Snoring while sleeping is not sound sleep, It is trouble sleep. Snoring is low-pitched sound caused by vibration of soft tissues inside throat during sleep.
Sleep apnea is characterized by cessation airflow due to blockage of the airway by soft tissue collapse inside the throat, It would be soft palate, back of tongue, epiglottis, and combination of their structures. During these periods of obstruction, the oxygen level in blood can drop to dangerously low level. Sleep apnea is also one of the cause for future development of high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke.
Symptoms
Indications for Surgery
Treatment Options
F.A.Q.
Snoring is low pitched sound caused by vibration of soft tissue inside throat when air enters from nose into lungs. Nearly everyone snores now and then, but for few people it can be chronic problem. Sometimes it may also indicate a serious health condition.
Usually when person snores during sleep, his lungs won’t be ventilated properly due to inadequate air entry. Inadequate air entry which in turn causes diminished oxygen supply and dropping of oxygen levels to important body parts like brain, heart, muscles and various cells.
Long term snoring usually associated with sleep disorder called obstructive sleep apnea. Not all snores have obstructive sleep apnea(OSA), but almost everyone who has OSA will have snoring. Untreated OSA increases the risk of getting heart attack, brain stoke, motor vehicle accidents, cancers, acidity issues, diabetes etc.
Polysomnography or Sleep study is gold standard for diagnosis of OSA. Sleep study can be done in patient’s home or at hospital. During sleep study, person’s breathing, body movements and heart rate, oxygen saturation levels in blood, electrical activity from brain are monitored through sensors which are placed on body. Sleep technician will place sensors on person’s body to monitor sleep or it can be placed by yourself by proper understanding. This is non invasive test. Test results are expressed in terms of scoring method called Apnea-Hypopnea index. High score more than AHI-30 indicated severe OSA.
Yes, sometimes not. Simple snoring, like just only loud sound may not need any treatment unless it is so disturbing to your partner. But snoring if associated with OSA needs definitive treatment.
Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty was once most widely performed surgery initially, but due its high failure rate newer surgical technique are developed now, like zeta palatoplasy, tongue base volumetric reduction with Coblation etc. These new surgical options employs advanced dissection methods like lasers and plasma. Better understanding of pathophysiological mechanisms of snoring/OSA improvised surgical success.