Sleep apnea tests are conducted to find out the cause of a sleeping problem. Sleep apnea is a condition where the upper airways are obstructed during sleep, causing a lowering of blood oxygen saturation. The common types are obstructive, which is mainly due to the relaxing of the throat muscles, and central sleep apnea, which occurs when the brain fails to send the right signals to the muscles that control breathing.
The causes for obstruction are:
Excess tissue in the airway
Enlarged tonsils or tongue
Relaxed or collapsing airway muscles during sleep
Structure of the jaw
The symptoms of this condition are unusual sleepiness during the daytime, obstructed breathing during sleep. It can develop into a serious condition and can be fatal if not treated in time. When ignored, the irregular breathing pattern can develop into heart attacks, high blood pressure and heart disease. The sleepiness during daytime increases the risk of accidents while driving, reduced productivity at work and damaged relationships.
Sleep apnea tests
To diagnose obstructive sleep apnea, your doctor will use a test called Polysomnography. This is of two types:
An overnight test
Home monitoring test
The overnight test tracks brain waves, eye movement, breathing, blood oxygen, muscle tension and snoring. The home test involves being hooked up to electrodes by a sleep technologist to record your sleep at home, and coming back with the results in the morning. There are also sleep studies, called polysomnograms which are overnight tests that monitor various body activities to find out the cause of sleep problems.
The test involves the placement of sensors on the scalp, face, chest and legs to monitor brainwave activity, while watching the patient via a video camera to study body positions. The test is painless. The preliminary arrangement, such as the placing of sensors takes approximately thirty to forty-five minutes. The actual test can take up to eight hours. If a patient needs to use the restroom, the sleep technologist must be informed so that some sensors can be unhooked to enable the patient walk to the restroom.
The lab in which the test is conducted is quiet and promotes sleep. Tests like the Polysomnogram, Multiple Sleep Latency Test, and Maintenance of Wakefulness Test are all carried out in a sleep center by nurses and technicians trained for the purpose.
For those diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, further investigations may be recommended by being referred to an ear, nose and throat doctor to ensure that there is no blockage in the nose and throat. Sometimes a visit to a cardiologist and neurologist is also to identify the causes.
Patients showing signs of this condition are put through a split-night sleep study where sleep patterns are recorded during the first half of the night. During the second half, a CPAP or continuous positive air way pressure mask is fitted to determine how well the patient sleeps as the air pressure and flow are adjusted to comfortable levels. Daytime sleep studies are also conducted.
Since sleep apnea is a serious problem where breathing stops and starts irregularly, timely treatment is critical to avoid developing other health complications.
The causes for obstruction are:
Excess tissue in the airway
Enlarged tonsils or tongue
Relaxed or collapsing airway muscles during sleep
Structure of the jaw
The symptoms of this condition are unusual sleepiness during the daytime, obstructed breathing during sleep. It can develop into a serious condition and can be fatal if not treated in time. When ignored, the irregular breathing pattern can develop into heart attacks, high blood pressure and heart disease. The sleepiness during daytime increases the risk of accidents while driving, reduced productivity at work and damaged relationships.
Sleep apnea tests
To diagnose obstructive sleep apnea, your doctor will use a test called Polysomnography. This is of two types:
An overnight test
Home monitoring test
The overnight test tracks brain waves, eye movement, breathing, blood oxygen, muscle tension and snoring. The home test involves being hooked up to electrodes by a sleep technologist to record your sleep at home, and coming back with the results in the morning. There are also sleep studies, called polysomnograms which are overnight tests that monitor various body activities to find out the cause of sleep problems.
The test involves the placement of sensors on the scalp, face, chest and legs to monitor brainwave activity, while watching the patient via a video camera to study body positions. The test is painless. The preliminary arrangement, such as the placing of sensors takes approximately thirty to forty-five minutes. The actual test can take up to eight hours. If a patient needs to use the restroom, the sleep technologist must be informed so that some sensors can be unhooked to enable the patient walk to the restroom.
The lab in which the test is conducted is quiet and promotes sleep. Tests like the Polysomnogram, Multiple Sleep Latency Test, and Maintenance of Wakefulness Test are all carried out in a sleep center by nurses and technicians trained for the purpose.
For those diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, further investigations may be recommended by being referred to an ear, nose and throat doctor to ensure that there is no blockage in the nose and throat. Sometimes a visit to a cardiologist and neurologist is also to identify the causes.
Patients showing signs of this condition are put through a split-night sleep study where sleep patterns are recorded during the first half of the night. During the second half, a CPAP or continuous positive air way pressure mask is fitted to determine how well the patient sleeps as the air pressure and flow are adjusted to comfortable levels. Daytime sleep studies are also conducted.
Since sleep apnea is a serious problem where breathing stops and starts irregularly, timely treatment is critical to avoid developing other health complications.
Source...