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Patients
Sleep Apnea
Sleep
Disorders //
Sleep
Apnea //
Children
and Sleep // OSA Treatment Options
Should You be Concerned
About Snoring?
If you have snoring problems, you are not alone.
Snoring is literally heard all over the world and
occurs in all age groups, in both genders. Snoring
usually is a natural part of sleep, but it may also
be a symptom of a potentially lethal condition known
as obstructive sleep apnea (referred to as OSA or
sleep apnea). Untreated sleep apnea is associated
with stress, irritability, increased risk of industrial
accidents, traffic accidents, hypertension, cardiovascular
strain and other factors that can contribute to
disablement or death.
What Is Obstructive Sleep Apnea
(OSA)?
Obstructive Sleep Apnea occurs when muscles
of the soft palate and throat relax during sleep,
obstructing the airway and making breathing difficult
and noisy (snoring). Eventually, the airway walls
collapse blocking airflow entirely, which results
in a breathing pause or apnea.
For a person with sleep apnea, breathing
stops from 10 to 60 seconds at a time, and
these attacks can occur up to 120 times
an hour during sleep. As a result, oxygen
levels in the bloodstream fall, which in
turn may lead to high blood pressure, stroke,
heart attack and/or abnormal heart rhythms.
It is estimated that as many as 18 million
Americans suffer from sleep apnea, yet up
to 95% of these cases go undiagnosed and
untreated. Although it is most common in
overweight men, both adults and children
of either gender can be affected.
Some of the symptoms or risk factors
of sleep apnea are:
Loud, irregular snoring
Daytime sleepiness
Morning headaches
Weight gain
Frequent nocturnal urination
Obesity
Hypertension
Falling asleep while driving
Loss of energy
Anxiety or depression
How Can You Be Tested?
Diagnosis and Treatment
If you are concerned about how you sleep,
your family doctor can conduct SSA's Preliminary
Sleep Evaluation right in his or her office.
The results of this evaluation will be tabulated
and interpreted by SSA and a preliminary
recommendation will be sent to your physician.
Your primary care physician is included
in every stage of the process, validating
all recommendations and therapies. If a
sleep study is indicated, SSA will schedule
a visit for you at one of our sleep labs.
What Can You Expect?
The test for sleep apnea is performed in our sleep
laboratory where you will spend a night in a private
room. SSA sleep labs offer comfortable rooms designed
to simulate a home bedroom environment. A highly-trained
SSA technician will attach special sensors to you which
will record activity related to sleep. These sensors are
painlessly applied to your skin. As you sleep, data is
monitored in a separate room by the technician through
SSA's polysomnographic computer system. Your test is
reviewed and interpreted by trained specialists in
sleep medicine.
Is There a Cure for Sleep Apnea?
Once diagnosed, sleep apnea can be successfully
treated. There are a number of proven sleep
apnea therapies available. Continuous Positive
Airway Pressure (CPAP) is the most common
treatment for sleep apnea. CPAP machines
are small bedside devices that provide a
gentle stream of air through a face mask
to keep the upper airway open during sleep.
Comfortable and non-intrusive, CPAP therapy
provides welcome relief from sleep apnea
without disruptive changes to your normal
routine. SSA provides individual follow-up
and special care for patients placed on
CPAP. 70-80% of SSA patients follow their physician's
directions. This means that SSA's patient
service approach to CPAP management will
help you better manage your sleep apnea.
Dental appliances and breathing masks are
other treatment options your physician might
consider. Occasionally, surgery is needed.
Whichever approach is most appropriate,
Sleep Services of America will work with
your primary care physician to ensure that
the best care is recommended and provided.
For more information about other sleep disorders,
please click
here.
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