Sleep Apnea Diagnosis and Treatments

When it comes to a Treatment for Sleep Apnea, there are other options.

If you have been following Dr. Ringer’s blog, you will have learned the Sleep Apnea is a disorder that can affect people from all age groups. Last week Dr. Ringer explained what you could do to with your doctor.

Your sleep doctor might evaluate you, and based on your symptoms and signs could send you to a sleep disorder center where you will talk with a sleep specialist who can determine what needs to be done for further evaluation and Treatment for Sleep Apnea.

If you are required to attend a sleep disorder center for further evaluation, you will need to stay at the sleep center overnight so that the sleep specialists can monitor your body functions and breathing while you are asleep. Your sleep specialist may also recommend home sleep testing.

Some of the tests that could be taken for sleep apnea include:

Nocturnal polysomnography-During this sleep apnea test, you will be hooked up to special equipment that is used to monitor your breathing patterns, lung, brain and heart activity, blood oxygen levels and leg and arm movements.

Some sleep specialists may give you tests that you can use at home to determine if you are suffering from sleep apnea. These home tests usually involve measuring your breathing and airflow patterns, your blood oxygen level and your heart rate. If you do have sleep apnea, the results in the home tests will show a drop in your oxygen levels during the apneas and a higher level when you wake up.

If the results from the tests are abnormal, your doctor may prescribe therapy without the need for further testing. However, portable monitoring equipment will not detect all sleep apnea cases, which could mean that you may still be referred to a sleep disorder center for a polysomnography.

Your doctor may also recommend an ear, nose, and throat specialist if you have obstructive sleep apnea in order to rule out any problems or blockages in your throat or nose. If you have central sleep apnea, your doctor may refer you to a cardiologist or a neurologist to evaluate your heart or your nervous system.

If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, and are looking for Treatment for Sleep Apnea that is more comfortable than a CPAP machine, call, and schedule an appointment with Dr. Ringer who is a dental sleep medicine practitioner certified by the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine.