About LewisGale Physicians Sleep Medicine
Sleep disorders
Quality sleep is essential to your overall health. The experts at LewisGale Physicians Sleep Medicine offer a broad range of diagnostic and therapeutic services to treat a variety of sleep disorders. Under the direction of our board-certified pulmonologists and sleep medicine specialists, our Sleep Medicine utilizes state-of-the art technology with the comforts of home.
More than 70 million adults in the U.S. have a sleep disorder, according to the American Sleep Association. You may have a sleep disorder if you have trouble falling or staying asleep, trouble staying awake, feelings of tiredness after a full night’s sleep or a partner who complains about your snoring. Snoring occurs when your airway becomes blocked during sleep. Though snoring is common, it can disrupt your sleep and the sleep of your bed partner. It may also be a sign of an underlying condition, such as sleep apnea.
To learn more about our sleep disorder services, call (540) 776-2075.
We specialize in the following conditions:
Sleep apnea
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder in which breathing stops and starts during sleep. This respiratory problem means parts of your body may not get enough oxygen while you are asleep. There are three main types of sleep apnea:
- Obstructive sleep apnea: Occurs when your throat muscles relax
- Central sleep apnea: Occurs when your brain sends improper signals to the muscles that control breathing
- Complex sleep apnea syndrome: A combination of obstructive and central sleep apneas
Sleep apnea can be a serious medical condition. You should see a sleep specialist if you snore loudly, feel tired after a full night’s sleep and/or your bed partner believes you stop breathing while asleep. Our sleep medicine providers may suggest lifestyle changes, medications or therapies, such as using a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine. When these treatments do not improve a patient’s sleep apnea, they may suggest surgery or other options.
Insomnia
People with insomnia have persistent problems falling asleep and/or staying asleep.
Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy causes a person to have sudden sleep attacks or severe drowsiness during the day. The sleep attacks can occur during any activity.
Parasomnias
Parasomnias refer to sleep disorders which cause abnormal behaviors during sleep, such as sleep walking or sleep paralysis.
Sleep movement disorders
Sleep movement disorders refer to conditions that cause movement before or during sleep, like restless leg syndrome (RLS). Sleep movement disorders can make it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep.
Sleep studies
Your doctor may suggest a sleep study to diagnose your sleep problems. During a sleep study, a LewisGale sleep specialist monitors your movements, brain activity, oxygen levels and other behaviors as you sleep overnight. The sleep study takes place in a home-like environment, and the specialist monitors you from another room.
Managing your care with Health Portal
Health Portal facilitates better communication with your physician’s and provider’s office from the comfort and privacy of your home or office.
Other patient resources
Cancellations
If you are unable to keep your scheduled appointment, please give a 24-hour notice so someone else may use that time. Arriving early for your first appointment is very helpful for filling out questionnaires and insurance forms.