It’s the snoring that often brings people into a clinic for a sleep study.
“Snoring and daytime fatigue are the two biggest reasons a person will get tested,” acknowledges Tracey Alcorn. “But there are a lot of other signs and symptoms.”
Alcorn, a sleep technician and the owner of Parkland CPAP Services Inc., points out that diabetes and high blood pressure can also be indicators of sleep apnea – a breathing disorder in which a sleeping person can experience the collapse of the upper airway, shallow and paused breathing and sleep disruption.
“Left untreated, it can cause heart attacks, stroke, dementia and glaucoma,” she says. “There’s not a system in your body that doesn’t require oxygen to function properly. Breathing is important and sleep is where we’re supposed to be restoring ourselves. We want that restorative sleep.”
Parkland CPAP Services recently opened a storefront in Weyburn, and after further expansion to Fort Qu'Appelle the business will have seven Saskatchewan locations. (The others are Yorkton, Moosomin, Humboldt, Tisdale and Kindersley.)
The Parkland CPAP team – made up of highly-qualified polysomnography technicians (PSGT) – conducts Level 3 testing for sleep apnea. Unlike on-site tests (Level 1) in which a patient will sleep in a hospital or clinic, Level 3 tests are conducted in the patient’s own home.
“It’s a very noninvasive way of screening for sleep apnea,” says Alcorn. “Patients only come into our clinic for a 15-minute appointment where they learn how to use the equipment.”
The patient then takes the equipment home, uses it and returns it the next day. The Parkland staff download the information and, if necessary, consider the next steps. Test results are always read by a respirologist specializing in sleep medicine in Saskatoon.
“A doctor’s referral is required for testing,” Alcorn adds. “Anyone wishing to purchase a CPAP machine does require a prescription as well.”
Essentially, a CPAP machine restores continuous, positive airway pressure by sealing the airway with a mask and changing the airway pressure from negative (how we all breathe) to positive. Once turned on, the airway pressure moves from negative to positive pressure. The machine’s base pressure opens the airway and, crucially, as the airway tries to close, it increases pressure to keep the user breathing through the night.
And, yes, it does stop a person from snoring!
Once a patient has a doctor’s prescription for a CPAP machine, Alcorn recommends they touch base with their health insurance provider. Parkland CPAP provides quotes to send to the insurance company for pre-approval, and generally insurance will cover components including masks, filters, tubing and water chambers.
Parkland also sells these items, and their services extend to people who don’t even have sleep apnea.
“We’re here to help with all aspects of sleep,” says Alcorn. “We can help with sleep hygiene counselling, for example.”
Alcorn recommends that Weyburn and area residents check out Parkland’s Facebook page for region-specific information. Further details about the business and its scope of services can be found on their website. The Weyburn clinic, at 35 5th St NE, can be reached by calling (306) 897-5864.
“We want to offer these services close to home so people don’t have to travel to Estevan or Regina or anywhere else,” Alcorn concludes. “It can sometimes be difficult to make that trip into the city to get things looked at or get things done, so we’re offering a more accessible service that means patients won’t have to go without their sleep therapy.”