Getting a Diagnosis

People who think they may have a sleep disorder sometimes put off getting medical help because the process of diagnosis and treatment seems mysterious or frightening. Or maybe they just don\'t know where to start or what kind of doctor to see.

Sometimes people don\'t know that they even have a sleep disorder. Perhaps they think that feeling not quite so perky when they wake up is a normal result of aging. They don\'t realize that the ultimate purpose of sleep is to restore and refresh the body and mind.

Occasionally, potential patients may be embarrassed that they snore or worried that their doctor will think they\'re hypochondriacs for complaining about sleep problems. Not long ago, doctors who specialized in sleep disorders were regarded as only mysterious.

No one, including their professional colleagues, was quite sure what they did or what they were treating. Also when you mentioned the term sleep disorder, people stared at you as if you were speaking in tongues.

Today all that has changed. However, a sleep specialist is usually not the first doctor you see when you\'re experiencing problems with your sleep. Most insurance companies require a referral from your family doctor before you can see a sleep specialist.

No matter what type of doctor you see, prepare for your appointment by keeping a sleep diary for at least 2 consecutive weeks before your appointment (a month is even better). Give a copy of this to your doctor on your 1st visit.

Also be prepared to provide up-to-date medical information. Your PCP should already have a copy of your medical history, but if he refers you to other medical professionals, ask for a copy of your history to take with you, so you don\'t have to keep filling the same forms over and over again.

Just be aware that some doctors make you fill out their forms or special forms designed for sleep disorder patients like sleep symptoms checklist and screening forms. So be prepared to write. Your PCP is the best place to start looking for help, and might be the only place your insurance company allows you to start.

After your PCP reviews your sleep diary, he or she may give you a complete physical to rule out underlying conditions that may be causing your difficulties. For example, if you have arthritis, your pain may be keeping you awake or awakening you in the middle of the night.

Or perhaps an acid reflux condition (heartburn) is disrupting your slumber. The more information you can give your doctor about what\'s happening the easier he or she can accurately diagnose the problem

Be sure to let your doctor know if you\'re dealing with any ongoing stressful situations or emotional problems because they may be contributing to your sleep difficulties. For example:

Your company has announced upcoming layoffs
\r You\'re going through a divorce
\r You have a terminally ill family member

These stressors can contribute significantly to a temporary or worsening sleep problem. Knowing about them helps your doctor pinpoint possible causes for your sleeplessness or sleepiness.

Alvaro Castillo has been writing health articles for five years. One of his specializations has been on parenting and pregnancy. If you would like to get the best out of parenting, then visit his website at http://www.myhomeparent.com or visit his blog at http://myhomeparent.blogspot.com to share your opinion.

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This entry was posted on Monday, August 25th, 2008 at 5:24 pm and is filed under Sleep Apnea Snoring . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.