Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA)
The airway collapses repeatedly during sleep, dropping oxygen levels dozens of times an hour. Diagnosed with a sleep study and treated with CPAP, weight and airway management.
Sleep medicine · Coimbatore
Snoring, gasping at night or always tired? It could be sleep apnoea.
If you snore loudly, wake unrefreshed or fall asleep during the day, a simple sleep study can tell you why. Dr. Arun Gangadhar is a Consultant Pulmonologist and Sleep Physician in Coimbatore, running sleep studies, CPAP and BiPAP titration at Sri Ramakrishna Hospital and at Lung Care — The Pulmonary Clinic, RS Puram.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Arun Gangadhar, MBBS, DNB (Pulmonary Medicine), MNAMS, IDCCM, EDARM — Consultant Interventional Pulmonologist & Sleep Physician, Sri Ramakrishna Hospital and Lung Care — The Pulmonary Clinic, Coimbatore.
Symptoms
Signs worth getting checked
Any two of these together are reason enough for a sleep study.
Loud, habitual snoring most nights
Someone has seen you stop breathing or gasp in your sleep
Waking unrefreshed even after 7–8 hours in bed
Daytime sleepiness — dozing off at work, in meetings or while driving
Morning headaches and a dry mouth or sore throat on waking
Waking two or more times at night to pass urine
Poor concentration, irritability or low mood
Blood pressure or sugar that stays high despite medication
Conditions
Sleep-related breathing problems treated
Not every snorer has sleep apnoea — and not every tired patient needs a machine. The point of the assessment is to tell them apart.
Snoring without apnoea
Not all snoring is sleep apnoea. A sleep study tells the two apart so you are not put on a machine you do not need.
Insomnia with breathing symptoms
Frequent night waking with breathlessness or choking can point to apnoea, reflux, asthma or heart-related causes — each needs a different plan.
Overlap with asthma & COPD
Night-time cough, wheeze and early-morning breathlessness often worsen sleep. Treating both together makes a bigger difference than treating either alone.
Obesity hypoventilation
Daytime sleepiness plus low oxygen and high carbon dioxide levels needs BiPAP rather than plain CPAP, along with a structured weight plan.
CPAP not working for you
Mask leak, pressure intolerance and dryness are fixable. Re-titration and mask refitting recover most people who abandoned CPAP.
What to expect
From first consultation to sleeping properly again
Step 1
Consultation & symptom scoring
History, Epworth sleepiness score, STOP-BANG risk, airway and nasal examination, and a check for blood pressure, thyroid and sugar contributors.
Step 2
Sleep study
A home or hospital-based sleep study measures how often your breathing stops, how far oxygen falls and how fragmented your sleep is.
Step 3
CPAP / BiPAP titration
If treatment is needed, pressure is titrated and the mask fitted properly, so the first night at home is comfortable rather than a struggle.
Step 4
Follow-up & adherence
Download review, pressure adjustment, weight and lifestyle plan, and management of asthma, COPD or reflux that keeps disturbing sleep.
Where to come
Two locations in central Coimbatore
Sri Ramakrishna Hospital
395, Sarojini Naidu Road, Siddhapudur, Coimbatore — 641044
Monday – Saturday, by appointment
Lung Care — The Pulmonary Clinic
18, Cowley Brown Road, R.S. Puram, Coimbatore — 641002
Mon – Fri, 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM (Sat & Sun closed)
FAQ
Sleep apnoea questions patients ask
Which doctor should I see for snoring and sleep apnoea in Coimbatore?
A pulmonologist and sleep physician. Dr. Arun Gangadhar consults at Sri Ramakrishna Hospital, Sarojini Naidu Road, Siddhapudur, and at Lung Care — The Pulmonary Clinic, 18 Cowley Brown Road, RS Puram, Coimbatore, and manages sleep studies, CPAP and BiPAP titration.
What are the warning signs of sleep apnoea?
Loud snoring, witnessed pauses in breathing, gasping or choking at night, unrefreshing sleep, morning headaches, daytime sleepiness, poor concentration and blood pressure or sugar that will not settle despite medication.
How is sleep apnoea diagnosed?
With a sleep study that records airflow, breathing effort, oxygen saturation, heart rate and sleep position. It can be done at home or in hospital, and it shows how many breathing pauses occur each hour.
Is CPAP the only treatment?
No. Mild cases can improve with weight reduction, positional therapy, nasal treatment and alcohol or sedative avoidance. CPAP or BiPAP is advised for moderate to severe apnoea, and some patients benefit from an oral appliance or ENT surgery.
Can sleep apnoea cause heart problems or diabetes?
Untreated sleep apnoea is linked with resistant high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation, heart failure, stroke, poor sugar control and road accidents from daytime sleepiness. Treating it usually improves blood pressure and sugar control.
How soon can I get a sleep study appointment?
Most patients are seen within the same week. Call +91 82203 33209 or send an appointment request on this site and the clinic will call you back with a slot.
Sleep and lung services at the clinic
Sleep studies, CPAP titration and follow-up are run at Lung Care — The Pulmonary Clinic, R.S. Puram.