Sleep apnea testing should be performed on anyone who snows, as snoring is a common symptom of OSA. Research shows that 24 percent suffer from apnea, i.e. temporary interruptions in breathing that may accompany snoring. adult men and 9 percent. adult women, most of them unaware of it. And obstructive sleep apnea can lead to the development of many serious diseases.

Snoringis the making of wheezing or rasping noises during sleep. When the throat constricts while sleeping, the flaccid walls of the upper respiratory tract vibrate when set in motion by the flowing air, causing snoring. However, for some snorers, the airflow path may be completely closed. Then a person stops not only snoring but also breathing. This moment is called sleep apnea, which leads to chronic hypoxia in the body and to the development of numerous diseases, incl. high blood pressure, diabetes. The risk of heart attack and stroke also increases. Therefore, a person who snores should undergo appropriate tests to determine the cause of the wheezing noise during sleep and, above all, to rule out sleep apnea. However, not all people with apnea snore. So what other symptoms might indicate apnea? First of all, the enormous fatigue that appears in the morning, despite having slept all night. Sudden wakes in the middle of the night, which may be accompanied by an inhalation of air and getting up at night, should also be anxious. People who have noticed such symptoms should also have sleep apnea tests.

Sleep apnea and snoring tests - interview with the patient

First, the patient completes the somnolence scale (e.g. Epworth) and the questionnaire used to estimate the risk of OSA (Berlin Questionnaire - BQ). to the question of whether he has difficulty concentrating, sleepiness or the need to nap during the day, or in the evening he has difficulty falling asleep, how many hours does he sleep at night. The questionnaire also includes questions about the diseases that the patient is struggling with. The doctor then talks to the patient, measures blood pressure, and also checks the BMI and the circumference of the patient's neck (obesity is the most important risk factor for sleep apnea).

Researchsleep apnea and snoring - polysomnography

Polysomnography, which monitors sleep and some vital signs with the help of appropriate sensors, is critical to the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea. Performs include test assessing brain function (electroencephalogram - EEG), examination of the tone of the chin muscle. Polysomnography also includes the recording of the respiratory movements of the chest and abdomen, and the oxygen saturation of the blood. The test is performed in a sleep lab, lasts one night, and must record at least 6 hours of sleep. However, more and more often a shortened version of polysomnographic examination - polygraphy - is performed at the patient's home.

Sleep apnea and snoring tests - endoscopy and tomography

If sleep apnea is excluded, an ENT examination with endoscopy is performed in order to locate the place of airway narrowing, and therefore the cause of snoring. The test involves inserting the endoscope through the mouth, sometimes through the nose, and observing the organs on the monitor.

Apnea should be ruled out first, and then the snoring should be treated.

If the endoscopic examination does not show all structures of the upper respiratory tract (e.g. paranasal sinuses), which is an important element in the diagnosis and treatment of snoring and apnea, your doctor may order a CT scan of the nose and sinuses.

Sleep apnea and snoring tests - apnograph test

In order to monitor the patient's condition throughout the night, a more modern than polysonographyexamination with an apnographcan be performed. The device consists of a thin probe, i.e. a tube with sensors, which is inserted through the nose into the esophagus. The probe is connected to a measuring device which is attached to the patient's chest with a strap.

The apnograph records the number of pauses in breathing (apnea) and hypopnea per hour, the level of peripheral blood oxygen saturation, heart rate, the volume of snoring, and the position in which the patient is sleeping. Besides, thanks to the apnograph, it is possible to check whether the cause of apnea is related to ENT diseases, whether it is of a different origin, and where the cause of snoring and apnea lies.

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