HOUSTON— About 18 million Americans suffer from Sleep Apnea, a condition that leaves its victims tired and irritated. A Houston woman, however, says a visit to the Texas Medical Center helped her more than she could have imagined.
For nearly a decade Susan Hasse, an assistant high school principal, could not get a good night’s sleep.
"In fact, I went to a doctor and said ‘I must not be aging well because I am so tired,’" said Haase.
Haas later discovered she suffered from Sleep Apnea, a condition where the victim’s breathing stops several times while they sleep.
For seven years doctors put Haase on a machine at night to open up blocked airways.
"It is real uncomfortable, if the seal breaks it wakes you up," she said.
Haase then had throat surgery, but nothing seemed to work.
"It got to the point where I wasn’t safe driving," she said.
About a year ago, Haase had surgery performed on her nose by Dr. Tang Ho.
"What we saw in the exam is she had a very deviated septum," said Ho.
The septum is the cartilidge that seperates the right and left side of the nose. Dr. Ho removed the damaged septum, then reshaped it and put it back.
It cured her apnea.
"I was dumbfounded," said Haase. "I truly didn’t believe it for about two weeks, I couldn’t really take it in".
Sleep Apnea can be identified by two symptoms. One sign is if the person is always tired, even after a good eight hours of sleep. A second symptom is if someone notices the person gasping for air during sleep.
Doctors say the condition could be a form of trauma that creates the blockage. It could even be caused by allergies. They say if left untreated, Sleep Apnea can cause cardiovascular disease.
