Sleep medicine is a medical specialty devoted to the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disturbances and disorders. Denali Healthcare Specialists provides diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing management of a broad range of sleep-related disorders. If you suspect that you have a sleep-related disorder, call and schedule an appointment at our office in Anchorage, Alaska.
Who needs to see a sleep specialist?
According to the Institute of Medicine, an estimated 50 million to 70 million Americans suffer from a chronic sleep disorder.
Symptoms that may indicate you have a sleep-related disorder include:
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- Chronic fatigue
- Morning headaches
- Loud snoring
- Choking or gasping during sleep
- Sleeping too much
- Leg restlessness
- Abnormal behaviors during sleep such as walking or talking while you sleep
If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, it’s important to get evaluated by a sleep specialist at Denali Healthcare Specialists to determine if you do have a sleep-related disorder.
What conditions do sleep specialists treat?
The International Classification of Sleep Disorders distinguishes more than 80 sleep-related disorders. Some of the more common sleep-related disorders treated by Denali Healthcare Specialists include:
- Obstructive sleep apnea
- Insomnia
- Restless leg syndrome
- Narcolepsy
As experts in sleep medicine, Denali Healthcare Specialists will evaluate your symptoms, order the necessary diagnostic tests, provide a definitive diagnosis, and develop a treatment plan to help you get a good night’s sleep.
How are sleep-related disorders diagnosed?
After your initial consultation at Denali Healthcare Specialists, your sleep specialist may recommend a diagnostic sleep study, which is a noninvasive, painless test that records your sleep patterns and behaviors as you sleep.
Sleep studies are indicated to diagnose:
- Sleep apnea
- Narcolepsy
- Periodic limb movement disorder
- Parasomnias — abnormal behaviors such as sleepwalking and night terrors
- Seizure-related disorders
- REM sleep behavior disorder
Through our affiliation with Sleep Centers of Alaska, we are able to order diagnostic testing at their clinics. Sleep Centers of Alaska offers both overnight sleep studies at their clinics, referred to as polysomnography, as well as home sleep apnea tests for select patients. After the sleep study is performed, the test results are forwarded to our board-certified sleep specialists for interpretation and diagnosis. Based upon the diagnosis, a treatment plan is then developed to put you on the path to long-term health.
For diagnosis and management of a sleep disorder, call Denali Healthcare Specialists to request an appointment.