Molly z.'s Sleep Disorders FAQ Page 3

Index

Section one

PLMD personal experiences including family history, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment.

FAQ
will give you a good start in learning more about sleep disorders, including some types, causes and treatment.

Odds and Ends includes my opinions about PLMD and miscellaneous.

Section two

Answer my Sleep Poll and also see the results so far.

Section three

Links to sleep disorder websites plus a short list of books I found at the local library when learning more about sleep disorders. [Not for sale - these are listed for your reference purposes only!]

Website contents Copyright Š1999, 2000, 2004 molly b.
All Rights Reserved
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3. Q. How is a sleep disorder diagnosed?

A. A sleep disorder diagnosis is reached by
a. physical exam
b. family history
c. symptoms
Migraine or cluster headaches, extreme tiredness, falling asleep during the daytime, pain in the jaw area or ear (tooth grinding) are some symptoms that could indicate a sleep disorder.
d. sleep study

4. Q. What is a sleep study?

A. A sleep study is done at a sleep center or sleep disorders clinic, and involves an overnight stay in a private room. Several wires are taped to the arms, legs, head, back and chest and a sensor is taped to the index finger. These wires are connected to equipment which is monitored from another room. The equipment measures brain waves, EEG, muscle movements, breathing rate and so on.

My husband worried that he might not be able to fall asleep during his appointment, but he slept enough that his sleep patterns could be monitored. A diagnosis of periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD) and very mild sleep apnea was made and a treatment plan was set up.

The procedure is completely painless, and there is no invasion of privacy.

See the Links and References page for sites with more information about sleep centers.

5. Q. Is there anything that might make a sleep apnea condition worse?

A. Some factors that may aggravate sleep apnea include

a. obesity
b. medications including tranquillizers (such as clonazepam)
c. other CNS depressants (such as alcohol)
d. sleeping position
e. medical conditions (such as those of the lungs or heart)

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