More than 858,000 Canadians have been diagnosed with sleep apnea. Experts think 80% of cases are still undiagnosed. If you wake up tired even after sleeping 8 hours, your Parksville doctor can test you for sleep apnea.
This guide explains how doctors test for sleep apnea. We cover everything from your first doctor visit to getting your test results. We also share tips from helping Vancouver Island residents get tested.
Table of Contents
- How do doctors diagnose sleep apnea? (Quick Answer)
- The First Doctor Visit
- Sleep Questionnaires
- Sleep Clinic Test
- Home Sleep Test
- Understanding Your Results
How Do Doctors Diagnose Sleep Apnea?
Doctors use three steps to diagnose sleep apnea:
- Doctor visit – Your doctor asks about snoring, feeling tired, and breathing pauses during sleep. They check your neck size and blood pressure.
- Sleep questionnaires – You answer questions about your sleep. These help your doctor decide if you need testing.
- Sleep test – You do an overnight test. This can happen at a sleep clinic or at home. The test watches your breathing while you sleep.
Sleep clinic tests are the most accurate.<sup>1</sup> They count how many times per hour your breathing stops. This number shows if you have mild, moderate, or severe sleep apnea.
Ready to get tested in Parksville? Schedule your sleep apnea consultation to start sleeping better.
The First Doctor Visit
What Your Doctor Will Ask
Your Parksville doctor will ask questions about how you sleep:
- Snoring: Do you snore loudly? Does your partner hear it?
- Breathing pauses: Does anyone see you stop breathing while asleep?
- Morning headaches: Do you wake up with headaches?
- Daytime tiredness: Are you tired even after sleeping enough?
- Trouble focusing: Is it hard to concentrate at work?
Your partner’s observations help a lot. Many people don’t know they stop breathing at night until someone tells them.
Physical Check-Up
Your doctor will check things that increase sleep apnea risk.
Neck size matters. Men with necks over 17 inches and women with necks over 16 inches have higher risk. Your doctor will also look in your throat for blockages like big tonsils.
Your doctor checks your blood pressure too. Sleep apnea and high blood pressure often happen together. Each problem can make the other worse.
Risk Factors
Your doctor looks at things that increase your sleep apnea risk:
| Things You Can Change | Things You Cannot Change |
| Being overweight | Age over 40 |
| Drinking alcohol | Being male |
| Smoking | Family history |
| Sleep position | Jaw shape |
Your doctor asks about drinking alcohol before bed, smoking, how you sleep, and your medicines. Some medicines relax throat muscles and make sleep apnea worse.
How to Prepare
Keep a sleep diary for one week before your appointment. Write down when you go to bed, when you wake up, and how you feel. This helps your doctor understand your sleep patterns better.
Sleep Questionnaires
Doctors use simple questionnaires before ordering expensive tests. These questionnaires help decide who needs testing first.
The STOP-BANG Questionnaire
This tool has eight yes-or-no questions. Each letter stands for a risk factor:
- Snoring (loud snoring?)
- Tiredness (tired during the day?)
- Observed apneas (anyone see you stop breathing?)
- Pressure (high blood pressure?)
- BMI over 35?
- Age over 50?
- Neck size (over 17″/16″ for men/women)?
- Gender (male)?
Your score shows your risk level. A score of 0-2 means low risk. A score of 3-4 means medium risk. A score of 5-8 means high risk.
Epworth Sleepiness Scale
This test measures how sleepy you feel during the day. You rate how likely you are to doze off in eight situations:
- Reading
- Watching TV
- Sitting in a public place
- Riding in a car for an hour
- Resting in the afternoon
- Talking to someone
- Sitting after lunch
- Stopped in traffic
Each situation gets a score from 0 to 3. A total score over 10 means you’re too sleepy during the day.
Berlin Questionnaire
This questionnaire looks at three things:
- How often you snore
- How tired you feel during the day
- Whether you have high blood pressure or are overweight
Your answers show if you’re high risk or low risk for sleep apnea.
How These Help
These questionnaires don’t diagnose sleep apnea. They help doctors decide who needs testing right away.
In BC, wait times for sleep tests can be long. Doctors use these tools to make sure people with the highest risk get tested first.
| Questionnaire | Questions | What It Measures | Score Meaning |
| STOP-BANG | 8 | Risk factors | 0-2 low, 3-4 medium, 5-8 high |
| Epworth Sleepiness Scale | 8 | Daytime sleepiness | Under 10 normal, 10-24 too sleepy |
| Berlin Questionnaire | 10 | Symptoms and risk | Shows high or low risk |
Sleep Clinic Test
What Happens at the Sleep Clinic
A sleep clinic test is the most complete way to check for sleep apnea. You spend one night at a special clinic. Technicians watch your body all night long.
