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Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Los Angeles

Home | Sleep Disorders | Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Diagnose & Treat Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Do you wake up feeling tired and groggy even if you’ve had proper night’s sleep? Do you have headaches in the morning? Are you unable to concentrate on tasks? Have you been told by your sleep partner that you snore loudly or that your breathing stops in your sleep? If you’ve answered “yes” to any of these questions, there’s a chance you’re suffering from obstructive sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea is a common condition affecting up to 31% of men and 21% of women in the United States. While those numbers are fairly large, it’s widely understood that the actual number is likely much higher because most cases of sleep apnea remain undiagnosed. If left untreated, obstructive sleep apnea may increase your risk of heart disease, depression, stroke, and other serious medical problems.

At Tower Sleep Medicine, we offer both home and sleep-laboratory based testing to diagnose obstructive sleep apnea. If you have sleep apnea our team of physicians and sleep technologists will coordinate your care and help you treat your obstructive sleep apnea in Los Angeles.

About Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is an extremely common sleep disorder that affects your ability to breathe while sleeping. OSA occurs when the muscles in your throat relax while sleeping, causing your airway to repeatedly collapse during sleep. When your airway collapses, you can’t breathe air into your lungs, causing drops in blood oxygen levels. Your brain senses these pauses in breathing, and as a protective mechanism briefly rouses you awake in order to catch your breath. Most patients fall right back to sleep after gasping for air, and the process repeats itself. In someone with severe OSA this cycle may happen hundreds of times per night!

Signs & Symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Excessive sleepiness during the day.
Bed partner observed pauses in breathing and struggled breathing.
Loud and persistent snoring.
Abruptly waking up, gasping for air.
Dry mouth or a sore throat in the morning.
Morning headaches.
Difficulty concentrating.
Frequent nighttime awakenings.
Excessive nighttime urination.
Nighttime heartburn.

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Risk Factors

Obesity.
Genetically narrow airways.
Smoking.
Diabetes.
Family history of sleep apnea.
Men over 40.
Women over 50.

Long-Term Complications

Severe daytime drowsiness and fatigue.
Hypertension (high blood pressure).
Arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms).
Cardiovascular problems.
Diabetes or pre-diabetes.
Glaucoma and other eye conditions.
Stroke.
Depression.

Diagnosis of Obstructive Sleep Apnea

You will begin your sleep apnea treatment in Los Angeles by meeting with one of our sleep specialists and being evaluated for the signs and symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea. After that meeting, the doctor may recommend further testing with either home sleep testing or an in-laboratory sleep study.

Home Sleep Testing

Home sleep testing, as the name implies, is performed in the comfort of your own home. You’ll be given an easy-to-use electronic device to put on at bedtime. When you sleep, the device will measure your breathing, blood oxygen level, heart rate, and amount of snoring. The information gathered from the home sleep test is sent to the sleep specialist for interpretation.

In-Lab Sleep Study

An in-lab sleep study is the gold standard in assessing many disorders of sleep. In some circumstances a lab-based study may be necessary to assess your symptoms. Our overnight diagnostic rooms are luxuriously designed for your comfort, complete with a flat-screen TV. When you’re ready to sleep, our sleep technologist attaches sensors to your body to measure brainwaves, heart rate, breathing, oxygen levels, and legs & arms movement.

Treatments for Obstructive Sleep Apnea

At Tower Sleep Medicine we have a multidisciplinary team of professionals to help treat your obstructive sleep apnea. Our physicians and sleep technologists will work with you to develop a comfortable and effective treatment plan that works for you.

Lifestyle Changes

Individuals who are overweight can reduce their BMI.
Exercise regularly.
Minimize alcohol consumption.
Stop smoking.
Changing your sleep position.
Avoiding sleeping pills or sedatives.

Positive Airway Pressure Therapy (CPAP and BIPAP)

Positive pressure therapy (CPAP and BIPAP) is the gold standard therapy for obstructive sleep apnea and is used nightly by millions of people around the world. Positive pressure therapy can be used to treat mild, moderate, and severe OSA and involves wearing a mask through which air is pushed in and which hydraulically splints open the airway.

Oral Device

Oral devices are a suitable alternative to CPAP therapy and are ideal for individuals with mild or moderate sleep apnea. An oral retainer, which is custom fabricated by a dental specialist, is worn at night and adjusts the position of the tongue and jaw to keep the airway open during sleep.

Surgical Treatments

A variety of surgical techniques and approaches are available to treat sleep apnea. Our physicians can assist you in assessing your candidacy for these procedures and in making a referral to an experienced head and neck or maxillofacial surgeon.

To find out more, contact us to schedule your consultation with an experienced sleep apnea doctor in Los Angeles today.