Sleep & Neurodiagnostic Center
Do you suffer from daytime sleepiness? Loud snoring? Poor concentration or
memory loss? Irritability or moodiness? Impotence? If you answer yes, you may
have a sleep disorder.
The very latest in diagnosis and treatment for sleep-related medical conditions
is available here in our community - at the United Medical Associates
Sleep & Neurodiagnostic Center
. The Center diagnoses and treats patients who suffer from
sleeping and daytime alertness problems. It offers the finest in medical
expertise and equipment to determine the cause and find the best treatment for
many sleep-related disorders.
The Sleep & Neurodiagnostic Center is equipped with four private,
home-like bedrooms with double beds, cable television, and private bathrooms
with showers. The rooms are light and sound-proof and have individual room
temperature controls for patient comfort. Testing is scheduled five nights a
week (Sunday-Thursday), and split-night and nap studies are conducted during
daytime hours.
Sleep Needs and Patterns Most healthy adults need seven to eight hours of sleep per day. When your sleep
is adequate, you should feel alert throughout the day. Sleep patterns change
during your lifetime. Infants may sleep up to 16 hours a day, while the elderly
may sleep much less and have a greater need for daytime naps. Some people fall
asleep at times when they should be able to stay awake. Dreams, which are very
important , can become nightmares and cause sleep problems for some people.
Getting Help Most of these disorders can be successfully treated once they have been
diagnosed . Some conditions may require a change in lifestyle, daily habits or
work schedules; other conditions may require medication. Correct treatment,
however, can only be prescribed after the medical condition has been diagnosed.
And that is the mission of the Sleep & Neurodiagnostic Center.
What To Expect at the Sleep Disorders Center On your first visit, you will be examined by the Center's Medical Director and
asked to complete a questionnaire regarding your particular sleep problem. Once
this information is obtained, a diagnosis may be possible, or you may be asked
to return for further evaluation of your problem while you sleep. Monitoring
your sleep often shows when problems are occurring and will help the Center's
team of sleep specialists to understand why.
The recording of your sleep will include brain activity, eye movements, chin
movements, heart activity, breathing effort and blood oxygen levels.
Diagnosis and Treatment After your stay at the Center, your sleep record will be reviewed and analyzed.
You'll then have a follow-up meeting and consultation to discuss your diagnosis
and treatment options.
For More Information For more information on how the United Medical Associates Sleep & Neurodiagnostic Center
can help you, call us today. The Center is at 93 Pennsylvania Avenue in Binghamton. 607-762-2048 or
1-800-353-3173
Sleep-Related Disorders
Insomnia Insomnia is the inability to sleep. It is a symptom that may be caused by many
conditions. Insomniacs may not be able to get sleep, or they may wake up often
during the night or wake too early in the morning. Insomnia may be caused by
breathing difficulties, emotional problems, abnormal movement of the legs or
other parts of the body, or it may simply be due to your environment.
Sleep Apnea and Snoring Snoring is not necessarily a normal, annoying occurrence. Heavy snoring may be a
symptom of a sleep-disorder known as sleep apnea. People with sleep apnea stop
breathing again and again during sleep. These interruptions in normal breathing
last 10 seconds to three minutes and can occur several hundred times a night.
Signs and symptoms of sleep apnea include excessive daytime sleepiness, heavy
snoring, high blood pressure and irritability.
Narcolepsy People who are too sleepy during the day and feel weakness when they get
surprised, amused or angry may have narcolepsy. Narcoleptics can experience
terrifying dreams or hallucinations as they fall asleep. Narcolepsy often
develops in young adults and may be a lasting health problem.
Oxygenation Problems When people have chronic breathing problems or lung disease, their symptoms
frequently get more pronounced when they sleep. A thorough evaluation of such
respiratory diseases sometimes requires measurement of blood oxygenation during
sleep.
Other Sleep Problems Sleepwalking and bedwetting - common in children - can be indications of
sleep-related disorders in adults. Nightmares or night terrors can be
experienced by people of all ages and may be a sign of an unrecognized and often
treatable, underlying disorder. Other conditions, such as grinding teeth or
talking during sleep can lead to medical problems.
