NORTHERN RESPIRATORY SPECIALIST P.C 

• WHAT IS SLEEP APNEA SYNDROME?

  Normal sleep is associated with a regular breathing pattern.

  In sleep apnea syndrome, when a person sleeps, there is relaxation of the neck muscles. This results in the narrowing of air passages in the throat. This causes snoring. If the narrowing is severe, there is a complete collapse of the air passages and cessation of breathing (apnea). Each of these episodes is associated with decrease in oxygen levels in the blood and disruption in the normal sleep pattern. Some patients have several hundred of these episodes every night without being aware of them. Over time lack of adequate sleep and low oxygen levels have serious health consequences.

    Video of Sleep Apnea

  SYMPTOMS OF SLEEP APNEA

  Weakness, tiredness, and lack of energy during daytime

• Sleepiness during daytime
• High blood pressure.
• Snoring

• Family members may have noted apneic episodes while patient sleeps

• Morning headaches

• Personality changes and mood swings

HEALTH CONSEQUENCES OF SLEEP APNEA

• Motor Vehicle Accidents: Excessive sleepiness may cause one to doze off while driving and get in to an accident. To be alert while driving is especially important in certain jobs like school bus drivers, truck drivers, taxicab drivers etc.

• Stroke
• Heart attacks
• Heart Irregularities
• Hypertension
• Sudden death at a young age

1. Screening: The application of an oxygen saturation monitor during sleep may detect periods of low oxygen in blood that may be indicative of sleep apnea syndrome.

2. Sleep study : At our sleep lab you sleep with  specially made monitoring devices record heart rate, movements of the chest, airflow and oxygen levels. This information is then analyzed by computer and a determination is made by our trained technicians and physicians as to the presence and severity of sleep apnea syndrome.

TREATMENT

Sleep apnea is fortunately a correctable disorder. Most often it is treated by application of a nose mask while sleeping. Through a small and quiet compressor air is forced through the mask. This keeps air passages open, relieves sleep disruptions and maintains adequate oxygen level in the blood. The result  is less day time sleepiness and decrease in health risks.

Our trained office staff will work with your insurance company to get pre-approval and expedite claims processing. Please call 845-621-2211 or 914-736-7708

Take a confidential Test

What is a sleep study

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