January 15, 2024

Snoring - cause and treatment

What is snoring?

Snoring is a symptom of a breathing disorder while sleeping. Occasional snoring is common, but if it is continuous, loud, and regular, it should be examined and treated. Snoring is a sign of upper airway resistance and an increased tendency for the throat to collapse. Most often it occurs during inhalation. Snoring is a noisy breathing while sleeping, the noise being caused by the fact that the inhaled air cannot move freely through the upper respiratory tract. The air encounters resistance that causes vibrations of the soft tissues in the nose and throat. Men are more affected, especially if they are overweight, and the condition worsens with age. Snoring leads to sleep disorders, as a result of which you wake up tired the next day and your own functionality is impaired all day long.

What causes snoring?

Snoring occurs when the inhaled airflow encounters resistance. Resistance can occur at any point in the upper respiratory tract, from the mouth, nose, tongue to the throat. Normally, the muscles in the throat relax during sleep and the tongue falls back, making the throat tighter and slack. Because of this narrowing and slackening, the soft tissue becomes more susceptible to vibrations when breathing in and out. However, there are various other factors that increase the risk of snoring.

Sleeping position

It is believed that sleeping on your back promotes snoring. Because in this position the tongue falls back and narrows the throat. When the inhaled air flows over the tongue and through the throat, it makes noise (snoring).

Smoking, alcohol and medication

Medications such as tranquilizers (lorazepam, diazepam), antihistamines, painkillers, alcohol and smoking promote snoring. All these factors lead to excessive muscle relaxation, which results in snoring. In addition, smoking causes both irritation and inflammation in the throat, resulting in congestion and constriction. One of the most common causes of snoring is excessive weight gain. This can lead to accumulated fatty tissue surrounding the airways, particularly the throat or pharynx, and consequently to low muscle tone. This can narrow the airways and promote snoring behavior.

Age

The normal aging process makes the muscles limp. During sleep, the throat narrows with increasing relaxation, which causes snoring.

Dealing with snoring

In general, people who snore are not aware of this and are informed about their snoring behavior by their bed partners. In rare cases, some people wake up at night because they cannot breathe. Targeted lifestyle changes, throat exercises, and various devices can help reduce snoring. However, before deciding on a treatment option, one must first look for the origin of snoring. For example, if you snore because you're overweight, you have to lose weight to get a grip on snoring. Some important aspects of snoring treatment are discussed below.

Treat Snoring For Better Rest

Treatment of snoring for better recovery

If snoring only occurs occasionally, it does not have a major impact on sleep. However, if you snore every night, it should be investigated. It is particularly important to differentiate it from sleep apnea, which is a serious condition with snoring as one of its symptoms. In sleep apnea, breathing is disturbed due to a blockage in the airways. It is a serious condition in that breathing stops completely and then starts again. Snoring - regardless of its origin - is not only bad for the snorer himself, but also for his bed partner. This is because it can lead to sleep disturbances throughout the night, even if the person is not aware of snoring. The consequences are restless and fragmented sleep, which disrupts the natural sleep cycle in its various stages. This reduces the quality of sleep and leads to consequences such as daytime tiredness, exhaustion, memory problems and difficulty concentrating. This can also affect the bed partner, who sometimes suffers from more sleep deprivation than the person who snores. In some cases, untreated, severe and prolonged cases can even have a negative impact on relationships. Depending on the cause, snoring should be treated in the right way. There are various strategies to deal with this problem. If the snoring is not caused by a known medical condition, lifestyle and sleep style changes can help. For example, sleeping sideways, pillows that elevate the head and neck, devices to reposition the lower jaw or weight loss can open the airway and help to effectively manage snoring.

Weight loss can help stop snoring

Obesity is the main cause of snoring. If obesity is the cause of your snoring, it can be alleviated by losing the extra kilos. Obesity is defined as a body mass index (BMI) of more than 30kg/m2. This not only increases the tendency to snore, but also poses many other health risks, some of which can be life-threatening. Obesity is also estimated to increase the risk of sleep apnea. 70% of people who suffer from sleep apnea are obese and 40% of obese people have sleep apnea. 95% of sleep apnea patients suffer from symptomatic snoring. There are many factors that cause the weight on the scales to shoot up, such as prolonged sitting, excessive consumption of junk food and, to a certain extent, genetic predisposition. The accumulation of fat around the neck leads to a narrowing of the airways and thus to snoring. The abdominal fat pushes the diaphragm upwards and the fat on the chest compresses it, reducing lung capacity. As a result, both the airflow is restricted and the upper airways are indirectly compressed, which promotes sleep apnea or snoring. If snoring caused by obesity is not treated in time, it can lead to further weight gain. Snoring causes obesity, and obesity causes snoring. It's a vicious circle. Snorers are deprived of sleep, which makes them exhausted or tired. This can cause them to consume more calories to fuel themselves to make it through the day and to exercise significantly less. This overeating and lack of exercise causes them to gain weight. In order to control snoring, it is therefore essential to maintain a healthy weight. There are many ways to lose weight, but ultimately all methods focus on taking in fewer calories and burning more calories. A healthy diet and regular exercise can help you lose weight and eventually get rid of snoring.

