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Ten percent of Americans have insomnia - the inability to doze off easily or to stay asleep long enough to feel rested. One or two of every hundred Americans has sleep apnea - the potentially life-threatening inability to breathe steadily throughout the night. Less common but equally dangerous are conditions such as narcolepsy (excessive daytime sleepiness), involuntary muscle-jerking during sleep and sleepwalking.
Such conditions were not well understood until recently, but great strides have been made in unraveling the mysteries and learning how to treat these disorders.
Yes, most sleep disorders are treatable. If you have a sleep disorder, the MCGHealth Sleep Disorders Center is here to help you.
About the Center
The MCGHealth Sleep Disorders Center offers comprehensive care for the full range of sleep disorders. Patients from Georgia, South Carolina and beyond come to MCGHealth to benefit from the experience and expertise of the first accredited sleep center in the region. The center has met all accreditation requirements of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). AASM accreditation signifies high standards of care for people with sleep disorders.
The MCGHealth Sleep Disorders Center uses a multidisciplinary approach to patients by combining forces with adult and pediatric pulmonary medicine, adult and pediatric neurology, otolaryngology and other specialties to treat patients with sleep disorders with maximum effectiveness.
The center is located on the 4th floor of the MCGHealth Children's Medical Center, a 154-bed fully accredited facility which is the leading referral center for Georgia and surrounding regions. Painless electrodes attached to the patient monitor brain activity, eye movement, heart rate and other physiologic functions while he sleeps. A technician in a nearby room observes the patient via video camera and charts his nocturnal activity. After the patient is monitored, which usually is accomplished in one night, treatment begins, either by the patient's referring physician, or by a sleep center specialist if preferred.
About the Staff
The medical director, Dr. Amy Blanchard, is a diplomate of the American Board of Sleep Medicine, in addition to being board-certified in pulmonary and critical care medicine. Her interests include sleep apnea syndrome, narcolepsy, and parasomnias.
Dr. Yong Park is a diplomat of the American Board of Sleep Medicine and is a pediatric neurologist who specializes in neurologic sleep disorders and epilepsy.
Dr. Tom Dillard is a board certified pulmonologist and diplomat of the American Board of Sleep Medicine.
Dr. David Terris of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, have vast experience in the surgical treatment of sleep-disordered breathing.
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Symptoms of Sleep Disorders
Self Test
Sleep Disorders:
What you need to know
Dr. Amy Blanchard
MCG Sleep Disorders Center
is the region's first
accredited sleep center
To learn more or to make an appointment, please call
706-721-0793.
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