If I Have Sleep Apnea, Do I Have to Use a CPAP?

Got a question for one of our experts? Email sabrina@patch.com or click here to post it to the site.

Reader question: "Sometimes I wake up with the feeling that I can't
breathe, and my heart is racing. I am afraid I might have sleep apnea. Is
there an inexpensive way I can get tested for this? Are there any dangers
in waiting to get tested? Is there a way to treat sleep apnea without
sleeping with a CPAP mask at night?

Dr. Sunita Kumar, : These symptoms are suggestive of obstructive sleep apnea and will need a sleep study for further evaluation.

Home sleep testing is a cheaper alternative to getting a test done at a sleep lab. However, some people are not ideal candidates for a home sleep study such as those with underlying heart or lung disease.

In addition, occasionally due to system failure, there may be poor data acquisition with the home sleep test and then an attended sleep study done in a sleep lab is ordered. This can therefore increase the total cost (home study + sleep lab study) of testing. 

Untreated sleep apnea is associated with multiple health problems such as high blood pressure, irregular heart beats, stroke and increased risk of heart disease and diabetes. Therefore, diagnosis and treatment should not be delayed. 

Treatment options besides CPAP include dental appliances and surgery. However, not all patients with sleep apnea may be candidates for these options as it sometimes depends on the severity of sleep apnea present.

Looking for more free advice from local experts?

Don't want to miss out on an Ask the Expert column? Sign up for our newsletter and like us on Facebook.