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 General Info about Snoring |
| What are the causes of Snoring ? |
| How can we diagnose Snoring ? |
| How can Snoring be treated ? |
| Frequently asked questions about Snoring |
| Glossary |
| Ways to avoid Snoring |
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| General Info about Snoring |
Snoring is noisy breathing through the mouth and nose during sleep. It can occur when you are breathing in or out. Thirty-five percent of normal adults snore at least occasionally, and 20 percent are habitual snorers. Snoring is more frequent in males and overweight persons, and it usually grows worse with age. Snoring is often worse when a person sleeps on his back. Snoring arises when the air passage is blocked which inhibits easy & normal breathing. The sounds are caused by the vibration or flapping of the tissues lining the air passages. Most snorers actually don't know they snore.
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| What are the causes of Snoring ? |
Snoring occurs when air does not flow smoothly through the air passages, or when the soft tissues or muscles in your air passages vibrate. Age can be a factor. The older you get, the weaker your throat muscles become. Weak throat muscles cause the surrounding tissues to sag and vibrate. Nasal blockages caused by allergies or a deviated septum (when the partition between your nose is crooked) can limit airflow through your nose. This forces you to breathe through your mouth where the more flabby tissue is located. Obstruction caused by enlarged tonsils. Too much alcohol or sedation at bedtime. Deformities in the nasal pathway. Being 20 percent over your ideal weight can cause snoring. Children with large tonsils and adenoids often snore.
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| How can we diagnose Snoring ? |
A careful examination of your medical history will be done, by an ENT specialist. Sometimes an overnight sleep test (silent night home testing system) would be performed.
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| How can Snoring be treated ? |
Treatment depends on the diagnosis. An examination will reveal if the snoring is caused by nasal allergy, infection, deformity, or tonsils and adenoids. If snoring persists, there are several operations that can be done to reduce or eliminate snoring. Snoring may be reduced by certain dental devices which bring the jaw forward. This does not help in all the cases of snoring. Thermal Ablation Palatoplasty (TAP) are procedures and techniques that treat snoring. Laser Assisted Uvula Palatoplasty (LAUP) treats snoring by removing the obstruction in the airway. If surgery is unwanted, the patient may sleep every night with a nasal mask that delivers air pressure into the throat; this is called continuous positive airway pressure or "CPAP". Somnoplasty, a revolutionary new treatment for snoring, has been developed recently. It is a relatively painless minimally invasive procedure.
Somnoplasty is an unique surgical method for reducing habitual snoring by removing tissues of the uvula (the pendent fleshy lobe in the middle of the posterior border of the soft palate ) and soft palate (the fold at the back of the hard palate that partially separates the mouth and pharynx ). Somnoplasty uses very low levels of radio frequency heat energy to create finely controlled localized burn-areas beneath the lining (mucosa) of the soft tissues of the throat. These burn- areas are eventually resorbed by the body, shrinking the tissue volume, opening the passageway for air, and thereby reducing symptoms of snoring. Somnoplasty is performed under local anesthesia in an outpatient setting and takes approximately 30 minutes. |
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| Frequently asked questions about Snoring |
Is Snoring dangerous ?
Snoring can contribute to fatigue and morning tiredness. There may be an increased risk of high blood pressure and stroke in snoring patients.
Will treating my snoring improve my lifestyle ?
Correction of snoring will definitely improve a persons lifestyle as snoring frequently causes restless sleep and tiredness on waking. It may also cause daytime drowsiness.
What is sleep Apnoea ?
Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) is a medical disturbance in which blockage of the upper airway occurs during sleep periodically. These are usually associated with a reduction in the level of blood oxygen saturation.
Which doctor should I visit if I suffer from Snoring ?
You should visit an ENT specialist |
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| Glossary |
Hypercapnia - A raised level of carbon dioxide in the blood. This is the gas normally breathed out which will rise if breathing is inadequate. Usually measured by taking an arterial blood sample.
Hypersomnolence - Technical expression for excessive sleepiness.
Hypnogram - The final print out of the all night sleep stages.
Hypopnoea - A period of under-breathing: conventionally for more than 10 seconds.
Insomnia - Being awake when you want to be asleep. Often thought of as a problem, but may not be. Common if people try to spend too long in bed.
Pharynx - Essentially the throat area between the voice box and the back of the nose behind the tongue. A floppy muscular tube.
Sleep Stages - Sleep is conventionally divided into five stages. Four of these are called non-REM sleep, the other is REM (or Rapid-Eye-Movement) sleep. REM sleep is when we dream, and the brain is virtually awake. Non-REM sleep is graded 1 to 4 and represents increasing depths of sleep. This is the sleep required to refresh, with the two deeper stages 3 and 4 called slow wave sleep.
Snoring - The noise resulting from vibration in the upper airway; anywhere from the back of the nose down to the voice box. Often involves the palate.
Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty - The operation that cuts away part of the soft palate and side walls of the pharynx (or throat) in an attempt to reduce snoring volumes. Not very effective and extremely painful. |
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| Ways to avoid Snoring |
 Avoid alcohol before going to bed.
Reduce your weight.
Stop smoking.
Establish regular sleeping patterns.
Sleep on your side rather than your back.
Take a decongestant before bed to relieve nasal congestion.
Try sleeping without a pillow.
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