To
many people, snoring while sleeping has become a normal way of life, because they
have been used to the condition right from childhood. But several findings have
revealed that it is a medical condition common among all ages and gender.
However, the men folk and overweight persons are mostly at risk of snoring. The
most annoying thing about snoring is that, it can cause disruptions to your own
sleep and your bed-partner's sleep. The American Sleep Foundation has also
found the adverse health effects of snoring to include: daytime dysfunction and
heart disease, among others.
So
if your partner had ever told you that you snore, there is the likelihood of developing daytime dysfunction and
heart disease. But how can this condition be treated?
The
reason you snore is not far from the description given here: While you sleep,
the muscles of your throat relax, your tongue falls backward, and your throat
becomes narrow and "floppy." As you breathe, the walls of the throat
begin to vibrate - generally when you breathe in, but also, to a lesser extent,
when you breathe out. These vibrations lead to the characteristic sound of
snoring. The narrower your airway becomes, the greater the vibration and the louder
your snoring. Sometimes the walls of the throat collapse completely so that it
is completely occluded, creating a condition called apnea (cessation of
breathing). This is a serious condition which requires medical attention.
SYMPTOMS:
People
who snore make a vibrating, rattling, noisy sound while breathing during sleep.
It may be a symptom of sleep apnea. Consult your doctor if you snore and have
any of the following symptoms or signs:
Excessive daytime sleepiness
Morning headaches
Recent weight gain
Awakening in the morning not feeling rested
Awaking at night feeling confused
Change in your level of attention,
concentration, or memory
Observed pauses in breathing during sleep
TREATMENT:
Snorers
are generally unaware of their snoring, and must rely on the observations of
their bed-partners. Some snorers may wake up at night choking and gasping for
breath, but this occurs relatively infrequently. If you have been told that
your snoring is disturbing to others, or you have some of the symptoms and
signs listed above, consult your doctor. He or she will take your history,
perform a physical exam and will determine whether you require a consultation
with a sleep specialist and a sleep test to determine if you have sleep apnea
and to see how your snoring affects your sleep quality.
Depending
on the results of the sleep study, you will be presented with a series of
options to treat snoring. These will generally include:
Llifestyle modification (i.e. avoidance of
risk factors mentioned above, sleep position training if applicable, treatment
of allergies if applicable, etc…);
Surgery (generally on the back of the
throat and roof of the mouth, or the nose if applicable, using a variety of
instruments including scalpel, laser, or microwaves);
Appliances (mainly oral appliances
constructed by a dentist experienced in treatment of snoring and sleep apnea,
but also other appliances such as nasal dilators);
and sometimes CPAP (a continuous positive
airway pressure appliance which blows room air into the back of the throat thus
preventing it from collapse).
The
latter method is the treatment of choice for sleep apnea. If you are diagnosed
with this condition, it is imperative that you pursue treatment aggressively;
untreated sleep apnea will lead to daytime dysfunction and puts you at a higher
risk for vascular disease.
Your
own doctor, or sleep specialist, will talk to you in detail about each of the
above treatment approaches, their chances of success, possible complications,
and costs. They will be able to advise you which of the above treatment approaches
is the correct one for you.
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The American Sleep Foundation has also found the adverse health effects of snoring to include: daytime dysfunction and heart disease, among others.snore device
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