Dr. Jeannine Gingras, a double-board certified sleep medicine specialist, has opened a sleep clinic in SouthPark where she helps patients from babies to adults get a good night’s sleep.
“We offer a sleep clinic in a home-like environment,” Gingras said. “I wanted it to be comfortable and welcoming, and we were lucky to find this space. It’s surrounded by residential neighborhoods, so it’s very quiet. It’s the perfect space for a sleep clinic.”
At Gingras Sleep Medicine, patients can find treatment for all sleep disorders, including sleep apnea, insomnia, snoring, sleepwalking, restless legs syndrome, periodic limb movement disorder, narcolepsy and excessive daytime sleepiness.
“Sleepy people are less productive,” Gingras, who has worked in the Charlotte area for 11 years, said. “They have difficulty concentrating and learning. Sleeplessness is associated with obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. It impairs our physiology and affects every phase of our lives. Our social interactions suffer. Relationships are hindered and judgment is impaired.”
Patients at the clinic meet with Gingras, who takes full medical and sleep histories in an effort to identify an underlying sleep disorder. A full diagnosis often requires an overnight stay at the clinic, where Gingras monitors brainwaves, oxygen levels, movement and other functions. Once diagnosed, Gingras helps patients treat their sleep disorders using behavioral or lifestyle changes, medication and other methods.
“Addressing sleep issues is especially important for children and teenagers,” Gingras said. “Sleepy children aren’t sleepy. When an adult is sleepy, they act sleepy, but when a child is sleepy, they show symptoms that mimic ADHD, so they’re often misdiagnosed.”
Sleep also is particularly important for teenagers, who are more likely to engage in risky behaviors when sleep-deprived.
“As more people recognize the importance of sleep, they realize they shouldn’t be chronically tired,” Gingras said. “They should be alert, happy and healthy. Sleep should not be a luxury.”
Gingras is certified in sleep medicine and in pediatrics and neonatal and perinatal medicine, having spent more than 20 years evaluating and treating sleep apnea and other conditions in infants.
“All ages can have sleep problems,” Gingras said. “There are very few people trained in pediatric sleep medicine. Even fewer are pediatricians trained in sleep medicine, and that’s one thing that distinguishes me and what I can do for patients.”
The SouthPark clinic is located at 6207 Park South Road, Suite 101. The clinic accepts all forms of insurance, Medicare and Medicaid.
For more information, visit the clinic’s website at www.gingrassleepmedicine.com.
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