You arrive in the evening. A technician puts sensors on your body. This might sound uncomfortable, but most people sleep okay.
What the Test Measures
The test watches ten or more things all night:
- Brain activity: Shows your sleep stages
- Eye movements: Shows when you dream
- Muscle activity: Shows if your airway collapses
- Heart rhythm: Tracks your heartbeat
- Blood oxygen: Measures oxygen drops
- Airflow: Checks breathing through nose and mouth
- Chest movement: Watches breathing effort
- Body position: Notes how you sleep
This information shows exactly what happens when you sleep. It tells doctors if you have sleep apnea and how bad it is.
Understanding Your AHI Number
The most important number is your AHI (Apnea-Hypopnea Index). This counts how many times per hour your breathing stops or slows down.
Each breathing problem is either:
- Anapnea: You stop breathing for 10+ seconds
- Ahypopnea: Your breathing slows down and oxygen drops
Your AHI number determines your treatment:
| Severity Level | AHI (events per hour) |
| Normal | Less than 5 |
| Mild sleep apnea | 5-15 |
| Moderate sleep apnea | 15-30 |
| Severe sleep apnea | 30 or more |
Types of Sleep Apnea
The test can find three types:
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is most common. Your airway gets blocked during sleep. You try to breathe but air can’t get through.
Central sleep apnea (CSA) happens when your brain doesn’t tell your muscles to breathe. There’s no blockage, but breathing still stops.
Mixed sleep apnea is both types together.
Knowing which type you have matters. Treatment for each type is different.
Other Sleep Problems
The sleep clinic test can find other sleep problems too:
- Restless leg syndrome
- Leg movement disorder
- Narcolepsy
- REM sleep behavior disorder
This is one reason clinic tests are better than home tests.
Getting Tested in Parksville
Parksville and mid-Island residents usually go to Nanaimo Regional General Hospital’s sleep clinic. Some people use private clinics in Nanaimo or Courtenay.
Wait times are different for each person. Your family doctor will help you choose the best option.
Questions about sleep apnea testing in Parksville? Call our clinic to talk about your options.
Home Sleep Test
How Home Testing Works
Home sleep tests are simpler than clinic tests. You sleep in your own bed while wearing a small monitoring device.
The equipment is smaller than clinic equipment. Most devices check three to five things:
- Airflow through your nose and mouth
- Blood oxygen levels
- Heart rate
- Breathing effort
- Body position
You pick up the device from your doctor’s office. You wear it for one or two nights at home. Then you return it. A sleep doctor reviews your data.
Who Can Use Home Testing
Home tests work well for some people. You’re a good match if you:
- Probably have sleep apnea based on your symptoms
- Don’t have other big health problems like heart or lung disease
- Don’t have other sleep disorders
- Can follow the instructions
Home testing doesn’t work for everyone. People with complicated health problems need the full clinic test.
Why People Like Home Testing
Comfort and convenience are the main benefits. You sleep in your own bed in familiar surroundings. Many people sleep better at home.
Lower cost makes home testing easier to afford. Many insurance plans cover home sleep tests.
Faster scheduling helps too. Clinic tests often have long wait lists. Home tests usually get scheduled faster.
Problems with Home Testing
Home tests have some downsides:
They don’t measure actual sleep time. The device doesn’t know if you’re sleeping or just lying down. This can make your results look better than they really are.
Technical problems happen more often. Sometimes the equipment doesn’t work right. You might need to repeat the test. Clinic tests rarely fail because technicians are there to fix problems.
They can’t detect all types of sleep apnea. The simple sensors can’t tell the difference between blocked airways and brain signal problems.
They miss other sleep disorders. If you have restless legs or other sleep problems along with sleep apnea, a home test won’t catch them.
Comparing Your Choices
| Factor | Sleep Clinic Test | Home Sleep Test |
| Accuracy | Most accurate | Good for simple cases |
| What’s measured | 10+ things | 3-5 things |
| Convenience | Stay overnight at clinic | Sleep at home |
| Best for | Complex cases, other sleep problems | Simple sleep apnea |
Getting Home Testing in Parksville
Your options depend on your doctor. Some Parksville family doctors have home testing devices. Other doctors send you to testing services in Nanaimo or other places on Vancouver Island.
