If you want to find out what’s behind your snoring, you’ll likely need to undergo an overnight sleep study to determine whether sleep apnea is at fault. You may have symptoms that suggest apnea, like morning headaches and excessive fatigue even after a supposed full night of sleep, but only a sleep study can give you a conclusive diagnosis. A sleep study may also offer guidance on the most effective treatment for the disorder.

This process involves sensors that are placed on the body to detect various signals, such as brain activity, eye movement and heart rate, during sleep. Those signals are monitored, recorded and examined for anomalies that indicate apnea or some other sleep disorder.

Before getting to the bottom of their snoring, patients sometimes express concern about the expense of such a sleep study.

Sleep apnea is a serious problem that can lead to other complications, such as diabetes and high blood pressure. Therefore, insurance companies typically pay for a sleep study to diagnose apnea so that it can be treated effectively. However, co-pays and deductibles will apply in all but the most generous plans. As a point of reference, a deductible for diagnostic procedures may be between $1,000 and $5,000.

A sleep study can take place either in the hospital, sleep center, or at home, but a study in a hospital setting is the most expensive, costing as much as $3,000. Alternatively, patients can take portable equipment to their homes for a much lower price tag—in the neighborhood of $350. You may be able to use money from your flexible spending account or health savings account to pay for your sleep study. Ask your provider to be sure.

Sleep studies are also conducted for follow-up after a surgical intervention or non-surgical treatment modality is used.  This enables your Chicago sleep doctors taking care of you to determine the effectiveness of the oral appliance custom fabricated for the treatment of your sleep apnea.

Sleep studies are valuable diagnostic tools, and they can inform and dictate treatment of the condition. If you want to undergo a sleep study, check with your insurance company on your coverage for the process. Then talk with Drs. Steven Koos DDS, MD and Brian Shah DDS, MD, your sleep specialists serving Chicago, IL to determine what type of test will fit in your budget.