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Snoring & Sleep Apnea

The Basics

The Pasha Snoring Center is designed for those who Snore or have Sleep Apnea and want meaningful options for treatment beyond just a CPAP from a sleep board-certified ENT doctor.

You or your bed partner may be a snorer or gasper or perhaps you do not feel that you get refreshing sleep. Your bed partner may be stressed watching your every breath while you stop breathing at night. Many people with sleep related disorders are inefficient during the day, falling asleep easily or constantly feeling tired. Many of our patients are depressed and moody and have trouble with weight gain. Not to mention the overall health problems sleep apnea can cause, such as risk of developing diabetes, osteoporosis, etc..

Unfortunately, for many who have been diagnosed with sleep apnea you are given only one choice…A CPAP machine.

Be assured that during your visit, you will receive an in-depth analysis of not only the causes of your sleep apnea but the consequences of not treating it.

Being double-board certified in sleep medicine, Dr. Pasha also specializes in a number of other sleep related disorders including insomnia, hypersomnia (narcolepsy), sleep related movement disorders (restless leg syndrome), as well as parasomnias (sleep terrors and nightmares). Numerous times, patients are not diagnosed with other sleep conditions and are just given a CPAP without any improvement in their health. It is essential to be able to distinguish other causes of sleep disturbances to properly treat you.

Sleep Studies/Home Studies

If you have signs or symptoms of sleep apnea or have another sleep related condition, we may request a home or lab sleep study.

Common signs of sleep apnea include:

  1. snoring
  2. stopped breathing at night
  3. unrefreshing sleep
  4. daytime tiredness and fatigue
  5. weight gain
  6. mouth breathing
  7. history of high blood pressure or heart and lung disease.

It is important to understand that most people who have sleep apnea snore, but most people who snore do not have sleep apnea. We will not assume that you have sleep apnea based on the presence of snoring alone.

What Is A Sleep Study…

If we suspect that you may have sleep apnea or other sleep related condition, you may be scheduled for a sleep test called a polysomnography (PSG). A PSG may be performed at a sleep center or at home depending on the severity of your symptoms. During these overnight tests, you are measured for apneas (pauses in your breathing), oxygen levels, snoring, as well as a number of other events. The data from these studies is essential in determining the severity of your sleep apnea or to determine if you are getting proper sleep in order to determine your treatment plan. Insurance companies may also require sleep studies in order for you to be covered for your treatment.

If you have already received a sleep study please obtain the study or have it sent to the office prior to your visit, if possible.

We Will Explain Your Study To You…

As we mentioned before, we make sure to identify the source of your snoring or sleep apnea problem so when you return to visit Dr. Pasha, he will discuss the results with you and allow you to have a perspective on the severity of your sleep apnea.
Dr. Pasha has found that many patients do not understand their sleep study and may have been told that they have sleep apnea when in fact they might be better characterized as having an upper airway disorder or a primary snoring disorder. Dr. Pasha will give you a score called a Respiratory Distress Index or Apnea/Hyponea Index. This number is one measure of the severity of your sleep apnea. A score of >5-10 is considered abnormal. Scores greater than 16 are more severe. If your score is greater than 41 you are at a higher risk of medical disease such as high blood pressure or heart or lung disease (read more about the correlation between sleep issues and heart health here).

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