Houston Sleep Apnea

Houston sleep apnea specialists are available in private practice, in local hospitals and through sleep centers. Your doctor may recommend a specific sleep specialist for further diagnostic and treatment assistance. After the initial exam you may decide to stay with that specialist or work with a professional lab that is more convenient or comfortable for you.

Houston has specialists for all types of sleep disorders.

If you are having trouble sleeping at night or experiencing sleepiness during the day you should talk with your personal physician. Your physician will review your symptoms and may recommend a sleep study and other diagnostic tests.

As a city with more than two million residents, Houston offers many sleep specialists and sleep centers. Not all offer the same services. For example:

• Some sleep specialists:
  • Only provide initial consultations and need to refer the patient to a sleep lab for any required sleep studies.
  • Are part of the staff at a sleep lab and will provide both initial consultations and direct the sleep study.
  • Specialize in only one specific type of treatment such as CPAP, dental appliance or surgery.
• Some sleep centers:
  • Provide a large staff of board certified sleep physicians, with a variety of expertise such as pulmonary care, neurology, dentistry and behavioral therapy.
  • Pride themselves on being small and providing a comfortable, home-like environment.
  • Offer at home sleep testing.
  • Offer education and equipment consultation to sleep apnea patients who may, or may not, have been patients at their sleep center.

If the patient is relaxed with the sleep specialist and sleep center, the diagnosis might be more accurate. The patient will reveal more information during their initial consultation and they may be more likely to avoid the stress often felt when sleeping in an unfamiliar bed or room away from home.

If your personal physician recommends a specific sleep specialist or sleep center, you might want to consider visiting the office or center before you make an appointment. This will give you the opportunity to see if you think you will feel comfortable and relaxed in that particular setting. If you don't feel comfortable, you can always ask your personal physician for another recommendation.

Here is information on several of the specialist and centers with specials features and services:

Comprehensive Sleep Medicine Associates (CSMA) is directed by Dr. Jerald H. Simmons, who is board certified by the American Board of Sleep Medicine.

CSMA provides diagnostic testing in the patient's home, in the hospital or in a laboratory setting. Sleep professionals, under the direction of Dr. Simmons, provide testing for both pediatric and adult patients to diagnose a full spectrum of sleep disorders. Tests include:

• EEG – To measure the stage of sleep by evaluating the electrical impulses produced by the brain
• EMG – To determine if the patient is in REM or another stage of sleep as well as to demonstrate muscle movement
• Respiratory effort testing – To evaluate chest wall and abdominal movements during sleep apneas
• Sonogram – To record the sound of snoring
• Oximetry – A finger probe with an infrared light which measure the level of oxygen in the blood

The CSMA office is at the Houston Medical Center at:

• 2201 W. Holcombe Blvd., #325
• Houston, TX 77030
• (713) 668-4100

After a patient is diagnosed with moderate sleep apnea, a recommended treatment option might be a custom fitted dental appliance. Dr. Buehler is a sleep disorder specialist who provides customized dental appliances to patients in the Houston metro area. He a member of several professional organizations including the Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

After an initial consultation, Dr. Buehler will adjust a dental appliance to meet a patient's dental and facial structure. The appliance is similar to an athletic mouthpiece and is designed to hold the jaw in a forward position. This opens the airflow in the back of the throat to improve the breathing and minimize or stop the apneas.

Dr. Beuhler's offices are located at:

• 3515 Ella Blvd.
• Houston, TX 77018
• (713) 682-4406

The Houston Sleep Center is fully accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and is part of the Institute of Sleep Medicine, a multi-division institute that is dedicated to providing diagnosis, treatment and education about sleep disorders.

Dr. Todd Swick, the Sleep Center's Medical Director, is board certified in both sleep medicine and neurology. Along with his staff, Dr. Swink offers a full range of diagnostic testing for both adult and pediatric patients. The Center also offers after diagnosis support and equipment including various types of CPAP and BiPAP machines, equipment and accessories.

The Center has facilities for both in-center sleep studies as well as at-home studies. The facilities for the in-center sleep studies include six bedrooms, each with cable television. Patients also have the option to conduct all or part of their sleep studies at home, using approved sleep study equipment.

The Center has offices in several Texas cities with Houston offices at:

• 7500 San Felipe, Suites 525 and 550
• Houston, TX 77063
• (713) 827-8896

Unlike other sleep specialists that work with a wide variety of sleep disorders, Apnix specializes in the diagnosis of sleep apnea issues and is accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

The Center prides itself on the comfortable, convenient setting for the sleep lab as well as the home-like atmosphere of the sleep study rooms. A patient's test report is reviewed by the technician and reviewed by the Center's board certified physician. The referring physician can choose to obtain the results immediately after the sleep study or wait 7 to 21 days for the final report prepared by the Center's physician.

Patients who have already been diagnosed with sleep apnea who are having trouble with their CPAP equipment are encouraged to contact the Center to speak with a respiratory therapist.

Apnix's Houston lab is located at:

• 4003-B Bellaire Blvd.
• Houston, TX 77025
• (713) 349-9767

Patients who are looking for a larger sleep center might turn to the Baylor College of Medicine Sleep Center, a full-service sleep lab which is accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

The Center is part of the Baylor College of Medicine. Several physicians with sleep medicine expertise are on staff and available for both adult and pediatric diagnosis. The staff includes:

• Physicians who are board certified in internal medicine, pulmonary and sleep medicine
• A clinical psychologist
• A doctor who is a dentist who specializes in oral appliance therapy

After the sleep study has identified the level of the sleep apnea, alternative treatment options are immediately available including:

• CPAP installation
• Oral appliance therapy
• Behavioral therapy

The Sleep Center is located on the edge of the Texas Medical Center at:

• 10019 S. Main Street, Suite A-9
• Houston, TX 77025
• (713) 798-3300

Once you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea and given a treatment option, it is also important that you continue to do what ever is necessary to maximize the effects of your treatment.

• If you gain or lose weight you should talk to your doctor about having your CPAP treatment reevaluated to ensure that your prescribed pressure is still adequate.
• Keep your CPAP and BiPAP machines, hoses and masks clean. Replace filters, masks, nasal plugs and forehead spacers regularly.
• Keep dental appliances clean and check them frequently for proper fit.
• Ask questions and stay aware of new treatment equipment.

Sleep apnea can be life threatening; however, by following a well-implemented treatment plan you can alleviate most of the symptoms of sleep apnea.

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