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  • Thomas Martin, of the Martin Clinic Sleep Lab in Pryor, speaks about sleep disorders at the Sertoma Club Thursday.

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July 19, 2012

‘Like airing up a tire’

Staff Writer Ted King

Thomas Martin, a nurse practitioner and specialist in sleep technology with The Martin Clinic, spoke before the Pryor Sertoma Club Thursday.  

Martin went to Vanderbilt University in Tennessee, and while working at the Hermitage Hospital, discovered an interest in sleep medicine because according to Martin, “You can help many more people who have sleep disorders than you can working in an emergency room.” Martin said there are 80 sleep disorders. In his work Martin observes the patient as they sleep to find a diagnosis. “We work for folks like private investigators,” Martin said.

Snoring is vibrating tissue in the throat. One sign of sleep disorders is the body is not getting enough oxygen when sleeping. Sleep apnea is the common term used for sleeping disorders. Martin explained that the brain tells the body that it needs more oxygen. If the airway through the throat to the lungs is obstructed in any way, that can cause sleeping disorders. Overbites are a cause of sleep  disorders along with being overweight. Thomas said that people who are over-fatigued are susceptible to sleep apnea.

A solution to the problem of sleep apnea is a CPAP machine, which stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. This machine is attached to patients while they sleep. A mask is placed on the face to get a continual airflow when sleeping.

Thomas said the work he does is “like airing up a tire. It’s really that simple.”  Thomas said he has learned more since he has been in Pryor concerning sleep studies than he did in the Nashville area.

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