Sleep Disorder Center

At Northwest Medical Center, we understand the seriousness of a sleep disorder and how it can affect your life. Our Sleep Disorders Center provides comprehensive diagnostic evaluations to patients with symptoms such as Sleep Apnea, Narcolepsy, Myoclonus & Restless Legs Syndrome and Insomnia. In addition, we provide a highly trained staff, physicians and, the newest technology dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders.

Today, in the United States alone, the number of people who suffer from sleep disorders are staggering:

50 million Americans suffer from insomnia
20 million Americans experience leg movements during the night that cause them to awaken
10 million Americans experience loud snoring and breathing pauses during their sleep
250,000 Americans suffer from narcolepsy

How Can the Sleep Disorders Center Help?

The specialists here at Northwest Medical Center Sleep Disorders Center are trained in the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders and can help you get a better night's sleep, which is vital to your well-being. Since most people spend approximately one-third of their lives sleeping, it is easy to see the correlation between the quality of your sleep and the quality of your life.

The two-bedroom Sleep Disorders Center is complete with state-of-the-art computerized data acquisition and diagnostic equipment. Each room includes a queen-sized bed, color, remote-controlled cable television with a VCR and a private bath/shower.

Since most health insurance providers cover the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders, the Northwest Medical Center Sleep Disorders Center can help you improve the quality of your life by giving you back peaceful nights.

What Are the Most Common Sleep Disorders?

Insomnia: a persistent inability to fall asleep or stay asleep.
Snoring: a partial obstruction of the upper airway shown to increase the risk of having heart attacks and/or strokes. Loud, heavy snoring can also be a symptom of a more serious disorder known as sleep apnea.
Sleep Apnea: a life-threatening disorder that causes you to stop breathing periodically while sleeping.
Narcolepsy: a neurological illness characterized by sudden, uncontrollable sleep attacks and persistent daytime sleepiness.
Nocturnal Myoclonus: a disorder characterized by excessive movement of the legs during sleep, which causes arousal, also known as Periodic Leg Movements.
Gastroesophageal Reflux: a disorder caused when acid from the stomach "backs up" into the esophagus during the night, causing small awakenings.
Parasomnias: abnormal and recurrent nighttime behavior such as sleepwalking, night terrors and head banging, etc.

When Should I Consult a Physician About My Sleep Disorder?

Ask yourself, as well as your sleep partner, the following questions in order to determine whether you may need to consult your doctor for a referral to the Northwest Medical Sleep Disorders Center:

Do you feel excessively sleepy during the day?
Do you have difficulty falling asleep?
Do you awaken frequently during the night?
Do others say that you snore loudly?
Do others say that you stop breathing during your sleep?
Do you suddenly awaken gasping for breath?
Do you get morning headaches?
Do you feel your body going limp when you are angry or surprised?
Do you experience vivid dreamlike scenes upon falling asleep or awakening?
Do you experience leg pain during the night?
Do others say that you kick and thrash while asleep?
Do you wake up with heartburn, coughing or wheezing?

Do you have recurrent episodes of sleep walking, nightmares or abnormal behavior while sleeping, such as violent actions, head banging, etc?

If you answered "yes" to two or more of these questions, you should consult your physician and inquire whether an evaluation at our Sleep Disorders Center would be appropriate for you.

Our Sleep Disorders Center is now equipped to evaluate and diagnose your child's sleep symptoms and provide the proper treatment.

For more information on our Sleep Disorders Center or to inquire about specific treatments please call: (954) 978-4282.

For a free physician referral, please call 1-866-4HCA-DOCS (442-2362).