Loud Snoring
Practically everyone who is in a relationship with
someone is familiar with snoring and its effects. The majority of
people know at least one person who snores. It might be the person
you share your bed with, you parents or your distant family.
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Many people tend to poke fun at the snorer
but fail to realize that it might be a symptom of the very
serious disorder, known as obstructive sleep apnea. It is
very important that the snorer if his problem is very bad is
evaluated by a sleep specialist to determine the severity of
their condition and recommend treatments and lifestyle
changes.
Snoring is a noise that is produced when a
person is breathing during their sleep. It is usually
produced when the person breathes in and causes a vibration
in the soft palate and uvula, which is the skin that hangs
down in the back of the throat. The term ‘Apnoea’ means the
absence of breathing and if it continues long enough can
result in death.
All those people who snore have an incomplete
obstruction in their upper airway. Habitual snorers
experience episodes of complete upper airway obstruction
where the airway is completely blocked for periods of time,
often ten seconds and longer. |
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This usually involves a silence which is followed
by snorts and gasps as the snorer is fighting to regain their
breath. When a snorer is snoring so loud that the noise is
disrupting others, obstructive sleep apnea is almost certainly
present and should be treated.
There are two main types of snoring. The type mentioned
above which is an indication of obstructive sleep apnea and another
which is known as ‘primary snoring.
Primary snoring is a term to describe simple snoring which does not
involve sleep apnea, noisy breathing during sleep, rhythmical snoring,
benign snoring and continuous snoring that often involves loud upper
airway breathing.
Primary snoring differs from obstructive sleep apnea type snoring by:
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No evidence of insomnia or excessive
sleepiness due to the snoring
Complaints regarding snoring by family members or others.
Dryness in the mouth when awakening
It is essential that a doctor or sleep
specialist rules out obstructive sleep apnea and other
disorders before attempting to treat primary snoring. Your
own behavior and lifestyle may have to be considered and
changes may have to take place. Perhaps you may need to lose
some weight or sleep on your side. You may also have to
refrain from consuming alcohol and sedatives.
There are oral devices available that can help to keep the
airway open. They can reduce snoring by bringing the jaw
forwards, elevating the soft palate or stop the tongue from
falling back into the airway. All these methods will or
should result in decreased snoring. |
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Surgery is also an option. This is known as
Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) or Laser assisted
Uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP) which involves the removal of excess
tissue from the throat area. A new surgery known as
somnoplasty is now available and uses radio frequency waves to
remove any excess tissue.
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