Do I Have to Take a Sleep Test Before I Get OSA Treatment?

If you are like most people, you’re probably not a fan of tests. Whether it’s a test at work, at school, or at home, the idea might make you a little anxious. Even the idea of medical tests, like a sleep test, might make you a bit uneasy. After all, the process usually requires that you spend a night in a laboratory, away from the comforts of home. And you might even tell yourself that the test is unnecessary because you’re already pretty sure that you have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). But a sleep test – also called a sleep study – administered by a trained medical professional is really is important! Let’s talk about why.

Sleep Test Data

The symptoms you experience on a daily basis, such as loud snoring or morning headaches, are solid indicators that you may have sleep apnea. However, without a sleep test, it is impossible for you and your doctor to know how severe your condition is.

The results of a sleep test show your Apnea Hypopnea Index (AHI). This number indicates how many times per hour you experience fully or partially obstructed breathing. Here is a breakdown of the AHI scale:

• AHI of 5 or below: No sleep apnea
• AHI of 5 – 15: Mild sleep apnea
• AHI of 15 – 30: Moderate sleep apnea
• AHI of 30 or above: Severe sleep apnea

Sleep apnea is just one of the conditions that a sleep test can diagnose. It can also help your medical team determine if you have narcolepsy, periodic limb movement disorder, restless leg syndrome, or other problems that can affect the quality of your sleep. Once your doctor has a comprehensive view of your sleep health, they can design a treatment plan that is tailored to your unique circumstances.

After Your Initial Sleep Study

Following your sleep study, you’ll be prescribed a therapy to help you treat and conquer your sleep apnea. A CPAP machine is the most common OSA treatment, but many patients find the machine to be cumbersome. A comfortable and portable oral appliance offers an effective alternative. It is a small device that will move your jaw forward to help keep your airway open at night. Oral sleep appliances have been proven effective for treating mild, moderate, and severe sleep apnea.

Sometime after you begin treatment for OSA, you may be asked to undergo an additional sleep study so that your doctor can compare its results with that from your original test. This data helps determine how well your treatment is working and whether your therapy needs to be adjusted in order to help you get the high-quality rest you deserve.

The moral of this story is that a sleep study is an essential first step to getting a proper diagnosis and treatment! It’s your first step on the road to conquering your nighttime woes, saying goodbye to snoring, and waking up feeling your best every day.

About the Author

Dr. Kenneth Mogell, a board-certified specialist in dental sleep medicine with over 10 years of experience treating sleep breathing disorders, is the founder and primary practitioner of Florida Dental Sleep Disorders. The practice has four South Florida locations: Boca Raton, Melbourne, Vero Beach, and Jupiter. To learn more about Florida Dental Sleep Disorders and Dr. Kenneth Mogell, contact our team at 844-294-7559.