Sleep apnea is a category of sleep disorder that inhibits your breathing at night, either because of a lack of brain signals or because of an obstruction in the airway. Board-certified pulmonologist and sleep specialist Eli E. Hendel, MD, evaluates sleep apnea with sleep studies and can treat you from his private practice. To book an appointment, call the Glendale, California office or schedule online today.
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that disrupts your breathing at night, causing dangerous pauses that inhibit your oxygen intake while you sleep. Due to the sleep disruptions and lack of oxygen intake at night, you eventually experience symptoms of sleep apnea during the day too. During your initial sleep apnea evaluation with Dr. Hendel, you should report symptoms like:
Eventually, unmanaged sleep apnea can have serious long-term effects on your cardiovascular health. Hypertension, cardiomyopathy, heart attack, and stroke, are all possible complications of untreated sleep apnea, as are cognitive impairment and work-related accidents.
Dr. Hendel, an experienced sleep specialist, first evaluates you with a comprehensive medical history and physical examination. From this, he can find out if you have a sleep breathing disorder like sleep apnea. The next step is a sleep study, involving either spending the night in a certified sleep lab or taking home equipment to record measurements throughout the night.
Dr. Hendel analyzes the results of your sleep study and can diagnose you with:
Central sleep apnea is the result of a lack of signals from your brain that tell your muscles to breathe at night. It’s an issue with the function of your central nervous system, which controls involuntary bodily processes like breathing.
Obstructive sleep apnea happens when the tissues surrounding your airways collapse as you relax, constricting your airways. This blocks airflow and limits the oxygen you breathe in at night.
Dr. Hendel prescribes treatment for sleep apnea according to your diagnosis after analyzing your sleep study results. Your treatment might involve:
CPAP is a well-known treatment for sleep apnea involving a machine that provides continuous airflow into your airways. This helps hold your airways open at night and prevents constriction.
BIPAP is similar to CPAP but involves two airflows with two different pressures: one for inhalation and the other for exhalation.
ASV involves the use of a machine that detects the pauses in your breathing. When this happens, the machine initiates a breath for you. This machine is also available with additional specialized settings for heart disease and other health complications.
To schedule an appointment with Eli E. Hendel, MD, for sleep apnea symptoms, call the office or book your visit online today.
