People with symptoms such as loud snoring, morning headaches, irritability, or chronic daytime sleepiness may be at risk for sleep apnea. Untreated, it can deprive the body of oxygen and lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Fortunately, there are several types of specialists who can diagnose and treat sleep apnea doctor. To find the right doctor for you, talk to family and friends who have seen a specialist, and ask about their experiences and recommendations.
Many doctors, particularly primary care physicians, can make the initial assessment of a potential problem with sleep and can refer you to a specialist if necessary. For example, if your snoring or excessive daytime sleepiness is related to fat deposits around the upper airway, your PCP might recommend weight loss and other lifestyle changes, and may order a sleep study (polysomnography) in a lab to see if you have obstructive sleep apnea.
A sleep specialist who has been trained in internal medicine, pulmonology, otolaryngology (ears, nose, and throat), psychiatry, or neurology can diagnose and treat a wide range of sleep disorders. If you have a sleep disorder such as obstructive sleep apnea or insomnia, they can prescribe and administer medications to help manage the condition. They may also recommend other treatment options such as sleep apnea mouthpieces or oral appliances, or surgery for more severe cases of sleep apnea.
Pulmonologists specialize in the lungs and can often treat sleep-related breathing problems with medications and devices such as CPAP machines. They can also work with a person’s other medical issues such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to improve breathing and prevent or limit the frequency of episodes of sleep apnea.
Neurologists can offer insights into central sleep apnea, which is less common and occurs when the brain fails to send the correct signals to control breathing. This type of apnea can be associated with neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, myotonic dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, or myasthenia gravis.
Cardiologists are often called upon to evaluate and treat heart-related problems, such as high blood pressure or irregular heartbeat, which can be caused by sleep apnea. They can also assess whether a person’s heart condition is contributing to a lack of sleep and, if so, can recommend strategies for improving the quality of life. For more advanced cases of sleep apnea, a neurologist can provide specialized services to address the brain and nervous system connections to the respiratory system, such as a REM sleep behavior therapy. They can perform an overnight sleep study (polysomnography) to determine what’s causing the apnea and how to address it. They can also prescribe or recommend treatment options such as a REM sleep behavior therapy or hypoglossal nerve stimulation. They can also perform a spinal tap to determine the cause of obstructive sleep apnea in patients with herpes encephalitis and other infectious diseases of the nervous system. They can also prescribe treatments to address underlying heart issues such as coronary artery disease or congestive cardiac failure.