Your Sleep Apnea and Snoring Professionals
#101 -15 Canada Ave
Duncan, BC V9L 1T3

250-597-8958

1255B Cliffe Avenue
Courtenay, BC V9N 2K3

250-334-0789

277 Evergreen Road
Campbell River, BC V9W 5Y4

250-914-5050

#3-5144 Metral Drive
Nanaimo, BC V9T 2K8

250-585-6151

Symptoms & Diagnosis of Sleep Apnea

Sleep Apnea Symptoms

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Sleep disordered breathing refers to a group of disorders that cause “apnea,” an interruption of breathing during sleep. The most common type of apnea is obstructive sleep apnea or OSA. Common symptoms include:

  • Loud snoring
  • Stopping breathing during sleep
  • Excessive daytime sleepiness
  • Gasping or choking during sleep
  • Morning headaches
  • Depression
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Fragmented sleep
  • Memory problems
  • Impotence
  • High blood pressure
  • Irritability

Sleep apnea symptoms not only impact your quality of life, but also, over time, may contribute to more serious health risks like heart disease, stroke, Type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure. The medical sleep community recognizes sleep apnea as a condition that can be effectively managed but not cured.

Diagnosis

If you think sleep disordered breathing might be an issue for you, fill out our online sleep apnea evaluation form, and talk to your family physician about the screening program available at Pacific Sleep Care.
  • Step 1: Awareness

    Diagnosing sleep disordered breathing conditions begins with becoming aware of typical sleep apnea symptoms. Start with an online evaluation to see how the most common symptoms of sleep apnea might be affecting your day-to-day activities.

  • Step 2: Testing With A Portable Home Monitor

    If the initial evaluation confirms that you are experiencing sleep apnea symptoms, the next step is to establish if you do, in fact, have sleep apnea. We will provide you with a portable home monitor at no cost to measure your breathing patterns while you sleep in the comfort of your own bed.

    Pacific Sleep Care follows the Canadian Sleep Society protocols for home monitoring. A Registered Polysomnographic Technician will read and score your results, which will provide the information needed for a sleep apnea diagnosis.

  • Step 3: Diagnosis

    The cause of sleep apnea can be physical, neurological, or both. Diagnosing sleep apnea involves finding the cause of the apnea, which determines treatment. The most common cause is a blockage to the upper airway, a condition called obstructive sleep apnea or OSA. In most cases OSA is successfully managed with CPAP or oral appliance therapy.

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At Pacific Sleep Care, we are committed to building knowledge of sleep apnea symptoms and the health benefits of various treatments. Our patients’ well-being is our top priority, and our team enjoys working with people to restore healthy sleep patterns and improve their quality of life.

Due to illness and COVID isolation requirements, there may be times when we have to have an unscheduled closure of a local office. Please check our Facebook page for daily updates.

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