Snoring - Diagnosis and Treatment
Snoring is the noise produced during sleep while a person is breathing through the mouth.
The noise is caused by the air passing through relaxed tissues in the pharynx.
The majority of people snore to some extent periodically during there sleep.
The phenomenon of snoring is of no particular significance clinically speaking unless the person is found to be doing it or sustained periods of time or chronically.
In such a situation certain studies have found it to be related to an increased risk of developing some sort of ischemic heart disease.
It should also be further investigated or should be of concern when the snoring is so loud that it causes discomfort to the people sharing the sleeping quarters.
There have been examples when a man was found to be snoring at the rate of 88 decibels that is almost equivalent to the sound produced by a loud motor bike.
Snoring when chronic can be quite a debilitating disorder affecting the sufferer's professional as well social life to some extent.
Snoring causes sleep apnea which means decreased oxygen saturation, sleep deprivation to the sufferer as well as people sharing the bedroom.
All this generally leads to day time fatigability along with drowsiness, significant lethargy, sexual dysfunction and a loss of libido.
The diagnosis of snoring is pretty much straight forward it is usually discovered by a friend or a partner at night.
Hereafter a patient can be further investigated at a sleep clinic where the exact pattern and severity of the sleep apnea can be gauged.
In some situations snoring was found to be so severe those certain cosmetic surgeries such as uvulopalatopharyngoplasty was required to correct the relaxed tissues of the pharynx.
The majority of treatments for snoring generally revolve around some sort of life style modifications.
The most important of which is losing weight.
Obesity was found to be the primary precipitating cause of snoring in a recent study.
If a person is a smoker the cessation of smoking was also found to be very beneficial as it generally weakens and locks the throat.
A concerted effort should be made by the smoker to always sleep on the other side so that his tongue does not block off the respirator pathway.
More recently some new age ergonomically designed pillows have been introduced which radically alter the person sleeping position and as direct result stop him from snoring.
These are V shaped pillows.
Anti snore sprays also exist and are available as an over the counter remedy but a patient should always consult with a doctor before using them.
Surgery, nasal strips, and certain dental appliances such as the mandibular advancement splints have also been effective in rectifying the problem of snoring.
Some of the new state of the art technologies are the positive airway machines.
Coping as a partner of a snorer is also quite a challenge for them ear plugs or ear muff are the recommended remedy, certain devices such as the white noise generators can also prove quite efficient for a sound and hassle free sleep.
The noise is caused by the air passing through relaxed tissues in the pharynx.
The majority of people snore to some extent periodically during there sleep.
The phenomenon of snoring is of no particular significance clinically speaking unless the person is found to be doing it or sustained periods of time or chronically.
In such a situation certain studies have found it to be related to an increased risk of developing some sort of ischemic heart disease.
It should also be further investigated or should be of concern when the snoring is so loud that it causes discomfort to the people sharing the sleeping quarters.
There have been examples when a man was found to be snoring at the rate of 88 decibels that is almost equivalent to the sound produced by a loud motor bike.
Snoring when chronic can be quite a debilitating disorder affecting the sufferer's professional as well social life to some extent.
Snoring causes sleep apnea which means decreased oxygen saturation, sleep deprivation to the sufferer as well as people sharing the bedroom.
All this generally leads to day time fatigability along with drowsiness, significant lethargy, sexual dysfunction and a loss of libido.
The diagnosis of snoring is pretty much straight forward it is usually discovered by a friend or a partner at night.
Hereafter a patient can be further investigated at a sleep clinic where the exact pattern and severity of the sleep apnea can be gauged.
In some situations snoring was found to be so severe those certain cosmetic surgeries such as uvulopalatopharyngoplasty was required to correct the relaxed tissues of the pharynx.
The majority of treatments for snoring generally revolve around some sort of life style modifications.
The most important of which is losing weight.
Obesity was found to be the primary precipitating cause of snoring in a recent study.
If a person is a smoker the cessation of smoking was also found to be very beneficial as it generally weakens and locks the throat.
A concerted effort should be made by the smoker to always sleep on the other side so that his tongue does not block off the respirator pathway.
More recently some new age ergonomically designed pillows have been introduced which radically alter the person sleeping position and as direct result stop him from snoring.
These are V shaped pillows.
Anti snore sprays also exist and are available as an over the counter remedy but a patient should always consult with a doctor before using them.
Surgery, nasal strips, and certain dental appliances such as the mandibular advancement splints have also been effective in rectifying the problem of snoring.
Some of the new state of the art technologies are the positive airway machines.
Coping as a partner of a snorer is also quite a challenge for them ear plugs or ear muff are the recommended remedy, certain devices such as the white noise generators can also prove quite efficient for a sound and hassle free sleep.
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