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Medical History: Be prepared to give your Doctor medical and
family history. Report incidence and frequency of any related
symptoms and features, providing a written diary if possible. Also
helpful is an audio recording to illustrate snoring patterns and
characteristics and/or bed partner interview.
Physical Examination: Your Doctor will assess upper airway for
abnormalities, assess upper body obesity and possibly take
measurements of chest/body mass as well as neck circumference. An
EKG may be ordered to display distinct heart rhythms.
Polysomnography Testing: Your Doctor
may refer you for testing at a sleep center. These are typically
overnight procedures involving electronic monitors and should be
conducted by certified sleep study specialists or polysomnographers.
Monitors will track the frequency and duration of apnea and hypopnea.
These tests clearly show presence or absence of sleep-apnea, and
indicate the severity of the problem. Continuously monitored
functions include air flow, respiratory effort, blood oxygen level,
snoring, and body position. Brain waves, eye movements, and muscle
activity may also be monitored.
Multiple Sleep Latency Test: Involves
machine testing of time it takes to fall asleep while lying in a
quiet room during the daytime. For people without sleep-disorders,
this takes about 10-20 minutes. People suffering from sleep-apnea
usually take about 5 minutes. Based on the cumulative clinical
picture, your Doctor will determine the most appropriate treatment. |
