Using The In Hand Dental App For Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts. There are three main types:
- Obstructive sleep apnea, the more common form that occurs when throat muscles relax
- Central sleep apnea, which occurs when your brain doesn't send proper signals to the muscles that control breathing
- Complex sleep apnea syndrome, also known as treatment-emergent central sleep apnea, which occurs when someone has both obstructive and central sleep apnea
Each type of sleep apnea may show different signs, but the most common symptoms include:
- Loud snoring
- Episodes in which you stop breathing during sleep — which would be reported by another person
- Gasping for air during sleep
- Awakening with a dry mouth
- Morning headache
- Difficulty staying asleep (insomnia)
- Excessive daytime sleepiness (hypersomnia)
- Difficulty paying attention while awake
- Irritability
If a doctor diagnosis sleep apnea, there are several ways to treat it:
One way might be with Positive Airway Pressure (PAP) or a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP).
With PAP, a machine delivers air pressure through a piece that fits into your nose or is placed over your nose and mouth while you sleep. With CPAP, the pressure of the air breathed is continuous, constant and somewhat greater than the surrounding air, which allows your upper airway passages to open.
If one of your patients has a PAP or CPAP, one way to monitor them is with the In Hand Dental app.Â
Patients can ask questions through the app directly with you– there is no need to call the office and schedule an appointment. This frees up more time for patients who need to be seen one-on-one, as well as emergencies.
If you are a doctor and looking for a way to see more patients and stay HIPAA compliant, while monitoring your patients’ progress virtually, call our office today at (913) 701-7444 to learn more or to set up an appointment to get started.
The In Hand Dental app is priced to scale, with plan starting at $149, making it affordable for small and emerging doctors, as well as large, established practices.
