However, she cautions you could't all the time trust home test results.
What is involved?
You need a prescription for a house sleep test. You can discuss with your primary care physician or sleep specialist about this. Or you'll be able to order a house sleep test online from any company. You go to the corporate's website, buy the test, and discuss with a health care provider affiliated with the corporate via telemedicine. A health care provider can prescribe a test if it's best for you.
Dr. Javeri has reservations about administering the web test. “You don't know if it's the best quality sleep test or the best interpretation of the results. A lot of these companies just send a standard picture of the results,” she says.
Taking the test.
You will either get your test at your doctor's office or have the test delivered to you. This normally involves wearing a couple of small sensors overnight.
- Nasal tube, a loop of thin tubing worn under the nose to measure your respiration patterns
- A pulse oximeter, a small gadget worn on the finger to measure the extent of oxygen in your blood.
- Chest strap, an adjustable belt that measures your body's respiration effort or movement.
- Each of those sensors plugs right into a small data monitor, which is worn on a chest strap.
A brand new variety of home sleep test equipment can also be available. A knowledge recorder is worn on the wrist like a watch. It connects to a pulse oximeter and a small chest sensor. A chest sensor measures respiration effort and snoring sounds.
Exam results
Although it's not as detailed or accurate as a lab sleep study, a high-quality home sleep test can provide fairly reliable results. “You have an 80 percent chance that the test will be accurate,” says Dr. Javahri. “But we compare the results with your symptoms to make sure the results are accurate and determine the best treatment options.”
If the test results don't match your symptoms — for instance, if you may have symptoms of sleep apnea and the test result's negative — your doctor will need to research further. “We'll look at the context of the results and the conditions of the test. It could be that on the night of the test you had a stuffy nose, you were breathing through your mouth, and the nose sensor didn't pick it up,” says Dr. Johari. “If we strongly suspect that you have sleep apnea, we will need to schedule a lab study.”
What is obstructive sleep apnea?
Obstructive sleep apnea is a condition characterised by pauses in respiration lasting 10 to 30 seconds during sleep. These pauses are called apneas and may occur a whole lot of times each night. Obstruction of respiration occurs when the airway in your nose or throat is partially or completely blocked by enlarged tonsils, a big tongue, or an excessive amount of tissue within the airway. Untreated obstructive sleep apnea increases the danger of hypertension, heart disease, stroke, daytime sleepiness, and automotive accidents.
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Should you concentrate on a house test?
Tests are usually not for everybody. Individuals with a serious chronic condition, reminiscent of heart failure or respiration disorders, may have additional data from an in-lab study to assist determine treatment. For those with less severe chronic conditions, a house sleep test could be a game changer.
“If your case is straightforward, this is the best way to go,” says Dr. Javahri. “It's cost-effective, and it's more comfortable than a lab study. And because you're doing the test at home, it's more likely to capture your natural sleep habits.”
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