Snoring is an involuntary act of producing sound while sleeping, which can even disturb the domestic harmony. Snoring is a common phenomenon that is experienced by more than 50 % of adult and in addition to the serious disturbance for the bed mate, snoring can also cause serious medical complications such as sleep apnea, which result obstruction to breathing while sleeping. Sleep apnea enhances the risk of life threatening disorders such as hypertension, stroke and cardiac arrest in adults, whereas in children, it may lead to attention deficit disorder. Snoring is actually the sound resulted by the vibration of the soft palate and uvula, while the breathing through mouth. Depending on the specialties of the mouth anatomy, the flapping sound may differ, and as a result snoring sound ranges from feeble soft sounds to deep unpleasant roaring sound. Mouth breathing, instead of nasal breathing, due to any nasal obstruction, is the primary reason for snoring. The blockages in mouth such as thick palate, throat tissue, tongue falling to mouth, mis-positioned jaw, and allergies can result snoring. The lifestyle disorders such as alcohol addition and obesity also increases the chances for snoring. The structural significances such as deformities, long palate and uvula, large tonsils and adenoids, enhance the sound of snoring. Snoring can be considerably decreased by practicing certain self help treatments. Primarily, try to sleep on your side rather than on your back, since sleeping on your back induces mouth breathing. Use a pillow to raise the head and keep a pillow on your side, to remain the sleeping position on side. Avoid alcohol and other sleep disturbing addictions to impart a good sleep. Practice ideal sleep hygiene habits for a comfortable sleep. It is very interesting that around 300 different snoring controlling devices are patented although most of the oral and mandible devices are focused to induce nasal breathing and to thereby control snoring. In cases of serious snoring problem, the consultation of a physician must not be delayed, as it leads to life threatening issues. The otolaryngologist will undertake a detailed check up of all the participating organs in the process such as nose, mouth, throat, palate, neck and ear, to find out the exact underling cause for snoring. The treatment will be finalized according to the reason found in the diagnosis. Surgery is recommended in case of structural deformities and obstructions in air passages. The new treatment strategies to control snoring include Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, Genioglossus Tongue Advancement Surgery, Thermal Ablation Palatoplasty and its latest advancements such as Laser Assisted Uvula Palatoplasty. Continuous positive airway pressure is another effective method, which is a mask that regulates the free passage of air, without snoring. Snoring, a social and medical nuisance, can be reduced by adopting ideal sleeping practices and if necessary, through medical assistance. |
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