At-Home Sleep Apnea Testing – Baytown, TX
We Can Diagnose Sleep Apnea Comfortably & Conveniently
So you’ve taken the STOP-BANG assessment and visited Dr. Hutto for a consultation here at Sleep Better Baytown. What comes next? If our team has reason to be concerned that you’re experiencing untreated sleep apnea, the next recommendation will be sleep testing. While many patients will immediately picture a sterile and uncomfortable laboratory setting for this process, we’re happy to let you know that there’s now an alternative: at-home sleep testing for Baytown, TX sleep dentistry patients! Please don’t hesitate to contact our Baytown, TX office if you have any questions about this service, or if you’d like to visit us in-person and get set up with your very own test.
How Does At-Home Sleep Apnea Testing Work?
After performing a clinical evaluation and determining that a sleep test is necessary, Dr. Hutto will provide patients with a portable monitoring device, as well as plenty of detailed instructions about how to set up the equipment at home and apply it to your body in a comfortable manner right before you go to bed. At-home sleep testing equipment will feature three major components:
- A nasal cannula that measures the flow of air throughout the night
- A belt that fits around the upper chest and measures your average respiratory effort
- A clip that fits around the finger and tracks oxygen saturation in the blood
After completing the sleep test, you will be asked to send back the equipment you used so that the results can be scored and forwarded to your sleep physician. A diagnosis should follow soon after. That’s really all there is to it!
What are the Benefits of At-Home Sleep Apnea Testing?
- They’re Comfortable – Being hooked up to countless electrodes while you sleep in an unfamiliar bed can feel like a nightmare to many patients. Because you’re uncomfortable, the testing may also lead to inaccurate results. At-home sleep apnea testing allows for a more pleasant experience overall that keeps outside variables consistent.
- They Cost Less – On average, patients can expect to pay less when committing to at-home sleep apnea testing. In fact, insurance companies will largely insist on at-home sleep testing as a first resort before covering the cost of a more involved laboratory session.
- They Work Better with Busy Schedules – If you’re juggling the needs of a hectic work schedule and a busy family, spending the whole night at a sleep lab may not be feasible. At-home sleep testing is much more manageable and less time-consuming.
However, it’s important to keep in mind that there are still potential downsides as well to at-home testing. For instance, the findings will not be as detailed as they would be in a sleep laboratory setting, and if any equipment should come loose or malfunction throughout the night, the patient won’t be aware of it until morning, leading to the need for a “redo.” Dr. Hutto will be sure to let patients know if he thinks they would benefit from in-lab sleep testing based on their specific needs and symptoms, and he can even recommend a trusted laboratory in the nearby area upon request for comprehensive and confident results.