CDL Chiropractor Rolla

DOT/CDL Physical examinations, Rolla MO Chiropractor.

Professional divers seem to be concerned and confused about sleep apnea and how it affects their ability to be certified to drive in Missouri. So the focus of this blog is to tackle these issues.

Sleep apnea is a serious condition that can affect your ability to operate a vehicle. It is very treatable and a driver can have sleep apnea and operate a commercial vehicle if he or she follows up with care.

If you have a diagnosis of sleep apnea and utilize a CPAP or Bi-PAP make sure you use it at least 70% of the time you sleep. It’s that simple. To verify this useage there is a small "sim" card located on all modern CPAP that keeps data on you usage of the CPAP. Bring this sim card to your examiners and he or she should be able to verify that you use it according to the guidelines. It’s that simple.

For the rest of you that are scared or worried because you have been told that you are fat you will not pass there is more to it than this. The following factors are what are used in determining if you need further testing for sleep apnea.

1: Overweight or a BMI (Body Mass Index) over 35%. You can figure out your BMI by using a BMI calculator commonly found on the internet, just type in your height and weight and you will get a percentage.

2: Being over the age of 40.

3: Having a small airway.

4: Smoking

5: Neck circumference over 17 inches.

If you fall into these categories the doctor will ask you questions such as; Do you feel tired in the AM? Do you have a family history of sleep apnea? Do you snore?These are just example of questions the examiner may ask. Based on these and the above listed factors the examiner will make a determination.

The examiner may have you fill out an Epworth Sleepiness scale, this can give the examiner an insight into your sleep quality.The examiner may refer for a sleep study, he may advise you to lose weight, exercise or quit smoking. The examiner may give you a limited or 90 day certificate to get the evaluation done if you are not at high risk for sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea should be considered a serious condition but it is tretable and a driver should want to be seeking tretment if he or she has sleep apnea. I suffer from sleep apnea and use a CPAP 100% of the time when I sleep. I can honestly say it has greratly increased the quality of my life.

David J. Moreland Chiropractor Rolla MO