If you or someone in your family has problems sleeping and it has taken a toll on your (or their) health and productivity, then it is in your best interest to get an evaluation and treatment from a physician who practices sleep medicine.
A sleep medicine doctor is usually an experienced otolaryngologist (ear, nose, and throat/ENT doctor) who can conduct a thorough assessment, and then provide you with a diagnosis and effective treatment. To diagnose your sleep problem, the sleep medicine specialist will perform various tests to determine what happens when you sleep.
Let’s talk about what will likely happen at the sleep medicine doctor’s office, what tests the physician may perform, and where you can go in Georgetown to get a reliable medical evaluation and treatment that will help you finally get a good night’s sleep.
What Happens at a Sleep Medicine Doctor’s Office?
In order to properly determine the precise cause of your sleep problem, your sleep medicine doctor will first conduct an in-office evaluation. This will include a physical exam and a review of your health history and symptoms.
Following the initial evaluation, your sleep medicine doctor may recommend that you undergo a sleep study. However, your symptoms may point to an underlying cause that will be addressed otherwise.
What Is a Sleep Study?
A sleep study is performed to diagnose sleep issues like excessive snoring, sleepwalking, restless leg syndrome, sleep apnea, and more. This test also helps the sleep doctor initiate or adjust your treatment plan.
During the sleep study, measurements will be taken via tiny stick-on electrode patches while you are asleep – such as your heart rate, breathing rate, oxygen intake, eye movements, snoring, blood circulation, and body movements. Your sleep study will be conducted via either an at-home sleep test or an accredited sleep lab that is designed to mimic a comfortable bedroom.
At-Home Sleep Test
If you would rather do this at home, your sleep medicine doctor will provide you with the equipment and instructions you need to conduct the sleep test in the comfort of your own bedroom.
During the test, devices that don’t hurt or pierce your skin are used to monitor what is happening in your body and brain while you are sleeping. After the sleep test is done, your doctor will download the data recorded on the devices and analyze the information.
Overnight Sleep Lab Test
If you have significant breathing problems or heart problems, then a more comprehensive overnight sleep lab test is recommended instead of an at-home sleep test. There will be technicians in another room who will watch and record anything unusual that happens while you are sleeping.
Sleep Medicine Doctor in Georgetown, TX
Here at Georgetown ENT, our board-certified otolaryngologist and sleep medicine specialist Dr. Scott Franklin offers a wide range of services – including sleep tests and sleep disorder treatments – that are geared toward helping you sleep soundly and consistently. We do have a fully accredited and comfortable on-site sleep lab that can help the doctor determine an accurate and efficient diagnosis of your sleep disorder and recommend treatment that would work for you.
If you have any questions or would like to schedule a consultation with Dr. Franklin, call us today at (512) 869-0604, or fill out our appointment request form online now. We look forward to helping you get those zzzs!
