Diagnostic and Treatment Services of Sleep Disorders

The Emory Clinic Sleep Disorders Center offers a complete range of diagnostic procedures to identify specific sleep disorders, as well as the latest treatments and therapies to manage the patient's condition. From simple snoring to more severe conditions such as obstructive sleep apnea, the center works with patients to tailor an individualized treatment plan.

Diagnostic Services  

The Emory Clinic Sleep Disorders Center uses among the most sophisticated and technologically advanced diagnostic tools available to diagnose patients with sleep disorders. These include:

Polysomnogram

This is a painless test that uses a device which attaches electrodes to a patient's body and transmits information to a computer that monitors functions including brain waves, eye movement, respiration, oxygen level in the blood, and audio emissions (snoring or other sounds during sleep).

There are two types of polysomnograms:

• An overnight test, in which the patient is monitored in a sleep lab by a sleep technologist, or
• A take-home device that allows patients to record their own sleep functions

Multiple Sleep Laboratory Test (MSLT)

An MSLT monitors a person's sleep habits overnight in a sleep lab. The sleep lab is staffed by four sleep technologists and includes state-of-the-art sleep disorder diagnostic tools and monitoring systems. Infrared cameras are used to record a person during sleep in a private room with a private bathroom.

Continued Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Titration: 

A CPAP is a device that blows pressurized air into the nose via a nose mask. It can be used to determine the nature of the obstruction for people with obstructive sleep apnea.

In addition, our physicians are highly trained to further analyze the nature of a patient's condition to help design an effective treatment plan.

Consultation services are also available in additional areas including Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT); Pulmonary Medicine; Geriatric Medicine; Oral Surgery; Dentistry; Pediatrics; and Psychiatry.

Treatment Services

The center uses the latest therapies and innovations to treat patients who suffer from a variety of sleep disorders.

Medication

A wide variety of medications are available to manage conditions such as narcolepsy, insomnia, and apneas. Our physicians will develop an individualized medication therapy plan for each patient.

Behavioral Therapy

Behavioral therapies treat the root causes of some sleep disorders. Depending on the type of disorder, recommended programs include:

• Weight loss
• A change in sleep habits
• An exercise regimen

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)

A CPAP is a device that blows pressurized air into the nose via a nose mask. For patients who have sleep apnea, the CPAP device keeps the air passage open so that a normal sleep pattern can be developed.