Sleep Medicine Specialist

What is sleep medicine?

Sleep medicine focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders. With his training in the brain and nervous system (neurology), Dr. Ed Benny provides sleep medicine services at The Spine and Sports Center. 

What conditions do sleep medicine specialists treat?

Sleep disorders encompass more than 80 different conditions that range in severity. Dr. Ed Benny evaluates and treats a wide range of sleep disorders, including:

• Insomnia, or trouble falling asleep or staying asleep
• Sleep apnea, where you stop breathing while asleep
• Restless legs syndrome, which involves an uncomfortable urge to move your legs
• Hypersomnia, or excessive sleepiness
• Narcolepsy, which causes extreme sleepiness or sleep attacks
• Circadian rhythm disorders, which disrupt your normal sleep-wake cycle
• Sleep-related movement disorders 

Not only do sleep disorders affect the person with the condition, but they can also prevent your partner from getting a good night’s sleep. Dr. Ed Benny provides expert sleep medicine services to improve your quality of life. 

How do I know if I have a sleep disorder?

Signs and symptoms of sleep disorders vary based on the specific condition you have. Some common warning signs of a sleep disorder include:

• Taking more than 30 minutes for you to fall asleep each night
• Regularly waking up multiple times throughout the night
• Your bed partner reporting loud snoring, gasping, or choking sounds
• Feeling like you can’t move when you first wake up
• Having creepy, tingly sensations in your arms or legs when trying to sleep
• Your bed partner reporting jerking movements of your arms or legs while you sleep
• Feeling sleepy during the day

If any of these signs or symptoms are relevant to you, Dr. Ed Benny can help. He evaluates and manages sleep disorders at The Spine and Sports Center.

How are sleep disorders diagnosed and treated?

First, Dr. Ed Benny carefully reviews your symptoms and medical history and performs a physical exam. He may also take a sleep study or polysomnogram. The test monitors and records your physiological data while you sleep, including your heart rate, brain wave activity, and blood pressure. 

After he diagnoses your condition, Dr. Benny recommends the best treatments for you. Depending on your needs, treatment for sleep disorders may include:

• Lifestyle changes like a healthy diet and exercise
• Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine
• Medications, including sleeping pills

For personalized care in sleep medicine, call The Spine and Sports Center or book an appointment online today.