Snoring

[Batabatuta™]

I'm opening up this topic for discussion.........

 

1. What causes snoring?

2. How do we treat this?

[clipperjune]

What are the causes of snoring?

 

Sleep and relaxation go hand in hand. During deep sleep, the muscles in the body relax, and as the muscles in the throat relax, the airway partly closes. This is normal. Air comes into and out of the lungs through this airway. However, if the air flow in the throat and nose is obstructed, the air passage is narrowed, and snoring is the result. Snoring is the fluttering sound created by the vibrations of tissues against each other in the back of the throat and nose. These vibrating tissues are the soft palate, throat, uvula, tonsils, and adenoids. The soft palate is the soft part of the roof of the mouth.

 

Who is likely to snore? Some causes of or risk factors for snoring are:

 

* Heredity: You can inherit a narrow throat, which can cause snoring.

* Being overweight: Excess weight and fatty tissue in the neck cause the throat to become smaller.

* Being middle-aged or beyond: As people age, their throats become narrower, and the muscle tone in the throat decreases.

* Being male: Men have narrower air passages than do women and are more likely to snore.

* A history of smoking can cause snoring

* Lack of fitness: Poor muscle tone and lax muscles contribute to snoring.

* Nasal deformities, such as a deviated septum, cause obstructed breathing.

* Enlarged adenoids or tonsils cause obstruction and additional vibration during breathing.

* A long soft-palate or uvula dangles and can cause fluttery noises during relaxed breathing.

* Alcohol or medications (sleeping pills or antihistamines) increase relaxation of the throat and tongue muscles, which makes snoring more likely.

* Allergies, asthma, a cold, or sinus infections block nasal airways and make inhalation difficult. This creates a vacuum in the throat, and noisy breathing.

* Sleeping on one's back and on overly soft pillows: Moderate snorers tend to snore only when sleeping on their backs, so adjusting their sleeping position may alleviate snoring. Pillows increase the angle of the neck and can contribute to obstruction of the airway, which causes snoring.

 

How can I get diagnosed for snoring?

 

If you suspect that you snore, and you want to find out how to stop snoring, or you want to check for underlying health conditions, see an ear, nose, and throat doctor (ENT or otolaryngologist). The otolaryngologist will examine your throat, nose, mouth, palate, and neck. In addition, a physician may enroll you in a test at a sleep clinic, where someone can observe your sleep patterns and diagnose your snoring problem.

 

You will want to find out why you are snoring. Is it allergies or a cold or sinus infection? Is it behaviors before bedtime or during the day? Is it the position you sleep in? Your physician will ask you many questions about your snoring to be able to diagnose the reason for the snoring. The treatment for snoring depends upon the cause of your snoring.

What can I do for myself to prevent or cure snoring?

 

If you want to stop snoring, you may be able to help yourself with a few simple home cures. Snoring that isn't related to sleep apnea responds well to home remedies. Finding a solution to your snoring problem can result in an improved quality of life for you and your loved ones. Try some of the behavioral, mechanical, and medicinal tips below to prevent or alleviate your snoring.

 

* Lose weight. Many snorers are overweight. Losing weight will reduce the fatty tissue in your airway. Eating less and improving your fitness level can significantly improve your ability to breathe freely when you sleep.

* Sleep on your side. Snoring is exacerbated when you sleep flat on your back because the flesh of the throat relaxes and can block the airway. Sleeping on your side can help to alleviate this problem. Special pillows can prevent sleeping on your back. Or you can try the tennis ball trick: sleep with a tennis ball or another similar object in a pocket sewn into the back of your pajama top. (A sock serves as a handy pocket for the tennis ball.) The tennis ball is uncomfortable if you lie on your back, and you will respond by turning on your side during sleep. Changing your sleep position may stop snoring if you are a mild snorer, but severe snorers usually snore in any position.

* Sleep without a pillow. Pillows can block your airway by bending your neck.

* Elevate the head of your bed four inches. Elevation of the head of your bed may make breathing easier and encourage your tongue and jaw to move forward. Elevating the entire head of the bed is better than using a pillow, which can crimp the neck and contribute to snoring.

* Eliminate smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke. Smoking relaxes muscles and also creates nasal and lung congestion. Smoking thus contributes to snoring. Stopping smoking can help with the noise and intensity of your snoring. Exposure to secondhand smoke can cause the same snoring problems as smoking does.

* Avoid eating food or drinking alcohol before bed. These both relax your muscles and therefore increase the likelihood of snoring.

* Avoid high-fat dairy milk products or soy milk products before sleeping. Non-skim milk products and soy milk products, because of their thickness, can keep mucus from draining properly. The result is mucus retained in the throat, which can lead to snoring.

