Do You Have Symptoms Of Sleep Apnea?

At Home Sleep Apnea Testing is available with NJ Medical Doctor!

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder characterized by abnormal pauses in breathing or abnormally low breathing while asleep. An apnea – each pause in breathing, can last from a few seconds to minutes and occur from 5 to 30 times or more per hour. A hypopnea, is each abnormally low breathing event.

Sleep apnea testing is done with a sleep study – an overnight sleep test. There are three types of sleep apnea - central (CSA), in which breathing is interrupted by a lack of respiratory effort, obstructive (OSA), in which  breathing is interrupted by a physical block to airflow despite respiratory effort and a combination of the two, known as complex or mixed sleep apnea. OSA accounts for 85% of all sleep apnea cases.

Sleep Apnea Facts:

• 20 million Americans have sleep apnea to some degree.
• Sleep apnea is more common in those over age 40.
• More men are thought to suffer with sleep apnea than women (2:1 ratio) until menopause, then the levels seem to be the same.
• 50% of those suffering with sleep apnea have a snoring problem.
• Those suffering with sleep apnea are six times more likely to be involved in a fatal car accident.

And to make matters more alarming:

• People with untreated sleep apnea are four times more likely to have a stroke than those without sleep apnea.
• People with untreated sleep apnea are three times more likely to suffer with heart disease than those without sleep apnea.

There are a multitude of symptoms of sleep apnea. Some may include:

• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Excessive fatigue
• Irritability, anxiousness or depression
• Poor memory or concentration
• Difficulty performing complex tasks
• Loss of sex drive
• Increased heartburn, especially at night
• Waking up choking/gagging
• Going to the bathroom several times during the night or bedwetting
• Waking up with headaches
• Extreme restlessness or perspiring during sleep
• Abnormal behaviors (sleepwalking)
• Rising blood pressure or poor blood pressure control despite medications
• Heart palpitations
• Difficulty swallowing due to enlarged throat tissues
• Chronic cough and/or throat-clearing

OSA is very common in those patients diagnosed with heart disease, stroke or diabetes. Risk factors or sleep apnea causes may include obesity, alcoholism, smoking, nasal allergies, race and a family history of OSA.

Unfortunately, up to 90% of patients with significant sleep apnea remain undiagnosed. A correct medical diagnosis is vital, especially when considering sleep apnea treatment options. Luckily, for those sufferers who believe they may have OSA, a home sleep study may make diagnosis easier.

A home sleeping test is fast, affordable and covered by most insurance carriers. If you have a PPO or coverage under Medicare, you may be eligible for this test at little or no cost. Best of all, it is done in the privacy of your own home… not at a hospital or sleep center!

Are you interested in sleep apnea testing? To determine if you may have Obstructive Sleep Apnea, please answer the questions below:

 

Scenario Questions	Never	Slight	Moderate	High
Do you get sleepy, or dose off, while sitting and reading?
Do you get sleepy, or doze off, while watching TV?
While sitting or inactive in a public place (meeting, theater)?
As a passenger in a car for an hour without a break?
Lying down to rest in the afternoon?
Sitting and talking to someone?
Sitting quietly after lunch without alcohol?
In a car, while stopped for a few minutes at a traffic light?

Please add your score as follows:
Never = 0
Slight = 1
Moderate = 2
High = 3

If your total score is 10 or higher, the chances are that you probably have Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

If your score is between 5 - 10, you may have Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

If your score is less than 5, you probably do not have Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

At the AIMS Clinic of East Brunswick, our Board Certified Medical Physicians can discuss your symptoms and determine if sleep apnea testing should be considered. Sleep apnea causes and sleep apnea treatment options will also be addressed. If you are a candidate for sleep apnea testing, then a home sleep study is a great alternative to a hospital or sleep center environment. For more information, please call (732) 254-5553.

Call New Jersey’s own Alternative Integrated Medical Services today at 732-254-5553 and receive a FREE Initial Consultation. Our goal is to provide the most advanced and compassionate pain relief. Our Team of Experts and friendly staff at your local East Brunswick, NJ AIMS Clinic, will help you reduce or eliminate pain and improve function. As our patient, we will teach you how to regain your health with our revolutionary new treatment program.