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Saturday, September 3, 2011

Stop Snoring - Or Get Out - It's Driving Me Nuts!

By Dean Moore


What is Snoring?

Snoring is created by a narrowing of your air passages, either from bad sleep posture or abnormalities of the soft tissues in your throat. Snoring can be mild, meaning that it stops when you wake up and turn over, or severe, when you suffer continuously, regardless of sleep position. It is known to induce sleep deprivation in both the snorer and those who hear him/her, as well as effects such as daytime drowsiness (which can be dangerous), irritability, lack of focus, diminished libido.

It's a condition that worsens with age and is normally harmless. Snoring is more commonly found in those who are overweight. Statistics are often contradictory, but at least 30 percent of adults and perhaps as many as fifty percent of people in some demographics snore.

What is Sleep Apnea



The word "apnea" means lack of breathing. Besides the 'noise', more complex problems such as sleep apnea can be consistent with the symptoms of snoring. Should your child or partner snore often, have your MD test for sleep apnea. While snoring is produced by narrow airways, sleep apnea is an actual breathing obstruction, which requires the sleeper to awake up to begin breathing again. Those with this condition wake up numerous times in a night to restart their breathing, but normally remember nothing at all about the awakenings.

Snoring is a common symptom of sleep apnea, however snoring by itself does not involve the cessation of breathing. About fifty percent of persons who snore loudly have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Not all people with these conditions are overweight. But weight gain will make existing snoring or apnea grow even worse. Stay away from alcohol, muscle relaxants, and certain medications. These substances are known to increase these sleep problems.

Treatment of Sleep Apnea

Almost all therapies revolve around clearing the blockage in the breathing airways. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a relatively new surgical treatment. This therapy applies radiofrequency energy and heat (from 77C to 85C) to the soft tissue at the back of the throat, such as the soft palate and uvula, creating scarring of the tissue beneath the skin. The technique takes less than an hour, is routinely carry out on an outpatient basis, and routinely requires several treatment sessions.

There is also a laser therapy that induces the same effect by creating stripes of scar tissue that lift the soft tissue at the back of the throat away from the tongue.

Talk to your physician or dentist to discuss the medical remedies available and to decide which might help you. The treatment you require depends on whether you have simple snoring or sleep apnea. Should you have sleep apnea, then your treatment will also depend on the severity of your condition. It requires close monitoring of your therapy.

To Recap:

Snoring is the vibration of respiratory structures and the resulting sound, caused by obstructed air movement during breathing while sleeping. It can be diminished by changing position on the bed. Sleeping on the side is a possible remedy. To avoid rolling back position a pillow or a "ball" on the back; raising the head is also another potential solution, useful both while lying on the back or for supporting the head while lying on the side.

Snoring is a problem that can affect both the physical and social intimacies of a relationship and can also be a symptom of sleep apnea, which can be potentially life-threatening. It not only effects you, but also anybody around you.

By learning the reasons and cures, you can increase your health, improve your relationships, and, of course, deepen your sleep. Habitual snoring has been found in about 26 percent of adult women and 42% of adult men. The majority of people don't know that simply by changing variables in your environment (like the climate inside your room), you could put up a good fight against your condition. Smoking tends to create nasal congestion, thus giving rise to the problem. The best solution to prevent it is to leave off smoking. Alcohol can also be held responsible for the condition. Decrease your alcohol intake and that could take care of your snoring problem also.

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