* Avoid antihistamines for allergies or stuffiness. They relax the throat muscles, which can cause snoring.

* Try nasal decongestants to clear your nose passages . Nasal decongestants can help people who can breathe through their noses while sleeping. Nose breathing circumvents the snoring sound from breathing through a blocked throat.

* Avoid sleeping pills or other sedatives. You may take sleeping pills or tranquilizers to help you sleep, but sedatives also relax your neck muscles, which contributes to snoring.

 

In addition to the above remedies to treat your snoring, several products have been developed to prevent snoring, such as nasal strips and sprays. Approach all such products with caution, as many have not been proven to significantly affect snoring. However, some of these remedies may prevent moderate snoring.

What are the medical treatments for snoring?

 

If your own efforts to stop snoring do not help, consult your physician or an otolaryngologist (ENT, or ear, nose, and throat doctor) If you choose to try a dental appliance for your snoring, you will need to see a dentist specializing in these devices. Some medical solutions to snoring are:

 

* Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP): Continuous Positive Airway Pressure consists of sleeping with an air mask to maintain continuous air pressure in the throat. CPAP is a treatment for sleep apnea, as well as for snoring. For details on Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, see the Helpguide article on Sleep Apnea: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment.

* Dental appliances, oral devices, and lower jaw positioners: A wide range of dental appliances, oral devices, and lower jaw adjusters are available to alleviate snoring. Some people experience significant improvement with these oral appliances, which bring the lower jaw forward during sleep. Most of the products fit inside the mouth, but some products on the market are worn around the head and chin to adjust the position of the lower jaw. (See the Helpguide article on Sleep Apnea: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment for more information on dental devices.)

* Surgery

o Thermal Ablation Palatoplasty (TAP) treats snoring and various types of Obstructive Sleep Apnea. The types of TAP include:

+ Bipolar cautery

+ Laser-Assisted Uvula Palatoplasty (LAUP) vaporizes the uvula and a portion of the palate with a laser in the doctor's office under local anesthesia. LAUP effectively removes obstructions to the airway, which may be causing snoring or sleep apnea. Laser-Assisted Uvula Palatoplasty has a higher success rate than UPPP, but it requires a surgeon with expertise in laser procedures.

+ Radiofrequency ablation, or somnoplasty, shrinks excess tissue in the upper airway with a needle electrode. For snoring, the soft palate and uvula are reduced. For Obstructive Sleep Apnea, the base of the tongue is reduced. For chronic nasal obstruction, nasal turbinates are reduced. Somnoplasty does not require general anesthesia.

o Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy may help children with serious snoring problems. These procedures remove the tonsils and adenoids.

 

See your doctor or dentist to discuss the medical treatments available and to decide which might help you.

[spitzky]

good thing i only snore when im really really tired... even then, only rarely....

[addila]

malakas ako mag hilik... grabe...

 

[Google]

ako depende sa kundisyon. pag pagod na pagod, grabe.... tapos depende pa yun sa position ng pagkakahiga. pag lying on the back while sleeping, maski ako nagigising sa tindi ng hilik ko. pero if i am sleeping on my side, wala.

[CommSys]

depends..pg lasin ako, malakas tlg..when grabe n tlg nglolose me weight n chek ko wt i eat..nasa kondidsyon din ng higa ko sa kama..my gf master paano me ihiga ng maayos wen im snoring..

[spitzky]

cno ba dito napahiya sa chicks dahil sa snoring??? any funny snoring anecdotes???

[maven]

snoring when i'm so tired.

[Debonaire]

I snore like a friggin' bastard!!!

Anyways... anyone know where I can buy those nasal strips??

[black cat]

What causes snoring? - Normally, you snore:

 

1. when you're dead tired

2. when you have colds

3. if you're fat

 

Avoid those three para di ka mag-snore.

[spitzky]

What causes snoring? - Normally, you snore:

 

1. when you're dead tired

2. when you have colds

3. if you're fat

 

Avoid those three para di ka mag-snore.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

also, wen ur drunk!

[dreddfool]

ang girlfriend ko tulog mantika, ako malakas maghilik. perfect much?!

[SnobbySnak]

Snoring is caused when your tongue slides back and blocks your air passage. That's why most people don't snore if they sleep on their stomach...

 

Either get a CPAP machine or get UPPP operation...

[Yoko Boy]

Ang asawa ko naman gusto na naghilik ako.

Ibig sabihin daw nun nasa tabi niya ako at wala sa tabi ng ibang babae :hypocritesmiley:

[imijin]

hahaha okey yun ah...

 

panu ba gagawin pag lagi nag snore?