Sleep Apnea Diagnosis
Sleep apnea can effect anyone. Sleep apnea can effect anyone irregardless of their gender, age, race or ethnicity. Everyone from children to adults are capable of having a form a sleep apnea. It is when you stop breathing while you are sleeping. Getting a diagnosis for sleep apnea can be tricky because most people do not even know they are experiencing it. It can also be genetic. If a family member is diagnosed others should be tested to see if they have the disorder. You need to look at the symptoms and then if you suspect you may have sleep apnea you need to see your doctor who can set you up for testing.
Symptoms of sleep apnea can vary. Although sleep apnea can effect anyone there are some groups that are more likely to develop it. Males are more likely than females to develop a form of sleep apnea. Being overweight and over the age of forty can also make you more likely to develop sleep apnea. If you are in a high risk group and start feeling some of the common effects of sleep apnea you should see your doctor. You may experience some symptoms of sleep apnea or all of them. The following lists the common symptoms:
- Loud snoring that has brief periods of silence
(Note: snoring by itself is not a good indication of sleep apnea, but in combination with other symptoms it is and indicator.)
- Gasps or moans while sleeping
- Excessive sleepiness
- Morning headaches
- Sever dryness of the mouth
- Unexplained memory loss
The best symptom is one you do not even experience. Whoever you sleep with may also be experiencing some of the above symptoms because you are interrupting their sleep. If your partner tells you that they believe you stop breathing at night or you are continuously waking up combined with snoring then you should see your doctor.
Getting a diagnosis for sleep apnea usually happens in a sleep clinic. You go into the clinic for a serious of monitoring. The gather information when you sleep to determine if you do stop breathing in your sleep. The tests allow you to sleep however is comfortable for you. They minimize any sleep interruptions on their part. The leads and wires used are comfortable and should not effect your sleep. You are free to get up and use the rest room if you need to also. This test is the only way sleep apnea can be diagnosed.
Sleep apnea is incurable. There is no hard fast cure that will make your sleep apnea go away forever. If you have sleep apnea it is possible to receive treatment that eliminates the problem, but you still suffer from sleep apnea and stopping your course of treatment will make you experience symptoms again.
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