Center for Sleep Disorders

The Sleep Disorders Center

If you are having trouble sleeping or are feeling sleepy much of the time, you may have a sleep disorder. The first step in treating a sleep ailment is recognizing that a problem exists and the Sleep Disorder Center at Howard County General Hospital is dedicated to providing the highest quality care for the diagnoses and treatment of sleep disorders in adults, adolescents and children. For information or to schedule an appointment, call 1-800-937-5337.

The Sleep Laboratory

The center's state-of-the-art six-bedroom sleep laboratory offers a comfortable, quiet, home-like setting – each room has a bathroom, TV/VCR and reading chair, and a shower is available for patients to use after the study. We use the latest computerized monitoring equipment for testing and nocturnal studies to aid referring physicians in the diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea and our testing often includes daytime sleep latency testing. The center also performs treatment effectiveness studies with nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) and arranges equipment access for outpatients. A consultation office compliments the laboratory.

Medical and Technical Staff

The staff includes highly trained physicians and technologists. The medical directors are board certified in sleep medicine, pulmonary medicine and neurology. The technical staff includes registered technologists with experience in sleep disorders and associated fields, such as neurodiagnostics, cardiac monitoring and emergency medical technicians (EMT).

Infants, Children and Adolescents

The care of children with sleep disorders demands special attention. Sleep-related symptoms such as snoring, daytime drowsiness, insomnia, sleepwalking and nightmares are not only a problem for the young patient, but for the entire family. At the Sleep Disorders Center, our highly-trained staff is supported by the expertise of a pediatric sleep physician to provide effective diagnostic treatment and consultation services.

Common Sleep Disorders

Sleep Apnea - disruption of breathing during sleep
Insomnia - difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
Restless Legs Syndrome - burning or crawling sensations in legs
Narcolepsy – “sleep attacks” that can occur at any time

Common Sleep Disorder Symptoms:

Loud Snoring
Choking or gasping for breath while sleeping
Morning headaches
Drowsy driving
Hypertension
Recent weight gain
Excessive daytime sleepiness
Falling asleep at inappropriate times

Untreated Disorders Can Result In:

High blood pressure
Stroke
Cardiac disease
Automobile / industrial accidents
Sudden death

Scheduling an Appointment

Most insurance providers cover our services and we will be happy to assist you with insurance verification. Sleep laboratory testing is performed primarily Monday through Friday, but some weekend appointments are available. Primary care physicians or specialists refer patients to the Sleep Disorders Center. After referral for an evaluation, patients will receive a call from the center's staff to explain details about the testing procedure and answer all billing and administrative questions. For an appointment, please call 1-800-937-5337.