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Waukegan,
Ill., 5/28/04–Poor sleep is something
that affects approximately 60 million Americans
annually. Many people ignore the problem,
yet help for this pervasive problem may be
as close as the telephone.
“Consulting
with a doctor who specializes in sleep disorders,
is the best way to get sleeping back on track.
There are a wide range of options to help
combat the problem of poor sleep,” explains
Kim Needham, RT, manager of the Vista Health
Sleep Disorder Center. According to Needham,
studies show that people who suffer from sleep
disorders—insomnia, sleep apnea, obstructive
sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome and excessive
daytime sleepiness—typically wait about
twelve years before they seek medical help.
“People
wait far too long before they seek medical
help for their sleep problem and this is very
unfortunate. Often, people assume that help
for poor sleep means sleeping pills that leave
you feeling foggy, but so much has changed.
Now, we offer a range of options to deal with
all the various sleep problems,” Needham
explains.
Vista
Health’s Sleep
Disorder Center at Victory Memorial Hospital
in Waukegan, performs sleep studies (polysomnography)
to aid in the detection and treatment of sleep
apnea and other sleep disorders. These sleep
studies have proven extremely popular and
recently, the Sleep Disorder Center doubled
in size. The center now operates four beds,
thereby reducing the typical wait time for
a sleep study from two months to just under
two weeks at the most. Test results are available
within a 48-hour window and treatment can
begin shortly thereafter. On a weekly basis,
the Sleep Disorder Center staff conducts some
18 sleep studies.
“We’ve
been operational for over four years now,
and we’re continuing to grow. Our recent
expansion went very smoothly thanks to our
committed and professional staff. People are
choosing to come to us for their sleep study
because of our outstanding reputation. Our
friendly, polite and professional staff make
the difference,” Needham says.
During
a polysomnograph study, patients stay all
night (approximately 8:30 p.m. to 6 a.m.)
A technician attaches sensors to the patient’s
head, chin, throat, chest, abdomen and legs.
State-of-the-art equipment monitors and records
the patient’s reaction to sleep including:
brain waves, breathing, muscle activity, eye
movements, heart rate and oxygen level. If
sleep apnea is identified within the first
two to three hours of the study, the staff
initiates appropriate treatment that same
evening.
Anil
Khurana, M.D., independent, board-certified
Sleep Medicine specialist with offices in
Waukegan and Gurnee, is the Medical Director
of the Vista Health Sleep Disorder Center.
Dr. Khurana, a strong advocate of the program,
is very involved with the patients.
“To
properly diagnose a sleep disorder, it is
very important to assess a patient’s
health history. We often ask our patients
about snoring problems, energy levels throughout
the day, general health questions, and medications
they may be taking. Also, we conduct a physical
exam to check for features that can cause
a narrow airway such as a large neck size
or an unusual jaw position. Blood tests help
us rule out other health conditions,”
Dr. Khurana explains.
Needham
credits the staff for the success of the Vista
Sleep Disorder Center. The staff works very
well together and they love their jobs. This
translates to quality service and satisfied
patients. Plus, the physicians appreciate
all of our efforts to keep the Sleep Center
operating smoothly,” Needham concludes.
For
more information in the Vista
Health Sleep Disorder Center, please call
1-800-843-2464.
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