What sleep and airway treatment covers
Sleep apnea is a condition in which breathing repeatedly narrows or stops during sleep. People often notice loud snoring, waking with a dry mouth or headache, and daytime tiredness. Sleep and airway care is the part of ear, nose and throat medicine that finds out why this happens and, where suitable, treats it.
This category groups three services offered by Turkish hospitals: polysomnography, which is an overnight sleep study; diagnosis of sleep, which is a wider assessment of sleep and breathing problems; and sleep apnea surgery. The first two answer the question of what is going on. The third changes the airway. All of them sit within ENT (Ear, Nose & Throat) treatments in Turkey.
Sleep & Airway in Turkey
How the three services differ
Polysomnography
You sleep for a night in a monitored room while sensors record breathing, oxygen level, heart rhythm, snoring, body position and brain activity. A specialist then counts the pauses in breathing per hour, which shows whether apnea is mild, moderate or severe.
Diagnosis of sleep
This is a consultation-led assessment. The doctor examines the nose, mouth and throat, may look at the airway with a small camera, reviews your history and decides which tests are needed. It can include a home test or a full sleep study.
Sleep apnea surgery
Surgery aims to widen or stabilise the airway. Depending on where the blockage lies, the procedure may work on the nose, the soft palate and tonsils, the base of the tongue or the jaw position. Surgery is chosen for specific anatomical problems, not for every patient.
Who it is for and how to choose
If you snore heavily, stop breathing in your sleep according to a partner, or feel unrefreshed despite enough hours in bed, start with diagnosis rather than surgery. A sleep study gives the objective figures that any sensible surgical plan depends on. Many people with mild or moderate apnea are first offered other measures, such as weight management, changes in sleeping position or a breathing mask, and surgery is considered when these are not tolerated or do not work.
Surgery tends to be discussed when an examination finds a clear structural cause, for example enlarged tonsils, a deviated septum or a narrow throat. Ask the surgeon to explain which part of your airway is blocked, why this procedure fits it and what the realistic limits are. Results differ between people, and no honest surgeon will promise a cure.
What the trip and recovery look like
A sleep study needs one or two nights in the hospital and no recovery. Diagnosis can often be completed in a day or two. Surgery involves a longer stay: usually one or more nights in hospital, then several days nearby for a check before you fly. The throat is often sore for one to two weeks, and a soft diet is common at first. Your surgeon will tell you when to return to work and flying.
It is useful to bring any previous sleep reports, a list of medicines and details of any mask treatment you have tried. If you use a breathing machine, ask whether to bring it.
What affects the price
Prices depend mainly on which service you need. A sleep study costs far less than an operation. For surgery, the cost rises with the number of areas treated, the length of the operation, the type of anaesthesia, the hospital room and the length of stay. Follow-up tests and a repeat sleep study after healing may or may not be included, so ask. A written plan should state exactly what is covered, as it is the only reliable way to compare offers.
Choosing a hospital and sending an enquiry
Confirm that the hospital holds a Turkish Ministry of Health licence and is authorised for international patients. Ask whether the sleep laboratory is run by a specialist who interprets studies regularly, and whether the surgeon is an ENT specialist who performs airway operations often. Ask what happens if an operation does not give enough relief, how complications are handled, and whether follow-up can be done with your doctor at home. Request an English report of your sleep study and the operation.
How an enquiry with us works
Send your reports, a short description of your symptoms and any earlier treatment through the free quote form. Hospitals with a sleep service review the file, and a doctor suggests a study, an assessment or a surgical option. You receive a written plan from the hospital that names the specialist, the tests or procedure, the number of days and the full price. There is no payment to us. See more under ENT treatments, or send a free quote request when you are ready.
Hospitals with ENT (Ear, Nose & Throat) in Turkey
Conditions
Other ENT (Ear, Nose & Throat) categories
Frequently asked questions
Polysomnography is an overnight sleep study. Sensors record breathing, oxygen level, heart rhythm, snoring, body position and brain activity while you sleep. The results show how often your breathing pauses and how severe any apnea is.
In most cases yes. A study shows whether you have apnea and how severe it is, and an airway examination shows where the blockage is. A surgical plan built without these facts is hard to justify.
Not always. Surgery can reduce or sometimes remove apnea when a clear structural cause is found, but results vary and a repeat sleep study after healing shows the real effect. Be wary of any promise of a cure.
It depends on the operation. A sore throat for one to two weeks and a soft diet at first are common after palate or tonsil surgery. Your surgeon will advise when you can work and fly.
Both exist. A home test measures fewer signals and suits a simple question. A hospital study in a sleep laboratory records more and is used when the picture is unclear or other sleep disorders are suspected.
Common alternatives include a breathing mask worn at night, weight management, changing sleeping position and a dental device that holds the jaw forward. Your doctor can explain which suits your type and severity of apnea.
A sleep study needs one or two nights, and a full diagnosis is often finished in a day or two. Surgery needs a longer stay, usually several days, so the surgeon can check your throat before you travel home.