Snoring is to breathe during sleep with harsh sounds caused by partial or total obstruction of the airway. Breathing may cause the back of the tongue, the uvula and the soft palate to move together and vibrate loudly when there is an obstruction in the airway.
WHAT IS SLEEP APNEA?
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder characterized by pauses in breathing during sleep caused by a movement where the back of the tongue, the uvula and the soft palate are striking each other during breathing. There may be a choking/snorting sound as breathing resumes. During brief pauses in breathing, the patient stops breathing and then starts again. When a person stops breathing for more than 10 seconds during sleep, however, in some cases, it can be life-threatening.
People with untreated sleep apnea and lower blood pressure are more likely to develop cardiovascular diseases; because, their hearts make more and more effort to pump blood.
Symptoms;
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- Fatigue
- Lack of energy and focus
- Attention problems
Causes;
- Smoking and excessive alcohol use
- Excess weight
- Stress
- Antidepressant use
- Use of neuromuscular blockers
- Family history of sleep apnea
METHODS OF TREATING SLEEP APNEA INCLUDE
- A surgical procedure called uvulopalatoplasty performed by an ENT specialist with the aim of reducing or eliminating snoring.
- A CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine sending constant flow of airway pressure to the throat through a CPAP mask which is placed over the nose and/or mouth to ensure that the airway stays open during sleep,
- Anti-snoring devices.
A CLOSER LOOK TO ANTI-SNORING DEVICES
These devices can be custom-made to easily fit in patients’ mouths. They re-position the lower jaw and keep the airway open in order to eliminate the snoring.