SNORING
Snoring is very common. Almost half of all normal adults snore, some occasionally, and others chronically. If it happens only once in a while, there are steps you can take to help prevent or reduce snoring. But, if you snore every night, or very frequently, it’s a good idea to see an ENT specialist to determine what is causing the problem. Your snoring could be a symptom of Obstructive Sleep Apnea, a condition that can lead to serious health problems. Even if the cause is something more minor, lack of sleep can affect your well-being in many ways, so it’s still important to try to find a solution.
Loud snoring combined with periods during which breathing frequently stops, is known as Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). Serious OSA can result in breathing interruptions lasting more than ten seconds each, occurring multiple times an hour. This pattern can continue through the night as the individual tries to sleep. OSA can result in reduced blood oxygen levels, leading to problems with the cardiovascular system, and daytime fatigue which can affect work and lifestyle. ENT and Allergy Specialists now offers an At-Home Sleep Study that can help diagnose OSA.
Snoring happens when airflow through the back of the mouth and the nose is obstructed, causing vibrations that create a snoring sound. When a child snores, the cause could be enlarged tonsils and adenoids, or a dental problem, such as an overbite. Other conditions that are far less common include airway blockages, such as a tumor or growth, or birth defects.
Causes of snoring in adults include:
When muscles are too relaxed, either from alcohol or drugs that cause sleepiness, the tongue falls back into the airway or the throat muscles draw in from the sides into the airway.
Allergies can create swelling of the tissues of the nasal passages. This restricts airflow and can lead to snoring.
Individuals who are overweight may have excess tissue in the throat or mouth that can cause a breathing obstruction.
Issues with the soft tissues of the mouth, throat, or sinuses are often the cause of chronic snoring. The soft palate, the tissue at the back of the roof of the mouth may be too long. The uvula, the tissue that hangs down from the soft palate, maybe unusually long or too thick. The tongue may be too large, or there may be abnormalities in the base of the tongue that can narrow the space through which air flows. In the sinuses, the nasal turbinates may be excessively large, causing an obstruction.
To determine the cause of frequent or chronic snoring and sleep disturbances, your specialist may suggest a sleep study. There are both at home sleep tests and in-lab tests that can be done.
ENT & Allergy Specialists offers a Home Sleep Apnea test that collects information about your breathing and sleep patterns while in the comfort and convenience of your own bed. The data collected will be analyzed by a board-certified sleep medicine specialist and if there are any issues a treatment plan will be discussed.
Treatment for snoring and related obstructive sleep apnea depends on the diagnosis. An examination will reveal if the snoring is caused by a nasal allergy, infection, soft tissue abnormality, enlarged tonsils, and adenoids, or other issues.
Adults who suffer from mild or occasional snoring may find relief from these remedies:
Surgery and some in-office procedures can relieve chronic snoring or sleep apnea by removing or shrinking obstructive tissue in the throat, palate, upper airway, base of the tongue, or nasal turbinates. Other procedures open the obstructed airway by pulling the tongue muscles forward.
If surgery is too risky or unwanted, your specialist may recommend sleeping with a continuous positive airway pressure device, commonly called a CPAP. The device delivers air pressure into the throat, keeping the airway open.
ENT and Allergy Specialists
Phone: 610-415-1100 • Fax: 610-415-1101
Bryn Mawr, PA Medical Practice
825 Old Lancaster Road, Suite 300, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
Pottstown, PA Medical Practice
5 South Sunnybrook Road, Suite 300, Pottstown, PA 19464
Phoenixville, PA Medical Practice
826 Main Street, Suite 201, Phoenixville, PA 19460
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