Sleep Apnea & Snoring Treatment in Hyderabad
City Chest Clinic, Mehdipatnam, Hyderabad|Dr. S.A. Rafi, Consultant Pulmonologist
Obstructive sleep apnea is probably the most under-diagnosed serious condition in India. Loud snoring with pauses in breathing is not a family joke — it means the airway is closing dozens of times an hour, oxygen is dipping all night, and the heart is being strained every time it happens. It is also one of the most satisfying conditions to treat, because patients usually feel the difference within a fortnight.
Signs you should be tested for sleep apnea
- Loud snoring, with witnessed pauses in breathing followed by a gasp, choke or snort
- Daytime sleepiness — dozing off watching TV, in meetings, or while driving
- Waking unrefreshed after 7–8 hours, with morning headache or a dry mouth
- Blood pressure that will not come under control on two or more medications
- Getting up to pass urine two or more times a night
- Poor concentration, irritability, low mood or reduced libido blamed on age or stress
- In children: mouth breathing, restless sleep, bed-wetting, or poor school performance
If any of these apply to you, book an evening consultation at City Chest Clinic, Mehdipatnam. Bring all previous reports, X-rays and your current medicines or inhalers.
Diagnosis: a sleep study, not guesswork
Snoring cannot be graded by history. The severity of sleep apnea is measured by the Apnea-Hypopnea Index — the number of breathing interruptions per hour of sleep. Under 5 is normal, 5–15 mild, 15–30 moderate and above 30 severe. That number decides whether you need reassurance, a dental device or CPAP.
- Home sleep study (level 3 polysomnography) — convenient, done in your own bed, and sufficient for most straightforward adult cases.
- Laboratory polysomnography — full recording of brain waves, airflow, effort, oxygen, heart rhythm, limb movement and body position. Preferred where there is heart or lung disease, suspected central apnea, insomnia or an unclear home result.
- Overnight oximetry as a screening step in selected cases.
- Upper airway and nasal assessment — nasal blockage, deviated septum, large tonsils and jaw structure all change the treatment plan.
- Screening for the conditions that travel with OSA: hypertension, type 2 diabetes, hypothyroidism and obesity.
Treatment options
- CPAP therapy — the definitive treatment for moderate and severe OSA. Gently pressurised air acts as a splint holding the airway open through the night.
- Proper CPAP titration and mask fitting. Most CPAP "failures" are actually titration and mask problems, and both are fixable — we spend real time on this rather than handing over a machine.
- Auto-CPAP and BiPAP where fixed pressure is not tolerated or where there is coexisting lung disease or obesity hypoventilation.
- Mandibular advancement (dental) devices for mild OSA and for patients who genuinely cannot use CPAP.
- Positional therapy for patients whose apnea occurs almost entirely while lying on the back.
- Structured weight reduction — a 10% weight loss typically cuts the AHI by around 25%.
- Treatment of nasal obstruction and allergic rhinitis, and referral for tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy where these are the cause — often curative in children.
- Follow-up download of CPAP compliance and residual AHI data, so we can prove the treatment is actually working.
Untreated moderate-to-severe sleep apnea raises the risk of hypertension, heart failure, arrhythmia, stroke, diabetes and road accidents. Anti-snoring sprays and strips quieten the noise while the oxygen dips continue unchecked.
Why patients come here for sleep problems
- Assessed by a pulmonologist with formal sleep medicine training and US fellowship experience.
- Both home and laboratory sleep studies available, with the right test chosen for your situation.
- CPAP pressure titrated and mask fitted properly instead of being sold off a shelf.
- A dedicated snoring clinic, including upper airway resistance syndrome — patients who are exhausted despite a "normal" AHI.
- Coordinated care with ENT and cardiology when surgery or blood pressure management is needed.
Where and when to consult
832/2, House No.12, Sai Suchi Towers, Opposite Canara Bank,
Mehdipatnam, Hyderabad, Telangana 500006
Sleep Apnea & Snoring Treatment — frequently asked questions
How is a sleep study done?
Small sensors record your airflow, breathing effort, oxygen level, heart rate and body position through one night of sleep. A home study is done in your own bed with a portable device collected the next morning. A laboratory study adds brain wave and limb monitoring for a more detailed picture.
Do I have to use CPAP for the rest of my life?
CPAP controls sleep apnea but does not cure it, so benefit continues while it is used. Significant weight loss, correction of nasal obstruction, or tonsil surgery can reduce severity enough for some patients to come off it — we reassess with a repeat study when circumstances change.
I am not overweight. Can I still have sleep apnea?
Yes, and this is a very common reason the diagnosis is missed in India. South Asian jaw and airway structure — a receding chin, crowded jaw or narrow palate — produces significant OSA at much lower body weights than in Western populations.
Can snoring be treated without CPAP?
Simple snoring without oxygen dips can often be managed with weight reduction, positional therapy, treatment of nasal blockage, avoiding evening alcohol and sedatives, or a dental device. But that decision must follow a sleep study — you need to know whether it is snoring or apnea first.
Where can I get a sleep study in Hyderabad?
At City Chest Clinic, Mehdipatnam, under Dr. S.A. Rafi. Call +91 81215 09229 to arrange a sleep evaluation, home or laboratory polysomnography, and CPAP titration.
MBBS, MD (Pulmonary Medicine), MS Clin Inf (USA), Fellowship (USA). Director of City Chest Clinic, Mehdipatnam and Senior Consultant Pulmonologist at KIMS Hospitals, Gachibowli.
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Sleep Apnea & Snoring Treatment at City Chest Clinic, Hyderabad
Mehdipatnam · Mon–Sat, 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM · KIMS Gachibowli · Mon–Sat, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
About Dr. S.A. Rafi