Obstructive Sleep Apnea Specialist
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RestWell
Board Certified Sleep Medicine Specialist Serving Wake Forest, Raleigh, Chappel Hill, and North Carolina
Are you struggling with excessive daytime sleepiness? Do you snore when you sleep? You may have obstructive sleep apnea, which is a serious sleep disorder. Board-certified sleep medicine specialist Jamila Battle, MD, at RestWell in Wake Forest and Chapel Hill, North Carolina, uses advanced methods in sleep disorder testing, diagnosis, and treatment. She can determine if your symptoms are due to obstructive sleep apnea and develop a plan to alleviate them and improve your health. Call the office or book an appointment online today.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea Q & A
What is obstructive sleep apnea?
Obstructive sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder that causes you to stop and start breathing intermittently while you sleep. There are many types of sleep apnea, but obstructive sleep apnea is the most common.
With obstructive sleep apnea, the muscles in the back of your throat relax while you sleep, blocking the airway. If you can’t breathe in and out properly, oxygen levels in your blood drop, and carbon dioxide levels rise.
Your brain senses the breathing difficulties and wakes you up to clear the blocked airway. You may not remember waking up, but the pattern may repeat itself up to 30 times an hour while you sleep, impairing your ability to get a good night’s rest.
You may be at risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea if it runs in your family, you have a history of diabetes, or you’re overweight.
What are the symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea?
Loud snoring is one of the tell-tale signs of obstructive sleep apnea. Other symptoms include:
- Feeling overly tired during the day
- Waking up at night gasping for air
- Dry mouth or throat after sleeping
- Morning headaches
- Nighttime sweating
- Low libido
- Feeling more depressed or irritable
Obstructive sleep apnea may also increase your nighttime and daytime blood pressure readings.
How is obstructive sleep apnea diagnosed?
Dr. Battle at RestWell is an experienced sleep medicine physician and uses advanced sleep testing and sleep studies to diagnose obstructive sleep apnea.
During your initial evaluation, she reviews your symptoms, medical and family history, and performs a physical exam. She also conducts a sleep apnea screening test.
To confirm or rule out obstructive sleep apnea, Dr. Battle recommends home sleep testing or polysomnography (PSG), which is a comprehensive sleep study that records brain activity, oxygen levels, eye movements, heart rate, and blood pressure while you sleep.
How is obstructive sleep apnea treated?
Dr. Battle develops individualized treatment plans to manage obstructive sleep apnea based on the severity of your sleep disorder and your symptoms. She may recommend lifestyle modifications, such as weight loss, a daily exercise program, and a sleep routine.
RestWell also connects patients to home medical equipment for those with mild to severe obstructive sleep apnea, including the continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine, as well as oral appliances.
Both therapies keep the throat open to prevent blockages in airflow while you sleep.
Obstructive sleep apnea is common but treatable. To schedule an evaluation with the sleep experts at RestWell, call the office or book an appointment online today.
Please request an appointment through the “request appointment” button then fill out the patient intake form, which is available in the Klara portal upon request. Upon completion of an intake, the doctor will either offer an appointment if your sleep issue is appropriate for her virtual practice or she will make recommendations for in person practices.
