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Research Project Three treatments for managing arthritis were listed in this chapter: corticosteroids, surgery, and weight loss. Focusing on corticosteroids and surgery, go online and see how expensive it is to

have each of these treatments done. You may find many different prices for each of these treatments. Create a chart that lists all of the prices and compare the two methods. Is one of them cheaper than the other? Would the third treatment, weight loss, help to prevent the need for either of these treatments?

Why are the overweight and obese at increased risk of developing this sleep disorder? Extra fatty tissue, particularly if distributed on the upper body, may be responsible for collapsing the airway. A person who is over- weight can have fat stored around his neck. This concentration of fatty tis- sue can compress and narrow the airway, making it more difficult to breathe to begin with. Then those throat muscles relax. The added weight of the excess fat makes the airway more likely to collapse. Is sleep apnea dangerous? To many people, the condition seems harmless, but don’t be so quick to write off this disorder. The more serious one’s sleep apnea is, the greater the risks can be, especially if disturbed sleep at night leads to exhaustion during the day. If you suffer from sleep apnea, perhaps your greatest risk is getting behind the wheel of a car. Falling asleep at the wheel kills thousands every year. You’re more likely to have a serious accident if you drive when sleepy, and you’re more likely to be sleepy on a regular basis if you have sleep apnea. Job or school performance can also suf- fer as mental acuity decreases with lack of rest.

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