Snoring

 Snoring is a common embarrassing problem that may be caused by nothing more than how you sleep, or it may be an indicator of a bigger problem.

Why do you snore?

Snoring is caused by a narrowing of your airway. This is either from how you sleep and poor sleep posture, or from abnormalities of the soft tissues in your throat. Basically, if your airway narrows, there will soft tissue in the way and it affects your ability to breathe, so the sound of snoring is created. The older you get the higher likelihood of snoring you have because of decreased muscle tone in the airways.

Who snores?

Basically anyone can snore, children, teens, and adults, but it is more likely that you will snore as you age. And, it is more likely you will snore if you are male. Statistics have shown that among 30-35 year-olds, about 20% of men and 5% of women snore regularly. However, as you age, the likelihood goes up, stats show that by the age of 60, about 60% of men and 40% of women snore regularly.

What causes snoring?

As discussed previously snoring is caused by blocked airways. Many times people who snore often have too much throat and nasal tissue, or "floppy" tissue that is more prone to vibrate when breaths are taken, which causes the snore sound. Of course sometimes it is a matter of how you sleep, not some abnormality in your throat and nasal tissue. For example, the position of the tongue can also get in the way of smooth breathing and cause you to snore.  Sometimes you can tell what is causing your snoring by how you snore. Obviously you can't evaluate how you snore by yourself, you have to have some help. However, evaluating how and when you snore will help you pinpoint whether the cause of your snoring is within your control or not. Some snoring can be taken care of with simple changes to how you sleep, other snoring takes more invasive measures.

When you evaluate snoring, look at the following things:

If you snore...

• With your mouth closed: your snoring is probably caused by a problem with the tongue position in your mouth.
   
  
• With your mouth open: your snoring is likely related to the tissues in your throat.
   
  
• Only when you sleep on your back: your snoring is probably mild, and thus simply improving your sleep habits and lifestyle changes may be effective cures.
   
  
• In all sleep positions: your snoring is probably caused by a more serious or severe problem, and probably cannot be solved very easily.
  

 Is snoring dangerous?

Most people think that snoring is only an issue if you have someone who sleeps in the same room as you. The fact is, most of the time, the person who snores does not care that much, it is the people who are getting very little sleep because of the snorer, unfortunately snoring can be more dangerous than that.

The most typical health problem of snoring is the simple lack of sleep. Snoring can cause lack of sleep for the person who snores and the other person who is going to sleep in the same room. Usually the person who snores loses sleep because they toss and turn at night and have to change positions frequently to get enough air. The sleep partner does not sleep because of the tossing and turning next to them, and the noise they are making. This leads to sleep deprivation, and sleep deprivation usually means the following: excessive sleepiness, irritability, and lack of productivity during the day, as well as negative health repercussions. So, while not as dangerous as other problems, it still can be dangerous.

Chronic snoring in people who are middle-aged and overweight, may indicate a more serious underlying medical problem. So, it is important to realize snoring is not always just an annoying noise. Snoring can also be a symptom.

Sleep apnea is a potentially life-threatening condition, of which snoring is the most common symptom. What is sleep apnea? Well, while snoring is caused by narrow airways, often caused by how you sleep, sleep apnea is a true breathing obstruction. It usually requires the sleeper to awaken to begin breathing again. Often times, a person with sleep apnea wakes up many times a night to regain breathing. However, this person remembers nothing at all about the awakenings, but does suffer the consequences of poor sleep. While snoring does not cause the cessation of breathing, it is a great indicator of sleep apnea.

So what can you do to stop snoring?

Why you snore will make a difference in how you stop snoring. Snoring can often seem like a problem without a solution, and in some cases there is no solution besides medical solutions. When snoring is getting in the way of a good night's sleep for you and your partner, it is time to take some action. Identifying the cause can help you choose the right cure, whether it be something simple, or something more complex. If you are having trouble identifying the cause of your snoring, consider trying some of the easy non-invasive treatments first to see if they will reduce or prevent your snoring, then if that does not work, consider seeking medical help.

The following are a few of the simple things you can do to help yourself stop snoring:

• Sleep on your side
  
• Elevate the head of your bed
  
• Limit alcohol and medications
  
• Clear your nasal passages
  
• Lose weight

 Of course the above cures for snoring only work if they are related to why you snore. If you find that you keep snoring after you make those simple changes, you may need to talk to a medical professional. A doctor can better help you determine the causes of your snoring as well as treatment options. If you can uncover the cause of your snoring, you should be able to find a cure that is right for you.

In some cases using your throat and nasal muscles more can help you to overcome snoring. Some otolaryngologist will recommend you do some singing or playing of musical instruments. Singing can increase muscle control in the throat and soft palate, reducing snoring caused by lax muscles. Improving your throat muscles can reduce episodes of sleep apnea. Learning to play an instrument can strengthen the soft palate and throat, reducing snoring, and some of the problems caused by snoring.

Many times if you snore, you need to see a doctor or an otolaryngologist (ear, nose and throat doctor) in some cases you may want to use dental appliances to help you reduce your snoring, however, do to this, you will need to see a dentist specializing in these devices.

The following are a few of the medical treatment options that you can use for overcoming snoring:

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)

This is a treatment that helps to keep your airway open during sleep. It is a machine that you place at your bedside and that blows pressurized air into a mask that you wear over your nose or face so that you do not stop breathing when sleeping.

Dental appliances, oral devices, and lower jaw positioners

Dental devices usually look a lot like mouth guards, and are used to help open your airways by bringing your lower jaw or your tongue forward during sleep. This is one of the least invasive forms of treatment to help you stop snoring. Some of these devices will go inside your mouth, and will be fitted by your dentist, others are going to fit around your head and chin to better position the lower jaw. You can't get these from just any dentist, you need to find out that specializes in sleep disorders, and they can evaluate your problem and custom fit a device to help you.

Surgery

Surgery is an option to help you stop snoring. Some surgeries are used to increase the size of your airways to reduce snoring. Usually this is done by surgically removing tissues that are getting in the way, or by correcting abnormalities. Some surgeries use scalpels, others use lasers. Some of the surgeries are: Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP), Thermal Ablation Palatoplasty (TAP), tonsillectomy, and adenoidectomy.

A surgeon may remove tonsils, adenoids, or excess tissue at the back of the throat or inside the nose, or reconstruct the jaw to help you stop snoring. Your doctor will evaluate what you need to do and the surgeon will perform the procedure to help you stop snoring. Usually this is a several visit process, where you will do a sleep study so they can evaluate your snoring severity, and cause so they can determine the best thing to do to stop it. Most insurance plans do not cover snoring surgery unless it is a medical risk.