WellMax Sleep Center - Symptoms and Disorders
Medical Symptoms and Indications of Sleep Disorders
- Daytime somnolence
- Weight gain
- Morbid obesity
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
- Heavy and chronic snoring
- Congestive Heart Failure
- Neck size > 16 inches
- Gastroesophageal Reflux
- Hypertension
- Enuresis (pediatrics)
- Morning headaches
- Epworth Sleepiness Scale Score of 8-24
- Sleepwalking
- Witness apnea and gasping
- Insomnia Coronary Artery Disease
- Complaint of unrefreshed sleep
- Difficulty fall or staying asleep
- Abnormal behaviors during sleep
- Excessive sleeping
Combined with directed history and physical exam, the above symptoms and medical
conditions are suggestive of a sleep disorder.
OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA HYPOPNEA SYNDROME (OSAHS)
Obstructive Sleep Apnea Hypopnea Syndrome is an array of sleep related breathing
disorders that is commonly referred to as "sleep apnea." These include obstructive,
central and mixed apnea and hypoventilation (hypopnea).
Sleep apnea is a common disorder affecting approximately 20% of men and 9% of women,
which can be very serious; 85% of patients referred to sleep labs are to rule out
OSAHS. During sleep, your breathing stops or gets shallow with pauses typically
lasting 10-20 seconds or more, which can occur 20-30 times or more an hour, then
normal breathing resumes with a loud snort, gasp or choking sound.
OSAHS is associated with often severe desaturation. This results in an arousal,
which disrupts sleep architecture, thus leading to unrefreshed sleep and the numerous
known adverse physiological affects associated with cardio-pulmonary instability
(hypertension, heart attack or stroke) and sleep deprivation. The severity OSAHS
is reported as the Apnea Hypopnea Index (AHI).
Because of advances in clinical practice as evidenced by the sleep literature combined
with new technologies, several options now exist to both diagnose and manage OSAHS.
If it goes untreated it can also increase the risk of diabetes, risk of work-related
accidents and driving accidents.
NARCOLEPSY Narcolepsy is a chronic neurological disorder caused
by the brain's inability to regulate sleep-wake cycles normally. People with narcolepsy
experience urges to sleep. If the urge becomes overwhelming, individuals will fall
asleep for periods lasting a few seconds to a few minutes. In addition to excessive
daytime sleepiness (EDS), there are three other major symptoms: cataplexy, sudden
loss of voluntary muscle tone; vivid hallucinations during sleep onset or awakening;
and brief episodes of total paralysis at the beginning or end of sleep.
RESTLESS LEG SYNDROME
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a neurological disorder characterized by unpleasant
sensations in the legs and an uncontrollable urge to move them for relief. Individuals
affected with the disorder describe the sensations "burning", "creeping", "tugging",
"itching", "tingling" and "crawling" inside the legs.
PERIODIC LIMB MOVEMENT
Periodic limp movement disorder (PLMD) is another neurological movement disorder.
Movement disorders often prevent or disrupt sleep. PLMD only affects people during
sleep. It is a repetitive cramping or jerking of the legs during sleep. "Periodic"
refers to the fact that the movements are repetitive and rhythmic, occurring about
every 20-40 seconds. It is often linked to Restless Legs Syndrome, but they are
not the same thing. It is more common in middle-aged and older patients.
INSOMNIA
Insomnia is defined as an inability to fall asleep or an inability to stay asleep.
It affects one third of the population at some point in their lives, with roughly
one third of these people experiencing chronic insomnia. A variety of psychological
and physiological factors can cause insomnia. The disorder may be worsened by consuming
alcohol or stimulants such as caffeine, or by certain drugs or medications.
OTHER SLEEP DISORDERS
Other sleep disorders include night terrors, sleepwalking, REM Behavior Disorders
and other far less prevalent sleep-related disorders.