Bumrungrad International Hospital has announced the opening of its Comprehensive Sleep Clinic to address sleep-related conditions.
Artirat Charukitpipat, chief executive of the hospital, said the sleep clinic aligns with the company's vision to increase patients' quality of life.
"We believe the clinic can help our clients increase the quality of their sleep and improve their quality of life. Sleeping troubles can originate from a variety of physical, mental or environmental conditions," she said.
"They often affect those with chronic or undiagnosed complex health conditions. The clinic can precisely diagnose and treat the underlying cause of our patients' sleep problems."
Ms Artirat said if the clinic's examination uncovers additional diagnoses or problems, Bumrungrad can initiate treatment immediately with specialists and interdisciplinary healthcare teams.
The clinic addresses all sleep problems, beginning with a patient interview and examination to find the cause of each patient's issue, said Dr Ketchai Suavansri, senior associate chief medical officer and neurologist at Bumrungrad.
A computerised sleep study can provide an accurate measurement of brain wave activity, muscle movement and cardiac activity.
Respiratory monitoring can show if the patient is breathing normally or it is too shallow. It also indicates when a patient stops breathing while sleeping, known as sleep apnea.
Blood oxygen saturation monitoring shows whether enough oxygen is being received into the blood.
If a patient stops breathing while sleeping, it can result in very low blood oxygen levels, which is a risk factor for deadly organ failure.
Once diagnosed, the underlying cause can be treated by doctors trained in sleep science, pulmonology, ear, nose and throat, neurology, dentistry and psychiatry, said Ms Artirat.
Dr Benjamas Intarapoka, pulmonologist and doctor of sleep medicine at Bumrungrad, said the most common sleep problems are sleep apnea and insomnia.
Roughly 95% of doctors worldwide prescribe the use of a CPAP machine for sleep apnea because it is considered the most effective treatment, said Dr Benjamas. It works by providing positive pressure to keep the patient's airway open while sleeping to prevent sleep apnea.
The non-surgical CPAP machine can also help with snoring to return sleep quality to normal.
After starting treatment, users should be able to sleep through the night uninterrupted and feel the restorative effects of proper sleep, which include improvements in mood, memory and concentration, said Dr Benjamas.
Dr Chairat Neruntarat, otolaryngologist and doctor of sleep medicine, said treatment is overseen by specialists to ensure patients receive the most effective care.
For example, a juvenile patient may be unable to wear a CPAP, including those with allergies, a deviated septum, sinus infection, facial abnormalities, or a soft palate, which is an abnormality of the uvula.
In these cases, the hospital would refer the patient to the Ear, Nose and Throat Center, the Dental Center, or the Behavioral Health Center, for reevaluation, said Dr Chairat.
"Our treatment options include medications for insomnia, radio frequency, lasers, adenoidectomy, tonsillectomy, oral appliance or cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia," said Dr Chairat.
"If the patient still experiences sleep apnea, doctors can initiate further treatment with a CPAP device."
