Sleep Apnea: How Is It Diagnosed?

Find out about the most common causes of sleep apnea and how it is diagnosed with Shore Dental SleepCare

Shore Dental SleepCare’s Dr. Young shares an article from sleepapnea.org, discussing what sleep apnea is and how it is diagnosed. Unfortunately, an increasing number of Americans are becoming diagnosed with sleep apnea implications every year.

During sleep, the airway narrows or closes repeatedly, preventing oxygen and airflow from entering the body. Sleep apnea is a breathing disorder that derives from this event during sleep and is often seen in overweight individuals, or those with pre-existing conditions. In addition to examining you physically, your doctor will ask about your symptoms and gather information about your family and personal history.

Following the doctor’s questions, there may be a discussion about conducting a sleep study that will help the doctor determine and diagnose the potential for sleep apnea. During sleep, medical devices monitor breathing, heart rate, and brain waves to determine if a person is a healthy individual.

Home Sleep Apnea Tests can also be an option for the patient. An HSAT can also be used to help determine whether a PAPdevice (positive air pressure) is working well or to reevaluate a person if they are still experiencing symptoms after starting treatment.

After getting a diagnosis, patients can usually, and preferably, manage their sleep apnea with a combination of lifestyle changes and other medical treatments. Lifestyle changes include healthy eating, a consistent exercise routine, and positive habit building. Some other examples of medical treatments will include PAP therapy, the use of oral appliances during sleep, mouth and throat exercises, and surgery, among others.

If you find yourself having daytime sleepiness, loud snoring or gasping for air, morning headaches, or chest pain, you may have sleep apnea. Shore Dental SleepCare is a New Jersey sleep apnea specialty clinic providing the most advanced CPAP treatments in Ocean & Monmouth County and strives to provide the best patient care for those suffering from sleep apnea. The first thing to know is that you are not alone and if you have questions on where to find help on this issue, reach out to Shore Dental SleepCare today on our contact page.

We have two locations: Brick, NJ (732) 477-1600 and Colts Neck (732) 761-8300.

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