Sleep AssessmentHow to Diagnose Sleep Apnea – Topeka, KS
Is Your Sleep Being Interrupted?
It can be hard for a patient to know whether they have sleep apnea; after all, it happens while they think they’re asleep! Dr. Michel will need to confirm you have the disorder before he can suggest any kind of treatment for you; that’s why you’ll likely need a sleep study done. Our office will arrange a convenient at-home sleep study for the diagnosis of sleep apnea. If your partner has been complaining about your snoring, or you keep feeling drowsy during the day, contact Sleep Solutions by Michel Dental today to start getting to the root of the problem.
Why Choose Sleep Solutions by Michel Dental for Sleep Apnea Diagnosis?
- At-Home Sleep Testing Available
- We Accept Medical Insurance
- Custom-Tailored Sleep Apnea Therapy
Sleep Study
First, we will set you up with a telehealth appointment with a certified sleep physician who’s been trained in diagnosing and treating sleep apnea. They’ll ask you several questions about your symptoms, such as chronic exhaustion, noticeable mood swings, unexplained weight gain, waking up with a sore throat, or memory problems. If you have a partner or a roommate, ask them if they’ve ever heard you snore loudly or make choking noises periodically in your sleep. In some cases, you might be asked to keep a sleep diary for about two weeks so that the physician can see your sleep pattern.
This initial visit will also help the physician determine if there are factors at play that could make your sleep apnea worse. For example, you might have a second sleep disorder without realizing it, or you may be aggravating the condition with alcohol or certain medications. Sometimes a medical condition or a mental health disorder might be a contributor. All these variables need to be taken into account when moving forward since they could affect treatment later on.
Sleep Testing
To make a proper diagnosis, your physician will have you undergo a home sleep test. This method lets you sleep in your own home with a small monitor that collects data while you sleep. Dr. Michel can offer his patients the ResMed ApneaLink Air, a compact device that’s quick and simple to use. It will automatically start and stop recording your important vital signs. We can show you how to use the device at our office and can provide instructions for the set-up. You might need to wear the device for a few nights. Once all the data is collected, send the results to us and we’ll forward them to a sleep physician who can use them to make a diagnosis.
After testing is complete and the diagnosis is made, we can discuss treating your sleep apnea with an oral appliance or combined therapy.