Getting a good night’s rest is critical to your overall health and wellness. Knowing this, our highly trained sleep specialists are dedicated to uncovering the underlying causes of sleep problems you or your family members are experiencing. Our compassionate sleep specialists are diligent in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of sleep disorders and sleep-related issues like snoring which can negatively affect your life as a whole.

Sleep Disorders We Treat

An estimated one-third of adults in the United States get less than the recommended seven hours of sleep each night. Sleep loss has been linked to chronic diseases and health conditions, including obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and depression. Our sleep specialists treat a wide range of sleep-related conditions which may be increasing your risk for other serious illnesses.

We treat the following sleep disorders and conditions:

  • Loud, excessive snoring
  • Insomnia
  • Obstructive sleep apnea
  • Central sleep apnea
  • Narcolepsy
  • Circadian rhythm disorders
  • Bedwetting
  • Sleep talking
  • Nightmares and night terrors
  • Sleep paralysis
  • Sleepwalking
  • Restless legs syndrome
  • REM behavior disorder
  • Bruxism, or teeth grinding

How We Diagnose Sleep Disorders

Our sleep specialists diagnose your sleep disorder after discussing your symptoms, gathering information about your medical history, and performing a thorough physical examination. The team may also order a round of genetic blood testing or ask you to participate in a sleep study in one of our comfortable, private sleep labs.

Our sleep study is a painless, non-invasive observation-based procedure which takes place overnight in one of our private sleep labs. During a sleep study, a series of sensors will be attached to your body, allowing us to monitor your breathing patterns and sleep stages. Your participation in a sleep study can help our sleep specialists properly diagnose and treat your sleep disorder.

How We Treat Sleep Apnea and Other Sleep Disorders

Our sleep doctors treat obstructive sleep apnea using continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, along with dental devices designed to keep the airway open during sleep. If required, surgery may be recommended by your sleep doctor to correct a deviated septum or any palate and throat obstructions contributing to your sleep apnea.

For other sleep disorders, our sleep specialty team uses a variety of treatments.
For example, your sleep doctor may prescribe melatonin supplements or other medications like sleep aids. Our sleep specialists may also help you make healthy lifestyle changes – reducing intake of sugar, caffeine, and alcohol, and sticking to a normal bedtime routine – to promote improved sleep quality along with increased health and wellness. Our sleep specialists may even use cognitive behavioral therapy or bright light therapy to improve your sleep health, depending on your diagnosis and treatment plan.

At Healthcare Associates of Texas, we know sleep disorders are disruptive to your life, so we are dedicated to helping you improve your symptoms by effectively managing your sleep disorder, helping to ensure you get a healthy night’s sleep for all the nights ahead. We promise to deliver compassionate personalized care with state-of-the-art treatments that are convenient and cost-effective for you.

Call 972-258-7480 and select Option 5 for more information.

 

References:
https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/index.html
https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/sleep/conditioninfo/sleep-disorders



Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)

Continuous positive airway pressure — also called CPAP — is a treatment in which a mask is worn over the nose and/or mouth while you sleep. The mask is hooked up to a machine that delivers a continuous flow of air into the nose. This air flow helps keep the airways open so that breathing is regular. CPAP is the most common treatment for sleep apnea. There’s also bi-level positive airway pressure, or BPAP, which is similar to CPAP but the air flow changes when you breathe in and then breathe out.

Sleep Apnea and Dental Devices

Dental devices can be made that help keep the airway open during sleep. Such devices can be specifically designed by dentists with special expertise in treating sleep apnea.

Surgery for Sleep Apnea

If you have a deviated nasal septum, enlarged tonsils, or a small lower jaw with an overbite causing the throat to be too narrow, surgery may be needed to correct sleep apnea.

The most commonly performed types of surgery for sleep apnea include:

  • Nasal surgery: Correction of nasal problems such as a deviated septum.
  • Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP): A procedure that removes soft tissue on the back of the throat and palate, increasing the width of the airway at the opening of throat.
  • Mandibular maxillar advancement surgery: Surgery to correct certain facial problems or throat obstructions that contribute to sleep apnea.
Other Treatment Options for Sleep Apnea

There are minimally invasive office procedures that reduce and stiffen the soft tissue of the soft palate. While these procedures have been effective in treating snoring, their effectiveness in treating sleep apnea in the long term isn’t known.

For people unable to use a CPAP, an implanted device called Inspire is now available. The device, called an upper airway stimulator, consists of a small pulse generator placed under the skin in the upper chest. A wire leading to the lung detects the person’s natural breathing pattern. Another wire, leading up to the neck, delivers mild stimulation to nerves that control airway muscles, keeping them open. A doctor can program the device from an external remote. Also, those who have Inspire use a remote to turn it on before bed and turn off upon waking in the morning.