Sleep apnea can be a serious condition if it is not diagnosed early and treated appropriately. Many studies have found that untreated sleep apnea can lead to problems like weight gain and obesity, diabetes, and even stroke or heart disease.
If you ever suspect sleep apnea in yourself or one of your family members, then a visit to your doctor needs to become your top priority. In addition to some basic test and questions relating to symptoms, a physician will also recommend a sleep test. Testing will determine whether you are suffering from sleep apnea health issues, and will ensure that the right treatment is given.
If you’re wondering about the symptoms, diagnostic process, and costs, then we’ve outlined all of the information here in this simple guide.
Are You Suffering from Sleep Apnea?
The symptoms of sleep apnea might not always be noticeable, particularly if you live alone. One of the most obvious symptoms is excessively loud and disturbing snoring. Snoring is broken up by gasping, pauses in breathing, choking, and snorting. If the cause of sleep apnea is due to obstruction, then snoring is the most likely symptom. If you live alone, you may not notice this snoring, but you will probably be aware of waking up in the night being disturbed, out of breath, or sweating.
Because sleep apnea momentarily stops breathing during the night, your rest will be compromised and you will typically feel more tired during the day. You may find it difficult to wake up and get out of the bed in the morning, and you may feel both physically and mentally sluggish. This can lead to cloudy thoughts, a loss of concentration, irritability, and even uncharacteristic aggressive behavior.
Because apnea interferes with the normal sleeping cycle, it will also cause fatigue. This can lead to spells of falling asleep during the day at work (or wherever you are) and can be particularly dangerous if you regularly drive, particularly on a long commute.
As soon as you notice any of the typical symptoms of apnea, it’s time to talk to your doctor about diagnosis and sleep apnea study devices.
What Happens When You Visit Your Doctor?
Your doctor will ask you a series of questions relating to the typical symptoms of apnea. They will also perform a physical examination. Being overweight or obese is a leading cause of sleep apnea because additional fat storage around the neck can cause the airways to collapse. Your doctor will let you know if your weight might be an issue, although this won’t immediately confirm whether you have apnea or not.
For the diagnosis to be completed, you’ll need to take part in a sleeping test to diagnose your sleep apnea health issues. Sleep apnea study equipment can be used at home, or in a specialist sleep clinic. Many patients prefer home studies because they’re more convenient, and they can also reduce the overall sleep apnea test cost.
What is the Sleep Apnea Test Costs?
Costs will vary depending on where you live, and the facilities that you have available to you. Keep in mind that the costs associated with sleep apnea diagnosis and treatment will be covered by most insurance policies, but it’s still helpful to know how you can get the most affordable diagnosis and treatment.
If you were to attend a sleep clinic the sleep apnea test costs can quickly add up. As an example, a basic sleep study in New York state can cost between $600 and $900, depending on the clinic that you visit. Prices can fluctuate throughout the United States, but if you’re living near a major center, then you can assume that costs would be within the same range. That initial range is just the beginning, and there are specialists sleep centers that can charge up to $6000 for a sleep study and consulting fees. One sleep study center in Greenwich Connecticut charges over $7000 for a sleep study and consulting, making it one of the most expensive places in the country.
An alternative to visiting a sleep clinic and shouldering all of the associated costs is using sleep study equipment at home, by investing in a medical device from VirtuOx. We develop sensors and devices that take the same readings as sleep clinics do, with the difference that you’ll be in the comfort of your own home. Devices can be used for testing and for ongoing monitoring/maintenance, and the costs can me as little as 1/10th of those that you’ll find at sleeping clinics. VirtuOx devices can upload data using an internet connection so your sleep specialist can interpret the results remotely, reducing the time that you need to spend visiting your doctor.
Explore our site today to learn more about our specialist devices, or call us on 877-456-3529 to start discussing your home testing options.
VirtuOx is the leader in home sleep tests and pulse oximetry.
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