Sleep Center

Not all sleep centers staff Registered Polysomnographic Technologists, and that can make a big difference in the quality of your sleep study.

The physicians at Augusta University Sleep Center are supported by the area’s largest team of Registered Polysomnographic Technologists (RPSGT) in the Augusta area. These skilled medical professionals have met rigorous requirements and passed extensive examinations by the Board of Registered Polysomnographic Technologists. They have the skills and experience needed to perform sleep studies that ensure more accurate readings and better outcomes. A board certified sleep medicine physician will then interpret the studies, make a diagnosis and develop a plan of care.

We offer multidisciplinary sleep medicine care by a team of physicians with a breadth and depth of expertise unmatched in the area. In addition to three board certified sleep specialists, the team includes:

• Adult and pediatric pulmonologists
• Adult and pediatric neurologists
• Adult and pediatric otolaryngologists (ENT specialists)
• Dentists who are members of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine
• Psychologists
• Other specialists

These caregivers treat sleep apnea, insomnia, narcolepsy, restless legs syndrome and other sleep disorders with therapies ranging from behavioral changes to medications to breathing devices to surgery to remove adenoids, tonsils and excess throat tissue.

• Sleep apnea: a common yet potentially dangerous sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops for a short length of time, usually a matter of seconds, but can escalate to minutes
• Insomnia: a common sleep disorder when someone has trouble falling or staying asleep
• Narcolepsy: a disorder when the brain fails to regulate the sleep/wake cycle normally
• Restless legs syndrome (RLS): disrupts sleep when an almost irresistible urge to move the legs occurs due to uncomfortable sensations
• Periodic limb movement: This disorder involves periodic involuntary contractions of the leg muscles during sleep, causing jerking movements and frequent partial awakenings. This disrupted sleep results in daytime fatigue, even though people with the disorder think they are getting a full night’s rest. People with this disorder may report aching legs before bedtime or upon getting up. Consult a physician if you experience these symptoms.
• Parasomnias Parasomnia is a broad term used to describe several uncommon but disruptive sleep disorders that involve physical acts that occur during sleep. They include:
  
  • Sleepwalking
    This occurs when a person performs actions such as walking while sleeping. Sleepwalking is much more common in children than in adolescents or adults. It tends to run in families but rarely indicates a serious underlying medical problem. But sleepwalkers can injure themselves or others. If the sleepwalker exits the house or sleepwalks frequently and injuries occur, seek professional help right away.   
  • Sleep Talking
    People with this condition occasionally shout out a word or two of gibberish or even recite an entire speech during sleep. This is a harmless and usually temporary condition.   
  • Sleep Terrors or Night Terrors 
    This is the most extreme and dramatic of the parasomnias. The disorder is marked by a sudden arousal and piercing screams or shouting, accompanied by signs of intense fear that usually occur during the first third of the night. People with sleep terrors may jump out of bed, become agitated or hurt themselves or others. Sleep terrors are more common in children and usually subsides before adulthood. Treatment is generally not needed for children unless the behavior is violent or causes excessive daytime sleepiness. However, sleep terrors in adults are serious and abnormal and usually indicate excessive agitation or sleep deprivation, depression, anxiety or even post traumatic stress disorder. Adults who experience sleep terrors should see a sleep specialist.   
  • Teeth Grinding (Bruxism)
    Chronic grinding of the teeth, or bruxism, is a common occurrence that is particularly prevalent in children, but occurs in less than five percent of adults. The disorder can lead to dental damage or injury or chronic daytime sleepiness and disrupt the sleep of others. Chronic teeth grinders should consult a physician.  
• Nocturnal seizures: Nocturnal, or sleep-related seizures, is a form of epilepsy that can cause abnormal movement or behavior during sleep. Behaviors can range from waking several times a night to violent movements of the arms and legs to biting of the tongue to urination. These seizures frequently occur in people who have epileptic seizures during the day, but may also occur only at night. If you or a loved one experiences these symptoms, see a sleep specialist right away.

Registered Sleep Technologists and Board Certified Sleep Physicians

Our sleep studies are performed by registered polysomnographic technologists and interpreted by board certified sleep medicine physicians. Located in Augusta, Ga., Augusta University Sleep Center performs and interprets:

Polysomnographic Studies

These tests are used to diagnose sleep apnea, narcolepsy and other conditions. Patients spend a full night at the center. While they sleep, painless electrodes attached to their bodies monitor:

• brain activity
• eye movement
• oxygen and carbon dioxide blood levels
• heart rate and rhythm
• breathing rate and rhythm  
• the flow of air through the mouth and nose 
• body muscle movements
• chest and abdomen respiratory movements

Registered sleep technologists monitor each patient during the tests, and an intercom system allows for easy communication between patients and caregivers. Patients are also videotaped with infrared cameras, while microphones monitor their snoring. A board certified sleep medicine physician reviews the data collected during the tests to diagnose any disorder and its severity and prescribe treatments, if needed.

Discover if you need a sleep evaluation