Snoring
Snoring is a common disorder, mostly affecting middle-aged men. Apart from causing marital and relationship problems, snoring may cause other effects such as daytime drowsiness, irritability and lack of focus, leading to social impairment.1 Snoring may also be a symptom of OSA (as discussed earlier).
Causes
In both snoring and OSA, the airway collapse during sleep is suggested to be a consequence of reduced pharyngeal muscle tone and unfavorable pharyngeal anatomy. Snoring occurs as a result of the vibration of respiratory structures (uvula and soft palate) and the sound produced is due to obstructed air movement during breathing while sleeping.
A number of factors contribute to snoring, including the following:
- Pharyngeal anatomy such as having thick soft palate, elongated uvula or enlarged tonsils, causing airway obstruction.
- Alcohol consumption before bedtime.
- Nasal problems such as chronic nasal congestion deviated nasal septum.
- Obesity
Treatment
The aim of treatment is to prevent the collapse of the pharyngeal tissues. The choice of treatment modality depends on the individual needs and symptoms of the patient. Weight loss, change in sleep posture and avoidance of alcohol are the conservative treatment approaches. When the above methods fail, intraoral appliances, which hold the mandible in protrusion during sleep are preferable. Nocturnal application of CPAP is highly effective therapy for snoring associated with OSA.
According to the patients’ subjective assessment and requirement, surgical approach in the form of conventional or laser-assisted uvulopalatopharyngoplasty has a high cure rate for snoring.
Written by: Healthplus24 team
Date: Jan28th,09
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