Causes and Cures of Snoring.
What is snoring?
Snoring is defined as a type of breathing during sleep accompanied by harsh or hoarse sounds caused by the vibration of the soft palate at the back of the throat. Breathing occurs through the open mouth and nose. Snoring is a subjective experience on the part of the person forced to listen to it.
Is snoring the same as sleep apnea?
Snoring and sleep apnea are two different conditions, although snoring occurs in about 90% of people diagnosed with sleep apnea. Apnea is breathing pauses whereas snoring is the sound named by vibration of the soft palate.
What are some of the potential consequences of snoring?
Loud and continuous snoring usually lead to severe strains in relationships due to the sleep disruption it causes. It can also lead to multiple wakefulness during the night and sleep fragmentation. Both disturbances can result in sleepiness during the day or fatigue in the long run.
What can I do about my snoring?
A change in lifestyle factors contributing to snoring can alleviate the degree and intensity with which you snore. These include losing weight for obese sufferers, not sleeping on your back, abstinence from alcohol before bedtime, quitting smoking and treating nasal congestion. It is important that the doctor also excludes any anatomical abnormalities that can contribute to snoring, including correcting adenoids, large tonsils, jaw problems, and nasal blockages.
Are there any good devices that may help my partner to stop snoring?
Mandibular repositioning splints (MRS) are one of the devices available for treating snoring and mild sleep apnea. These oral appliances are shaped like gum shields or mouth guards, and are worn over the teeth at night during sleep. It works by holding the lower jaw forward, thereby opening the airspace at the back of the throat. MRS should be specially made by a dentist or orthodontist. Research has shown that this device works if constructed properly by an experienced professional.
Adhesive external nasal dilator strips (ENDS) and mouth guards, although commonly recommended, test results have not revealed any convincing evidence that they cause significant improvement in snoring. Ear plugs may be a more viable is very extreme cases of disruptive snoring.
Is surgery useful in treating snoring?
Surgery might be useful if there is evidence of sleep apnoea after an overnight sleep study. If you are considering a surgical solution for your snoring, you must see a specialist for an assessment. Although there are a number of surgical techniques used to treat snoring, overall success rate remains low, ranging from 20 to 50% maximum at 6 years. One must be mindful to be very careful as some surgical techniques have never been subjected to proper clinical trials.
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