If you suspect
that you have
sleep apnea and
need to see a
doctor about
your symptoms,
we suggest that
you first check
your insurance
policy before
making any
appointments.
You may be
required to get
a referral to a
sleep specialist
from your
primary care
physician and/or
you may be
required to go
to a certain
testing
facility. In
some cases, your
primary care
physician orders
the tests and
receives the
results for you.
Keep in mind
that you may be
tested in a
sleep center or
laboratory or in
your own home.
Some insurance
policies require
specific
consultation or
procedures. You
could undergo a
"split-night"
study in the
sleep lab.
(During a
split-night
study, the first
half of the
night is the
testing phase.
If the study
shows you have
sleep apnea,
during the
second half of
the night you
begin treatment
for sleep
apnea.)
Doctors who know
sleep medicine
may be
pulmonologists
(specializing in
lungs),
neurologists
(the brain),
otolaryngologists
(the ears, nose,
and throat),
psychiatry
(mental health),
or primary care
physicians such
as internists or
family
practitioners.
Their expertise
in the field of
sleep may come
from having
trained with
other sleep
specialists
and/or having
studied sleep
medicine through
a residency
program,
continuing
medical
education (CME)
courses, and
scientific
meetings. Some
have taken
additional tests
and are
"certified" by
the American
Board of Sleep
Medicine (ABSM).
In any case, a
sleep doctor may
hold one of many
degrees that
meet the
requirements of
the ABSM: an MD,
DO, MB (the
European
equivalent of an
MD), a PhD, or a
PsyD in a
health-related
field. In
addition, some
dentists have
studied sleep
apnea and, when
appropriate,
treat sleep
apnea patients
by fitting them
with an oral
appliance. You
should ask any
doctor or
dentist about
his/her
credentials and
experience. You
should also be
satisfied with
the explanations
and how it will
be diagnosed and
treated in your
particular case.
If you are not
given a list of
doctors and
sleep testing
facilities, you
can find a
specialist
referral from a
few different
sources. There
is no one
complete list of
all such
facilities, and
as a non-profit
organization,
the American
Sleep Apnea
Association (ASAA)
does not endorse
or recommend any
company,
product, or
health care
provider.
However, there
is a list of
physicians,
sleep centers,
and laboratories
accredited by
the American
Academy of Sleep
Medicine that
pay their AASM
membership dues.
(The AASM,
formerly known
as the American
Sleep Disorders
Association or
ASDA, is the
professional
society in the
field of sleep
medicine that
accredits such
facilities;
accreditation
implies
adherence to a
certain set of
standards.) The
most up-to-date
list of
accredited
member sleep
centers and
laboratories
appears on the
AASM's web site:
www.aasmnet.org.
You can request
a list from the
ASAA as well.
Remember that
other centers
are in the
process of being
accredited, have
chosen not to be
accredited, or
do not qualify
for
accreditation.
You can also
check with local
hospitals, home
health care
companies, and
health care
professionals to
find a testing
facility.
Neighbors,
friends, and
family members
may have further
suggestions.
Some insurance
policies
specifically
exclude coverage
for the
diagnosis and/or
treatment of
sleep disorders
and some do not
cover durable
medical
equipment (the
most common form
of treatment for
sleep apnea is
considered
durable medical
equipment or DME).
These are points
to consider when
examining your
policy and
whenever
thinking about
changing your
policy (such as
during your
employer's open
season).
Depending upon
where you live
and the provider
you see, the
diagnosis and
treatment of
sleep apnea can
be a significant
expense, usually
over $1000, but,
even without
insurance
coverage, when
you consider the
possible
consequences and
costs of
untreated sleep
apnea, being
diagnosed and
treated properly
could be
well-worth the
price.
The sleep study
uses several
devices to
record activity
during sleep.
These generally
include an
electroencephalogram
(EEG) to measure
brain waves and
an
electroculogram
(EOG) to measure
eye and chin
movement, both
to monitor the
different stages
of sleep; an
electrocardiogram
(EKG) to measure
heart rate and
rhythm; chest
bands to measure
breathing
movements; and
additional
monitors to
sense oxygen and
carbon dioxide
levels in the
blood as well as
monitors to
record leg
movement. None
of the devices
is painful and
there are no
needles
involved.
If your sleep
study is
negative (i.e.,
if the results
show that you do
not have sleep
apnea) but you
still have
symptoms of a
sleep disorder,
such as falling
asleep easily
and/or sometimes
inappropriately
even after
obtaining enough
sleep at night,
you may need to
be tested again.
You may also
need to be
tested with more
sophisticated
equipment,
equipment that
is not always
used in every
sleep study. For
more
information,
talk to your
doctor or sleep
specialist.
If you
think you or a
loved one may
have
symptoms of a
sleep disorder,
please
contact us
today.
Help
is available!
