Conditions Treated
Sleep Disorders
Our clinicians are ready to tackle any sleep difficulty you have. We diagnose and treat a large variety of sleep disorders, including Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Insomnia, Narcolepsy, Restless Leg Syndrome, and many others.
By far the most common sleep disorder we treat is Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). In this condition, there is narrowing or collapse of the upper airway during sleep. Although most people who have OSA also snore, people with OSA are more likely to complain of unrefreshing sleep and daytime sleepiness or fatigue. Bed partners may notice that they stop breathing during sleep. There may be spells of choking, gasping for air, or reflux of stomach acid during the night. Obesity or a neck collar size greater than 17 inches increases the likelihood of having OSA. In addition to the dangers of living and working with drowsiness, there are other serious medical problems -- stroke, hypertension, diabetes, heart disease -- that are affected by untreated OSA.
If a medical consultation raises the possibility of OSA, the diagnosis is made by doing a sleep study, either at home or in a sleep-lab. There are several treatment options, but the most common and consistently effective is Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP). This treatment uses air pressure (transmitted through a mask) to prevent the airway collapse that causes OSA. The results of treatment can be dramatic.
Below are several useful web links for general information.
- www.sleepeducation.com - American academy of sleep medicine
- www.sleepfoundation.org, www.sleepforkids.org - National sleep foundation
- www.rls.org - Restless legs syndrome foundation
- www.narcolepsynetwork.com - Narcolepsy network
- www.talkaboutsleep.com - Talk about sleep, Inc.
- www.rlshelp.org - Southern California RLS support group