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Sleep Apnea - When To Call a Doctor
SYMPTOMS & TREATMENTS
- Topic Overview
-
Health Tools
- Cause
- Symptoms
- What Happens
- What Increases Your Risk
- When To Call a Doctor
- Exams and Tests
- Treatment Overview
- Prevention
- Home Treatment
- Medications
- Surgery
- Other Treatment
- Other Places To Get Help
- Related Information
- References
- Credits
Call your doctor if:
- You or your bed partner snores loudly and heavily and feels sleepy during the day.
- You notice that your bed partner stops breathing, gasps, or chokes during sleep.
- You sometimes fall asleep at inappropriate times, such as while you are talking or eating.
- Your child snores, has difficulty breathing while sleeping, sleeps restlessly, wakes up often, and is very sleepy during the day.
Watchful Waiting
Watchful waiting is a wait-and-see approach. If you get better on your own, you will not need treatment. If you get worse, you and your doctor will decide what to do next. Watchful waiting may be right for you if you snore but are not excessively sleepy during the day.
Watchful waiting may not be right if you notice that your sleeping partner snores loudly and heavily, is restless during sleep, and is sleepy during the day. If you think your sleeping partner may have periods when breathing stops, suggest that he or she talk with a doctor.
Who To See
Health professionals who can check people who have symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) include:
If your doctor thinks that you may have sleep apnea, he or she may have you see a specialist who treats sleep disorders. The specialist can help arrange and interpret a sleep study and prescribe treatment for the disease, such as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP).
Other health professionals may be able to help you if you have other problems that are caused by sleep apnea. If you:
- Have heart problems, you may see a cardiologist.
- Need surgery to remove excess tissue or to correct a defect or injury, you may see an ear, nose, and throat doctor (otolaryngologist).
- Need oral breathing devices, you may see a dentist.
To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment.
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: July 9, 2009 |
| Medical Review: | E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine Mark A. Rasmus, MD - Pulmonology, Critical Care Medicine, Sleep Medicine | |
© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
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