Diagnosis

Being tested for sleep apnea is simple and painless. Your primary care physician can refer you to a specialist or Advanced Respiratory Care Network for your diagnostic test. In some cases, your primary care physician may send you to Advanced Respiratory Care Network directly.

What can I expect?

A commonly used method of diagnosing sleep apnea is polysomnography (PSG). PSG is performed in a sleep centre. You will spend the night in a private room. These rooms often resemble a room you would like to find in a nice hotel. In some cases, your doctor may recommend a portable testing device for your sleep study. This device, which measures key indicators of your sleep, can be used in your home setting.

 

When you are diagnosed with sleep apnea, whether using a PSG in a sleep centre or using a portable device in your home, the test is non-invasive and painless. Before you go to bed, sensors will be attached to your body that will measure things like whether you are snoring and how much oxygen you have in your blood stream. If you are using a portable testing device, a qualified technician will show you how to wear and use the device before you go to bed.

 

Information is collected by the sensors while you sleep. After the study is completed, a sleep expert (a sleep specialist doctor or pulmonologist) will use that information to decide whether you have sleep apnea.