsel them if I suspect weight is a contributor. Seasonal allergies may make snoring worse in the spring or fall. Stuffed-up noses force noisy mouth-breathing, which in turn produces dry mouth, bad breath and often dental problems. Snorers often end up with an allergist or an ear-nose-and- throat (ENT) surgeon because sinusitis, nasal polyps, or a deviated septum may be involved. Children often snore as much as adults, but don’t realize it until their college roommate complains. Dr. Richard Maack, Synergi Facial Surgery Some people have a short hard palate and longer soft palate in the roof of the mouth, causing vibrational snoring when they breathe. Nasal blockage from polyps, a deviated septum, allergies or enlarged adenoids make it worse. To remedy this, I do a palatal implant procedure under a local anesthetic in the office, inserting small Dacron polyester rods into the soft palate. Over three to four months, fibrosis develops around them, stiffening the palate and reducing vibration. In some people, the turbinates inside the nose, structures that warm and humidify the air, can become enlarged and obstruct nasal breathing. I do an in-office radiofrequency procedure to shrink them and open the nose. Either of the above procedures can also be done in conjunction with surgery to fix a deviated septum, remove large adenoids or reduce an abnormally large uvula. Fatigue, allergies, alcohol and weight gain all can exacerbate snoring. Although the health effects of lost sleep from snoring are real, procedures to correct it are considered cosmetic by insurance companies.