Sleep Studies: Nothing to Fear!

You suspect you have sleep apnea, and have heard that a sleep study is the best way to figure out what’s going on. At Poss Sleep Apnea & TMJ Solutions in Brentwood, we can help.

Sleep apnea is a serious condition in which breathing is disrupted during sleep. There are three types:

  • Obstructive Sleep Apnea, or OSA. The most common form, this is when the airway is blocked by relaxed throat muscles or the tongue.
  • Central Sleep Apnea, or CSA. This is when the brain doesn’t send the right signals to the muscles that control breathing.
  • Complex Sleep Apnea. A combination of OSA and CSA.

The signs of sleep apnea include excessive daytime sleepiness, and an inability to concentrate. What makes it so serious are the complications: liver problems, high blood pressue, and even cardiac arrest.

Sleep Studies

Sleep studies are done in a controlled environment, and most communities have sleep centers with sleep labs. But there are home sleep studies, too, and many patients try them as a first step.

Some people find sleep studies a little intimidating, because they involve wires and gadgets being attached to the body. Who could possibly sleep with all that stuff?

All those wires and devices gather data that shows what’s happening in your brain and muscles during sleep. The studies are non-invasive and provide a wealth of valuable information. When it’s all over, most patients report that their worries were greater than the actual study.

The goal of a sleep study is to find out what’s going on with your sleep, and to find the treatment that normalizes your breathing.

Sleep apnea affects millions of people, and an accurate diagnosis is the first step to treating it. Poss Sleep Apnea & TMJ Solutions in Brentwood TN specializes in sleep apnea treatment. If you think that you, or someone close to you, has sleep apnea, please contact us today!