Sleep Apnea Testing & Treatment in Deerfield, IL.

Sleep Apnea is a condition in which normal breathing is interrupted during sleep, interfering with the body getting proper air. Snoring is often associated with sleep apnea because it results from a partial closure or blockage of the airway. The sound of snoring is actually the vibration of air traveling through a partially obstructed airway. In sleep apnea, the airway is not just partially obstructed but it is completely closed for ten seconds or longer. Pauses in breathing are normal throughout the night, but the condition of sleep apnea is characterized by these events occurring much more frequently, sometimes 30 to 50 times per hour or more.

The result is that someone suffering with sleep apnea may "sleep" for 8 hours per night, but in reality, that person are not getting adequate rest. With sleep apnea it is common to awaken feeling unrefreshed, and often to experience headaches or excessive sleepiness during the day. Over time people become accustomed to these patterns. Most people who have sleep apnea are not even aware they have it, because it only occurs during sleep.

Home Sleep Testing

A newer alternative to laboratory based overnight polysomnography is the home sleep test (HST). One of the biggest obstacles to treating sleep apnea is the refusal by patients to sleep overnight in a hospital sleep lab. Many patients do not feel comfortable being monitored during the night and having a tech watching them sleep (which is a requirement of the overnight polysomnogram). Patients often report difficulty sleeping in the lab, and the cost of the lab based test is often over $3,000. For these reasons among others, patients often are reluctant to be tested.

The home sleep test process is much easier, more comfortable, convenient, and economical. With in-home sleep testing, equipment is dropped off with the patient at home in the evening and picked up in the morning. Staff do not stay in the patient home or watch them sleep. The cost of the home sleep test is around $300 and is covered by most health insurance plans.

What Are the Dangers of Sleep Apnea?

Untreated Sleep Apnea Can:
--Cause excessive daytime sleepiness
--Cause high blood pressure
--More than double the risk of stroke in men
--Significantly increase risk of motor vehicle accidents
--Increase risk of fatal and non-fatal cardiac event
--Cause greater likelihood of sudden death during sleep
--Increase risk of diabetes
--Increase risk of death from any cause

For More Information About Sleep Apnea & Treatments -- Contact Burns Family Dentistry Today For A Free Consultation @ (847) 291-0888

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