Sleep apnea treatment,from diagnosis to CPAP

Obstructive sleep apnea is highly treatable once it's properly diagnosed. The path is the same for most people: recognize the symptoms, confirm the diagnosis with a sleep study, start therapy — usually CPAP or BiPAP — and follow up so treatment actually sticks. This page walks through each stage and links to the details for every step.

The most important thing to know: a CPAP or BiPAP machine is a prescription medical device. You cannot be prescribed one without a valid sleep apnea diagnosis, which is why treatment always begins with testing.

1. 1

   Recognize the symptoms

   Loud snoring, witnessed pauses in breathing, gasping awake, morning headaches, and daytime sleepiness are the classic signs of obstructive sleep apnea. Identifying them is the first step toward getting evaluated and treated.

2. 2

   Get a diagnosis with a home sleep test

   A CPAP or BiPAP machine is a prescription device, so treatment starts with a diagnosis. You complete a short intake form and have a brief telemedicine video visit with a physician — typically under 5 minutes — to approve an FDA-approved home sleep apnea test, which then ships to your door. You test three nights in your own bed and your results are sent to you, typically within 72 hours of returning the device.

3. 3

   Start therapy — CPAP or BiPAP

   Positive airway pressure is the first-line treatment for moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea. If your test confirms apnea and you already know you want CPAP, a prescription can be issued at no additional charge — no separate visit required. A full consult is available if you want to discuss options first.

4. 4

   Consider alternatives when appropriate

   Not everyone tolerates CPAP, and not every case calls for it. Depending on severity and physiology, a physician may consider BiPAP, oral appliance therapy (by referral), positional therapy, or weight management as part of the plan.

5. 5

   Follow up and adjust

   Therapy works best when it's monitored. Follow-up visits address mask fit, pressure, and comfort so you actually stick with treatment — and let your physician adjust the plan over time.

Nocturne offers the home sleep apnea test as a standalone service. A brief telemedicine video visit — typically under 5 minutes and included in the $169 price — reviews your intake form and approves the test before it ships. You complete the study at home and your results are sent to you, typically within 72 hours of returning the device.

If the report confirms obstructive sleep apnea and you already know you want therapy, a CPAP or BiPAP prescription can be issued at no additional charge — with no separate appointment. That means you can go from testing to treatment without booking a full consultation. Prefer to talk it through first? A full consult ($199) is available whenever you want one.

• Sleep apnea symptoms — the warning signs and when to get evaluated.
• Home sleep test — how at-home diagnosis works, now available standalone.
• Online sleep study — getting a physician-ordered study without a clinic visit.
• Sleep study cost — transparent cash-pay pricing and HSA/FSA details.
• Online CPAP prescription — how CPAP or BiPAP is prescribed after diagnosis.
• CPAP alternatives — options when CPAP isn't the right fit.

• Snoring — when snoring is harmless and when it signals sleep apnea.
• Sleep apnea and high blood pressure — the link between untreated OSA and hypertension.
• Sleep apnea and weight — the two-way relationship between weight and OSA.
• Sleep apnea and fatigue — why you feel exhausted despite time in bed.
• Sleep apnea and type 2 diabetes — the link with blood sugar and insulin resistance.
• Sleep apnea and AFib — the connection with atrial fibrillation.
• Restless legs treatment — diagnosis and treatment of RLS by a sleep physician.
• Insomnia treatment — CBT-I and physician-led care for chronic insomnia.
• Home sleep test vs. in-lab study — how the two diagnostic options compare.
• Choosing an online sleep apnea test — what to look for before you buy.
• Where we practice — the states we're licensed to treat patients in.