Sleep Apnea Test

Before going into the details of the sleep apnea test, it is imperative to understand the basic aspects of this disorder. As the name suggests, this condition is a medical issue that is associated with sleep. According to doctors, it is one of the most serious sleep disorders that affects a lot of people all over the world. It is characterized by a start and stop pattern of breathing, and that too in a repeated fashion. The treatment generally depends upon the sleep apnea causes. More on this disorder has been compiled in the sections below.

Sleep Apnea Facts

As mentioned, people suffering from this medical problem, start and stop their breathing repeatedly, sometimes hundred of times. This action results in the brain and the rest of the body suffering a lack in enough supply of oxygen. This ailment may exist in two types; obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and central sleep apnea (CSA). The former one is known to be more common of the two. Here, the soft tissue that is located in the back of the throat, is caused to collapse during sleep. This results in the blockage of airway. The second one occurs when the brain lacks the ability to convey the desired signals to the muscles that control breathing, even though the airway is not blocked. Some people may have a combination of both these problems. In this case, the condition is referred to as complex sleep apnea.

Sleep Apnea Symptoms

Both the types of sleep apnea share some common symptoms between them. They may include:

• Headache may be a common sleep apnea symptom after getting up in the morning, which may be accompanied by a dry mouth and sore throat.
• The person may feel fatigued or heavily sleepy even after a full night's sleep.
• The affected person may find it difficult to stay asleep, and he may also observe that his breathing starts and stops in sleep.
• Snoring is also a common sleep apnea symptom. It becomes louder in case of OSC.

This disorder if left untreated, can worsen other medical conditions which may be already affecting the patient. These conditions may include:

• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Risk of Stroke
• Depression
• Heart disorders
• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Sleep Apnea Test and Diagnosis

As I have said, the signs and symptoms are taken in consideration by the doctors, in order to diagnose the problem. This might include keeping the patient under observation for a night. This is for monitoring the breathing, and other functions of the body that go on during sleep.

In one kind of test to rule out sleep apnea, the patient is allowed to sleep, while being hooked to an equipment. This device is used for patterns of breathing (by placing belts around the chest and abdomen), and the movements of the limbs, while the person is asleep. Also, the nature of the activity of the important organs such as the brain, lungs and heart are monitored. A bandage-like oximeter probe is put on the finger to study the blood oxygen levels in the body. The results of the test are studied and analyzed by a qualified sleep specialist, so as to determine whether the patient is experiencing sleep apnea or some other kind of sleep disorder.

Other methods which may be included in the a sleep apnea diagnosis at the doctor's are:

• EEG (electroencephalogram) - for measure brain activity.
• EOG (electro-oculogram) - for eye movements during sleep.
• EMG (electromyogram) - for studying activities of muscles like limb movements, etc.
• ECG (electrocardiogram) - to record heart rate.
• Sensor for recording nasal airflow
• Microphone for determining snoring activity.

In some cases, the patient might be recommended to perform tests at home to diagnose the problem. The test essentially consists of monitoring the heart rate, airflow and breathing pattern, and blood oxygen levels in the body. If the test results show that the patient experiences drop in oxygen levels during apnea attacks, and rise in the same after awakening, then he may be differing from the disorder. This kind of test at home, does not provide a full proof diagnosis of the problem.

As far as the sleep apnea test cost is concerned, then it should be kept in mind that the value may vary from center to center. So it is a wise idea to do some local searching and get the quotations.

As we can learn from the above description, all such procedures included in the sleep apnea diagnostic tests help in determining the severity of the disorder, and how worse can its complications be. So it is important that you use the benefit of these tests if you are experiencing the symptoms mentioned above, and keep things from getting irreversible.