What Things a Sleep Apnea Doctor Near Me Should Know?

Have you experienced feeling tired even after you slept for a long time? Has anyone ever told you that you are snoring, but the sound is a bit weird? If you answer yes to either question, then you potentially may have a sleep condition called sleep apnea. It is a serious disorder that needs prompt diagnosis and treatment. There are surgeries and devices that doctors recommend to help relieve and treat this sleep disorder. Some dentists even claim that straighter teeth can help improve your breathing when sleeping, so dental treatments like orthodontic braces and jaw alignment may also help. Let us find out what this condition is all about and what are the things that a sleep apnea doctor near me should know to address the situation better.

Sleep Apnea: A Serious Sleep Disorder

What is sleep apnea? Simply put, it is the repeated stopping (cessation) of breathing for a few seconds while sleeping. It may be characterized by loud snoring that suddenly pauses and continues after a few seconds. A person afflicted by this disorder usually is unaware that he has this, but he would complain of having a headache or feeling tired straight after waking up from a full night’s sleep.

Types of Sleep Apnea

Based on the cause of this type of sleep disorder, sleep apnea is categorically divided into three types.

Central Sleep Apnea

The brain essentially controls the basic impulses and reactions of the body. The brain acts as our body’s controller. It oversees all the functions of the body by sending nerve impulses to them and vice versa. In the case of central sleep apnea, the brain is unable to monitor a person’s breathing and need for oxygen that he is also unable to send impulses to the lungs and other crucial organs of the body for breathing. The lack of control of the body to breathe often causes an increase in the carbon dioxide level of the blood, and in return reduces the oxygen content, both of which will pose serious problems in the body. this sleep disorder is typically seen in adults, but more and more babies and infants are reported to be affected by this as well.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)

With this type of sleep apnea, a part of the body obstructs the airway or the passageway of our breath, making it harder for the oxygen supply to be delivered. Once the brain monitors that there is a reduction of oxygen production while sleeping, it will send a signal for the person to wake up and breathe normally. This is where the patient notices that when he wakes up, he is gasping for air and is almost out of breath.

There are several causes of an OSA and these include:

• Deviated septum (congenital or caused by a trauma-inducing accident)
• Obstruction from nasal structures (swelling or enlarged turbinates)
• Enlarged uvula or soft palate
• The tongue relaxes while sleeping and slips back to the throat
• Throat narrowing while asleep

Mixed Sleep Apnea

This type of sleep apnea combines physical obstruction of oxygen when sleeping and the inability of the brain to monitor our oxygen levels.

What things a sleep apnea doctor near me should know?

How should I choose a sleep apnea doctor near me? If you are diagnosed to have any of the serious sleep disorders we mentioned earlier, you can expect that many practitioners will be assigned to your care should you seek treatment for sleep apnea, for instance. One of them is a sleep specialist, like a sleep apnea doctor.  A sleep specialist may not sound like a doctor, but he actually is. If you are diagnosed to have any of the serious sleep disorders, you can expect that many practitioners will be assigned to your care should you seek treatment for sleep apnea, for instance.

The first thing that you should do is to report to your family doctor or primary care physician (PCP). Your PCP may request tests and evaluate your condition based on the complaints that you may be having. Depending on his medical assessment, he may refer you to different specialists including a sleep apnea doctor. This medical specialist shall conduct various tests that can determine what sleep disorder you may have and what caused that disorder.

To choose the best sleep apnea doctor, remember these points:

Is the sleep apnea doctor near me referred by my close relatives or friends? Sometimes, word-of-mouth referrals from people you trust are more convincing and reliable than online reviews and feedbacks.

Is the sleep apnea doctor near me accessible? The services of a sleep specialist should be easily available so that if emergency situations arise, a medical professional is ready to attend to your needs at once.

Is the sleep apnea doctor near me knowledgeable of different procedures for evaluating my sleep disorder? Essential sleep testing procedures like polysomnography, home sleep apnea testing, Multiple sleep latency testing (MSLT), and Maintenance of wakefulness testing (MWT) should be available and administered to the patient to confirm his diagnosis.

Knowing you have chosen a suitable sleep doctor is o=important so you can rest assured that you are in good hands, awake, or sleeping. Consult your primary physician about your sleep condition and maybe he will know a sleep specialist that he can refer you to.