Narcolepsy Test
The narcolepsy test consists of several stages. The doctor will perform a descriptive physical exam and also obtain in depth medical history to rule out other possible causes of the symptoms in the patient. Keep in mind that having some of the major signs of narcolepsy does not mean that a person suffers from narcolepsy in addition to the regular tests there are several specialized tests which the sleep specialists perform. There are sleep disorders clinic which play an important role for testing narcolepsy. In addition to tests some questionnaires and sleep diaries are of great help to rule out the condition of patient having excessive daytime sleepiness. Following are the two tests which are essential in confirming the diagnosis of narcolepsy:
In-lab overnight sleep study
For the overnight sleep study a polysomnogram or a sleep study plays an important role to understand the sleep pattern in the patient. The sleep study requires the person to stay overnight at a sleep center so that the physician can measure and observe the sleep. The patient sleeps with the sensor attaching to the scalp to record the brain waves, other aspects of sleep and heartbeat. The sleep test for overnight will also reveal other aspects or dysfunctions of the sleeping pattern to help identifying the narcolepsy sleep disorder.