Snoring and Sleep Apnea

Snoring may seem to be one of the more harmless problems to have, but sometimes it's harmful to both you and those around you. Any time a person's rest is disrupted (like when they are sleeping with someone who snores) their entire life can be disrupted, simply from lack of sleep.

Why do people snore?

When you breathe, air flows through your throat and past the soft palate, uvula, tonsils and tongue. When you are awake, the muscles in the throat maintain a clear, open passageway around these structures. When you sleep, the muscles in the throat relax, but there is still a clear enough passage for you to breath.

Sometimes, though, those muscles relax too much when you sleep, or the tissues and structures in the throat may be too big. When this happens the passageway may become partially blocked, making the tissues in the throat — the soft palate, the tonsils, etc. — flutter and flap against each other. This creates the loud noises snorers make that can wake up the entire house.

Sleep Apnea

If the passageway becomes completely blocked then breathing stops. This is called "sleep apnea." This can happen over and over during the night as the air passageway becomes blocked and the brain tells the body to wake up and open the air passage. The snorer won't wake up enough to realize what's happened, but the next day they will be exhausted from a lack of sleep. Sleep apnea is a serious problem not only because of the exhaustion factor, but because it places a strain on the lungs, heart, and other organs and can lead to high blood pressure, heart attack, or stroke.

Other problems/symptoms associated with sleep apnea include:

• Falling asleep at work, while driving -- or anytime
• Waking up with a headache
• Irritability
• Problems with memory and concentration

Treatments for snoring

Treating snoring can improve your health as well as your relationships! Some things you can try include:

• Losing weight (if you are overweight)
• Exercising regularly (this tones your muscles and makes your lungs work better)
• Avoiding alcohol before bedtime
• Avoid sleeping pills and antihistamines at bedtime
• Sleeping on your side (Sew a pocket onto the back of your pajamas and put a tennis ball or two into it to make sure you stay off of your back!)

If none of these help, Dr. Alexander will evaluate you and determine a treatment plan. A treatment that Dr. Alexander offers that can eliminate snoring is a surgical procedure, known as Radiofrequency-Assisted Uvula Palatoplasty (RAUP). This simple procedure is done in the office and stops snoring in 85% of patients, with another 12% reporting a significantly reduced level of snoring. Find out more about RAUP...

Treatments for Sleep Apnea

A larger procedure, requiring hospitalization, is necessary if sleep apnea is diagnosed. A Uvulopharyngopalatoplasty (UPPP), utilizing a laser for removal of the uvula and a portion of the soft palate, may be recommended.

If you don't want surgery then Dr. Alexander can offer another treatment that consists a simple air pressure device you can wear when you sleep. This device, known as a "continuous positive air pressure" (CPAP) device, consists of a small air blower connected to soft flexible mask. Air flows through your nose and down your throat. The air pressure helps keep the airway open.

Article: New Advances in Sinus Surgery & Snoring