Sleep medicine is a growing field, but for many prospective patients, it is also an unknown one. There are several eOs Sleep Centers located around the country, including facilities right here in NYC.
Not only do these facilities give patients access to some of the top-rated sleep apnea specialists in the country, they also help patients to understand more about their condition and their snoring symptoms.
5 Signs of a Good Snoring Doctor
For instance, sleep medicine is a comparatively new specialty. It’s not uncommon for patients to be unsure of what to look for in a good specialist.
We’ve gathered five of the most important tell-tale signs a patient should look for in a good snoring doctor.
1. Find out more about their area of expertise.
Snoring is just one possible area of study for a doctor who chooses to go into sleep medicine. Other possibilities include oral and facial surgery, dentistry, or other sleep conditions.
While a specialist with combined training in both sleep conditions and surgical solutions might seem best, it is better to evaluate their skill set based on the needs of each individual patient.
2. Ask about their approach to treatment.
Treatment should be customized to every patient. Even so, make sure that customization involves a comprehensive strategy. If snoring is the problem, the treatment needs to be progressive. Typically, it should look something like this:
- Evaluation and diagnostics
- Home remedies
- Sleep study
- Treatment selection and review
- Compliance and follow-up
- Adjustments to treatment plan
Cutting corners during the diagnostic process can lead to serious complications that could otherwise be avoided.
3. Talk about alternatives.
If the sleep study shows that snoring is related to a form of sleep apnea, it is important that patients select a sleep specialist with whom they can talk honestly.
The adjustment to sleep apnea treatment protocols is usually a difficult one. Compliance is a common problem and allowing it to go unaddressed is unacceptable. Make sure the chosen specialist is open to alternative options.
4. Test their research acumen.
A good sleep doctor should be attending conferences and reading or contributing to research in the field on a regular basis. Make sure they are up to speed before proceeding.
5. The doctor-patient relationship.
Everyone is different. How they relate to one another is vital. Use that medically centered relationship as a selection litmus test.