Veteran’s Advocation

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A New Battle at Home: Sleep Issues and Undiagnosed Sleep Apnea

While most veterans and current military heroes might agree they’ve gone through sleepless nights in order to prepare and train for combat, what they may not realize is that they’re not just sacrificing their lives, but possibly the future of their health. Both active duty personnel and veterans of the military are at significantly greater risk for sleep disorders than the public at large. A little known fact but of increasing concern in the medical community is that a growing number of veterans are suffering from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) (hyperlink to OSA section of sleep disorders), and its symptoms can be devastating for our returning war heroes as they readjust to civilian life.

Statistics show that veterans are four times more likely than other Americans to suffer from sleep apnea, a pause in breathing during the night, according to Max Hirshkowitz, director of the Sleep Disorder Center at the Houston Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The exact reason is unknown, however, if veterans are not getting the quality sleep their body needs during the night they will experience daytime sleepiness and even symptoms that may resemble that of anxiety and depression. It is important to note depression may cause sleep problems and sleep problems may be contributing to depression according to the National Sleep Foundation. Therefore, veterans who have difficulty sleeping at night, experience tiredness during the day or show signs or symptoms of depression should see their physician for appropriate screening and treatment options.

One out of every five war veterans has been diagnosed with OSA – compared with only five out of 100 civilians in the general population

Snoring is another common sleep disorder that veterans suffer from at an increasing rate. Snoring can be a symptom of sleep apnea. Snoring is also caused by the obstruction of tissues in the airway. The true diagnosis and treatment for snoring and other disorders like sleep apnea, insomnia and restless legs can be properly diagnosed through an overnight sleep test at a sleep center.

Sleep problems often coincide and contribute to other health problems for active duty soldiers and veterans, complicating their return from deployment and combat and elevating their risk for a number of serious physical and mental health issues.

Frustrated by long waits for a sleep test? Choose us.

If so, did you know you have the right to ask for your sleep study to be conducted by the provider of your choosing?

Comprehensive Sleep Care Center has five convenient locations in the Northern Virginia area, 3 of our locations are within close proximity to Walter Reed National Medical Center, Fort Myer Army Base, Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, The Dumfries Clinic and Quantico Naval Health Center. Our centers offer flexible office hours, including Saturday morning appointments for consults and follow up, and our sleep studies are offered at each of our centers seven nights a week for your convenience as well.

Enjoy the comforts of home in an upscale hotel environment inside one of our sleep labs. Our highly trained, and experienced sleep technologists will monitor your sleep, measure how many times you stop breathing. Your sleep data will then be interpreted by our board-certified sleep medicine physicians and an individualized treatment plan will be developed based on your needs and goals. We also offer treatment alternatives other than CPAP, such as onsite oral appliance therapy and Provent. (link to oral appliance treatment section and to Provent treatment section)

Our sleep center provides:

  • A practice devoted to sleep medicine with a ‘one-stop sleep shop’ approach
  • Comprehensive patient education, support and care
  • Fast & Convenient Scheduling
  • Timely study results
  • Multidisciplinary approach and follow up with healthcare providers
  • Pre-certification of Insurance benefits
  • Upscale rooms with high-end bedding, flat screen TVs, free wifi, and a grab and go breakfast
  • High patient satisfaction

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Phone: 703.729.3420

Fax: 703.729.3422

E-mail: [email protected]