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Some estimates say that nine percent of all males
and four percent of all females in the U.S. have some form of sleep
disorder. Untreated, sleep disorders can greatly affect daytime
functioning. Some sufferers awaken with headaches, others may be
irritable and forgetful, sometimes finding it difficult to concentrate
for the rest of the day. Put the problem to rest, there are treatments
for sleep disorders.
The St. Joseph Sleep Center located at St. Joseph Medical Center offers
help in the diagnosis and treatment of a variety of sleep disorders
which commonly are associated with these medical conditions:
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- cardiac disease
- renal failure
- neurological disorders
- enlarged tonsils or adenoids
- impotence
- gastrointestinal nighttime regurgitation
- clinical depression
- Polysomnography
Sleeping disorders can be difficult
to diagnose, but polysomnography can be the definitive tool leading
to proper diagnosis and treatment. A diagnosis may require a
visit to the sleep center where a variety of tests are conducted
while the patient sleeps and physiological measurements are correlated
to body movements. The entire procedure is called polysomnography.
The patient arrives at the sleep center about an
hour before bedtime. Technicians place dime-sized
sensors on different parts of the person's body. These measure heart
rate, brain wave patterns, muscle activity, leg and arm movements
and eye movement which indicate the stage of sleep. An elastic band
holding gauges is strapped around the chest and abdomen to track
movements of the muscles involved in breathing. Finally, a test
called oximetry measures dips in the amount of oxygen in the blood,
the hallmark of sleep apnea. People with sleep apnea actually stop
breathing for several seconds, then strenuously gasp for air hundreds
of times a night. More than 2.5 million Americans suffer from some
form of sleep apnea.
The automated scanners of the Sleep Center produce
a readout of each measurement, and these can be displayed next to
one another so that one symptom or sign is easily correlated with
another. For example, cessation of breathing usually coincides with
a dip in the amount of oxygen in the blood, and both tend to occur
when the patient is sleeping on his or her back.
Call Us
Call 816-943-3033 for more information about the
Sleep Center at St. Joseph Medical Center. We want to help you
get a good night's sleep.
Carondelet Health Center
1000 Carondelet Dr.
Kansas City, MO 64114
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