Smart Phone Technology Aids in the Diagnosis of OSA
With over 18 million Americans affected by Obstructive Seep Apnea (OSA), and even more undiagnosed, sleep apnea remains one of the most potentially dangerous sleep disorders. The latest and only sleep apnea iPhone questioners app, the MSleepTest, narrows the gap to diagnosis, making treatment more accessible to patients. A quick tap, a recorded sound bite and a few series of questions connects you with a sleep professional in your area for further testing. The app developers, Sleep Group Solutions came up with the idea to increase awareness of sleep apnea, leading to more attainable treatment.
Sleep Group Solutions have been offering dental continuing education courses for the past 7 years, teaching dentists how to screen and treat sleep apnea in house through oral appliance therapy. “Our dentists are saving their patients lives. They help them sleep and breath better, both of which are essential to life. This app acts as an initial screener for OSA, after you go through all the steps, it connects you with a sleep professional in your area who can help you,” explains Rani Ben-David, President of Sleep Group Solutions and creator of the MSleepTest app.
Oral appliance therapy (OAT) is a proven method of treatment for sufferers who are CPAP Intolerant, or have mild to moderate Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). Dentists across the country are treating patients, improving quality of life, and creating a healthier patient population. This direct to consumer technology allows the sufferer and/or bedtime partner a free means of screening. After recording your partners snoring, a few questions from the Epsworth and Berlin Sleepiness Scale are asked. From there the patient hits a button and the data is uploaded to a sleep professional in your area. Based on your results, you will be given the option of being contacted by a sleep professional for a free consultation and further testing. “This is a great way to not only educate patients, but it narrows the gap between awareness, and diagnosis,” says Dr. Steven Lanham, a Dentist in Columbia, South Carolina who screens all of his patients for sleep apnea. “We are beginning to see more patients with this terrible disorder, this app allows us to help patients we would have not necessarily met.”
Don’t have a smart phone? No worries, there’s a website with a similar initiative called, SleepTest.com. This website allows the sufferer (or someone looking for CPAP Alternatives) to answer a few questions, also connecting the patient to a sleep professional in their area for a free consultation.
Signs you may have sleep apnea are: snoring, obesity, high blood pressure, hypertension, daytime fatigue, irritability, forgetfulness and morning headaches (among others).
To download the MSleepTest and see if you or a loved one may have sleep apnea, click here. To take a sleep test online, log onto SleepTest.com.
About Sleep Group Solution
Sleep Group Solutions is an airway diagnostic technology company serving the needs of physicians and dentists interested in screening, diagnosing and treating sleep apnea and other upper airway disorders. Sleep Group Solutions offers the latest screening and diagnostic equipment solutions for patients with allergy, sinus congestion, rhinitis, deviated septum, nasal polyps, snoring and sleep apnea. SGS offers the most comprehensive dental sleep medicine CE seminars in the industry focused on teaching dentists the protocols needed to make the treatment of snoring and sleep apnea part of their practice. SGS offers sleep study interpretation, oral appliances (Norad Boil & Bite, Respire), online Dental directory 1800SleepLab.com, the MSleepTest iPhone app and online marketing at Sleeptest.com. SGS is the manufacturer of the Eccovision Systems Rhinometer and Pharyngometer.
