Diagnosing Sleep Apnea

If you suspect you may be suffering from sleep apnea, the only way to be certain is to visit your doctor. If, after careful examination of your nose, mouth and throat for signs of large or swollen tissues and a series of questions regarding your medical history in order to form a framework for the symptoms you’re experiencing, your doctor determines sleep apnea is a possibility, the next step will likely be a sleep-recording test.

This kind of test is usually performed in a sleep laboratory or sleep center. In most instances, patients are required to spend the night at the sleep center while the test is being performed, though in some instances the sleep-recording test can be done at home.

A polysomnogram (often abbreviated to PSG) is the most commonly administered sleep-recording test. This special test records a number of different functions, including brain waves, muscle activity, eye movement, breathing rate, heart rate, the level of oxygen in the blood and the amount of air that’s inhaled and exhaled from the lungs during sleep. The PSG does not cause any pain or discomfort.

During the sleep test, the patient sleeps normally. The test is closely monitored throughout the patient’s sleeping hours by a medical staff. The following morning, after the completion of the test, the data is analyzed by a sleep specialist who can determine whether or not sleep apnea is the proper diagnosis. The specialist can also determine whether the situation is mild, moderate or severe, and can recommend treatments.

There are instances in which a PSG test is done in the comfort of a patient’s home. In these cases the test is a home monitoring test that can be used in much the same manner as the PSG that is administered at a sleep center. The home monitor records your breathing and the effort behind it, the rate at which air is inhaled and exhaled from your lungs, your heart rate, and the oxygen in your bloodstream. A sleep technician or technologist will need to visit you at home to attach the monitor to your body and you will be required to keep it connected for the duration of the night. The next day the technician retrieves the monitor and the results are analyzed for a proper diagnosis.

To learn more about sleep apnea visit: Sleep Apnea Insights

No related posts.