About 90 million Americans suffer from snoring. While snoring may seem to be a relatively harmless problem, the reality is that as many as half of those who snore may be suffering from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Throughout the night, OSA can interrupt your breathing making it extremely difficult to sleep. This happens as the throat muscles relax, causing the airway to collapse and blocking the flow of air.
Difference Between Snoring and Sleep Apnea
Of course, not everyone who snores has sleep apnea. Typical snoring is merely air passing over soft tissue in your throat without interrupting breathing. Snoring with sleep apnea leads to brief periods where breathing ceases as the airway becomes blocked.
Can You Have Sleep Apnea Without Snoring?
While snoring is one of the primary symptoms of sleep apnea, an absence of snoring doesn’t mean you’re in the clear. Some patients may not snore at all and still experience many other critical symptoms of sleep apnea including:
- Drowsiness during the day
- Waking up gasping for air at night
- Morning headaches
- Dry mouth in the morning
- Irritability and difficulty concentrating from sleep deprivation caused by OSA
Does Sleep Apnea Cause Snoring?
When tissues in the throat relax enough, they can partially block the airway and vibrate, causing snoring. Obstructive sleep apnea is a common culprit but isn’t the only cause.
Loud snoring may have other causes besides sleep apnea including:
- Alcohol consumption before bed
- Allergies
- The common cold
- Obesity
Most Common Treatment of Sleep Apnea and Snoring
CPAP therapy is the first-line treatment for OSA. A small amount of pressurized air is delivered to the patient through the tube that connects to the mouth. The auto machines deliver the minimal amount of air pressure needed to keep your airways over the course of the night. By keeping the airway open, a CPAP machine not only prevents apneas—ie, those episodes when you stop breathing—but also ends the nuisance of snoring. A blessing for your bed partner!
What Are the Steps to Getting Diagnosed for Sleep Apnea?
Your doctor will require a sleep test in order to diagnose a sleep disorder. There are two options for sleep testing: an in-lab visit to a sleep clinic or a home sleep apnea test.
Traditional, in-lab sleep clinics require a patient to stay overnight as sleep technicians set up monitors to track sleep patterns. However, many patients believe that sleep centers are both uncomfortable and inconvenient in their approach to diagnosis. Downsides include scheduling an appointment and making alternate care arrangements, sleeping overnight in a foreign bed while others watch you, and the cost of the test.
A simpler, affordable alternative is a home sleep apnea test. Here’s how it works:
- With the Complete Care Package, schedule a 10-minute telehealth visit with a healthcare provider to discuss your symptoms, upcoming sleep study, test results, and treatment options.
- A multi-night, disposable home sleep apnea test is mailed to your home to be completed at your convenience.
- A physician analyzes the sleep data and provides a prescription if needed.
- Schedule an optional follow-up appointment (additional fee applies).
- We connect you to sleep experts who can offer customized sleep therapy options, assistance in equipment purchase, and initial set-up.
Furthermore, an in-lab sleep test runs upwards of $3,000 whereas the Complete Care package is a fraction of that cost at $219.
How a Home Sleep Apnea Test Works
- To get started, purchase the Complete Care Package
- At checkout, fill out a brief sleep & health questionnaire
- Receive your disposable home sleep apnea test in the mail
- Take the test from the comfort of home, and in the morning, upload your results to the cloud
- Schedule a 10-minute telehealth visit with one of our sleep practitioners to review your results
- Receive your script for PAP therapy, if warranted
Home sleep apnea tests and telehealth services are now available nationwide.
If you think you may have a sleep disorder, purchase the Complete Care Package today. If you have questions about getting started, contact our customer care team at contact@sleepcareonline.com or at 866-465-4478.
Reference:
- National Sleep Foundation. Learn how serious your snoring really is. Accessed March 2021.
