What To Expect In The Sleep Apnea Test

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When people are suspected of having sleep apnea symptoms, you will find sleep apnea tests will determine what type of sleep apnea the patients have and what sorts of sleep apnea equipment will be able to help them. These sleep apnea tests are often conducted after the medical doctor has completed an intensive assessment of the patient, asking them questions in regards to the sleeping patterns he has along with the symptoms which are occurring. A physical evaluation will probably be completed to help to ensure there aren’t some other problems that the doctor should be concerned about, after which he’ll suggest a sleep apnea test to take the evaluation a stride further making a final diagnosis.

Kinds of Tests

There are many forms of sleep apnea tests which are commonly used. There is a nocturnal polysomnography test in which the patient is monitored in the evening with a few equipment. The equipment is hooked up so that the patient’s heart, lungs and brain activity is examined as the patient is sleeping. It monitors the quantity of movement the person does in his sleep. It also monitors the blood oxygen levels which are there throughout the night so that the doctor can see whether it’s an obstructive sleep apnea or perhaps a central version.

A different type of sleep apnea test is called oximetry. In this technique, anyone is connected to a device that may measure the level of oxygen in the blood when he is sleeping. The nice point about this test is it can be achieved in your own home since the machine only wants a small sleeve to be placed over one of the patient’s fingers to do the exam. The down side to the test is it will not catch various different forms of sleep apnea so further tests will often have to be completed to clarify the final results, for example with all the polysomnogram stated earlier.

One further test that is often used is called a portable cardiorespiratory testing machine. This test can be used both at home and it monitors the oxygen levels, the flow of air and the breathing patterns of the patient when asleep. This test can be nice as it can be achieved both at home and is a touch clearer than just doing the oximetry test. However, more tests are often needed using this one also, of course, if obstructive sleep apnea is suspected, then the person will often have to attend see an otolaryngologist, or ear, nose and throat doctor.