Ask your doctor which way they usually work. If you want home testing, you can ask about sleep apnea testing services in Parksville that serve the mid-Island area.
Understanding Your Results
Getting Your Results
After your sleep test, a sleep doctor looks at your data. This usually takes 1-3 weeks.
Your family doctor will schedule an appointment to talk about what they found. They’ll explain your AHI score and what it means for your health.
Some people feel worried while waiting for results. Remember that getting tested was the hard part. Now you’re on the path to better sleep.
Treatment Based on Your Results
What happens next depends on your AHI score:
Mild Sleep Apnea (AHI 5-15)
Doctors often start with simple changes:
- Lifestyle changes: Lose weight if needed, don’t drink alcohol before bed, sleep on your side
- Mouth devices: Special devices keep your jaw forward and airways open
- Position therapy: Special tools help you avoid sleeping on your back
Some people with mild sleep apnea get better with these changes. They don’t need a CPAP machine.
Moderate Sleep Apnea (AHI 15-30)
Most doctors recommend CPAP therapy for moderate cases. CPAP stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. A machine sends gentle air pressure through a mask. This keeps your airway open all night.
You’ll see a sleep doctor who will:
- Explain how CPAP works
- Help you pick the right mask
- Set the correct air pressure
- Teach you how to care for your equipment
Severe Sleep Apnea (AHI 30+)
Severe cases almost always need CPAP therapy. Sometimes doctors consider surgery. Surgery might help if:
- You have big tonsils or jaw problems
- You can’t use CPAP even after trying different masks
- Other treatments don’t work
Seeing a Sleep Doctor
Your family doctor will send you to a sleep specialist. These doctors know all about sleep apnea. They help with:
- Finding the right air pressure for your CPAP
- Fixing common CPAP problems
- Checking if treatment is working
- Changing your treatment if needed
Getting Your Equipment
After your diagnosis, you need the right equipment. A local medical supply store in Parksville can help you get fitted for masks and trained on your equipment. The right mask makes CPAP much easier to use.
Many people try several mask styles before finding the perfect one. Local stores let you exchange masks until you find one that fits comfortably.
Insurance Coverage
Understanding insurance helps you plan:
Extended health insurance usually covers CPAP equipment when a doctor prescribes it. Check your specific plan to see what’s covered.
BC Medical Services Plan (MSP) covers visits to sleep specialists when your family doctor refers you. Check the BC government health resources for details.
CPAP supplies like masks and filters need replacing regularly. Many insurance plans help pay for these.
Why Treatment Is Important
Some people think about ignoring mild sleep apnea. This is risky.
Research shows that untreated sleep apnea increases your risk of heart disease, stroke, and car accidents. These risks go down when you use CPAP or other treatments regularly.
What Happens After Your Test
Here’s the timeline:
- Doctor gets your sleep study report (1-3 weeks after your test)
- Follow-up appointment to review your results
- Referral to sleep specialist (if you have moderate or severe sleep apnea)
- Treatment plan covering CPAP, mouth devices, or other options
- Equipment setup to find the right settings
- Three-month check-up to make sure treatment is working
Most people feel better within the first few weeks of treatment. Better sleep gives you more energy and improves your mood.
Take the Next Step Toward Better Sleep
Getting diagnosed with sleep apnea in Parksville is straightforward. Your family doctor starts with questions and simple tests. Then you get either a clinic test or home test.
The process takes a few weeks. But getting diagnosed is the important first step. Proper diagnosis leads to treatment. Treatment means better sleep, more energy, and better health.
Don’t let another night of bad sleep hurt your health and happiness. Sleep apnea testing is proven to work and most insurance covers it.
Get expert sleep apnea testing in Parksville – Book your appointment today to start sleeping better.
Want to learn about CPAP equipment? Visit our medical supply store in Parksville to see treatment options and get help from local experts.
References
- Kapur VK, Auckley DH, Chowdhuri S, Kuhlmann DC, Mehra R, Ramar K, Harrod CG. Clinical Practice Guideline for Diagnostic Testing for Adult Obstructive Sleep Apnea: An American Academy of Sleep Medicine Clinical Practice Guideline.J Clin Sleep Med. 2017;13(3):479–504. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5337595/
Note: This article provides educational information about sleep apnea diagnosis methods. Always consult with your healthcare provider for medical advice specific to your situation.