Quitting smoking can help stop snoring

Smoking can increase the risk of snoring. Various studies have shown that smoking affects the airways and is a common cause of many respiratory diseases. For passive smokers too, smoking poses an increased risk of snoring. According to the study mentioned, 20% are passive smokers. The frequency of smoking is directly related to the intensity of snoring. The substances in cigarette smoke cause irritation and inflammation of the nasal and throat mucous membranes. This inflammation, in turn, creates congestion, which leads to narrowing, so the air that flows through these narrow passages causes snoring. According to recommendations, you should stop smoking at least 4 hours before going to bed. This leaves enough time to compensate for the effects of the smoke irritants so that you can sleep undisturbed. Another study says that smoking causes the risk of snoring from nightly nicotine withdrawal. For this reason, smokers suffer from sleep instability, which increases the likelihood of snoring. Quitting smoking can significantly reduce snoring, because without cigarette smoke the narrowing of the airways will go to zero.

Alcohol and snoring

The consumption of alcohol also leads to snoring more often. But how? Alcohol is a sedative and has a calming effect. When you drink alcohol, the muscles in your body, including the muscles in your throat, relax. The relaxed muscles vibrate when breathing and cause snoring. So if you consume alcohol in large quantities, this leads to excessive muscle relaxation, so that you snore all night long. Therefore, it is recommended to avoid alcohol if you want to get rid of snoring. If you can't completely do without it, you should at least consume smaller amounts. You should also combine consumption with meals to increase alcohol absorption and reduce muscle effects. It is also important that you stop drinking alcohol at least 3 hours before going to bed.

Treatment for snoring

Snoring can be treated in many ways, but it is advisable to research and tackle the cause first. Losing weight, quitting smoking, limiting alcohol consumption, changing your sleeping position - these are all options that should be tried beforehand. In addition to these methods, nasal dilators and protrusion splints from Noson are effective in treating snoring. After all measures have been tried, the last resort is surgery. These treatment options are listed below.

Nasal dilators

Nasal dilators are often used by people who snore, as they can significantly alleviate snoring. Due to the way they work, they open the nasal passages for better airflow. The nasal passages can narrow for many reasons, such as deviated septum, infections or allergies. In these cases, the person may switch to mouth breathing, which is another cause of snoring. Nasal dilators spread the nostrils and thus prevent the nasal valves from falling into each other. This allows air to flow more efficiently through the nose, which increases the oxygen content in the blood.

Advantages of nasal dilators

Noson nasal dilators have the following advantages over other nasal blockage methods:

● Safe use for everyone because it is drug-free.

● Immediate relief.

● Nasal dilators are not invasive.

● Effectiveness is not reduced even with continuous use.

● No undesirable side effects.

Protrusion splints

Mandibular protrusion splints are custom-made devices that are worn in the mouth to treat sleep breathing disorders, including snoring. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine prescribes that doctors should prescribe these splints to adults who want to get their snoring under control and cannot tolerate CPAP therapy. The protrusion splints treat snoring by pushing the lower jaw forward, tightening the muscles and soft tissues of the upper respiratory tract. This narrowing can prevent airway obstruction or narrowing during sleep. It also reduces the likelihood of vibration of the soft tissue in the throat, thus preventing snoring. This treatment has positive results in patients with mild to moderate sleep apnea and in those who snore. Protrusion splints are used in patients who require an alternative treatment option for CPAP ventilation.

Advantages of protrusion splints

The benefits of Noson's protrusion splints are as follows:
They are not invasive.
The splints fit the majority of non-compliant patients.
Easy to use.
Handy and compact, can be taken anywhere

Operative interventions

Surgery is used in snoring treatments when there is an anatomical abnormality that cannot be treated otherwise. Depending on the location of the anomaly, various surgical options are available:

Somnoplasty:

These are
m a minimally invasive procedure used to reduce the soft tissue in the upper airways.

Adenoidectomy:

If the snoring is based on polyps, surgical removal of the polyps is recommended.

Tonsillectomy:

Larger almonds can also cause snoring. Your surgical removal can reduce the risk of snoring.

Palate surgery:

This can be done in two ways to reduce the excess soft tissue of the palate. Either implants are inserted into the soft palate or the excess soft tissue is removed by radio frequency waves (fibrosis). In both operations, the soft palate is stiffened, which minimizes vibrations during the air flow.

Nose surgery:

Depending on the cause, surgery is performed on the nasal passages. This includes a septoplasty, a reduction of the turbinate or functional endoscopic sinus surgery. Many people around the world suffer from snoring, as it is a widespread phenomenon. This article discusses all the possible causes of snoring and how to deal with it. When you finally get rid of snoring, your quality of life improves and you can sleep better. Restful sleep at night is essential for getting through the day and being able to concentrate on yourself and your work. A healthy diet and regular exercise as well as avoiding smoking and alcohol are the first steps in treating snoring. Medical devices are then used, including nasal dilators and protrusion splints. By combining lifestyle and dietary changes with a medical device, snoring can be treated more effectively. Anatomical conditions can sometimes be corrected in no other way than by surgery. It is therefore recommended that if surgery is particularly urgent, it should be performed as soon as possible, as long-term snoring can have negative health consequences not only for the snorer but also for their partner.

References

1 Resta, O., et al. "Sleep-related breathing disorders, loud snoring and excessive daytime sleepiness in obese subjects." International journal of obesity 25.5 (2001): 669-675.
2. works, How SnoreLab. "Seven Lifestyle Changes to Stop Snoring Naturally."
3. works, How SnoreLab. "Weight Loss for Snoring-SnoreLab's SMART Strategy."
4 Dawson, Arthur, et al. "Effect of bedtime alcohol on inspiratory resistance and respiratory drive in snoring and nonsnoring men." Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research 21.2 (1997): 183-190.
5 Cistulli, Peter A., et al. "Treatment of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea with mandibular repositioning appliances." Sleep medicine reviews 8.6 (2004): 443-457.
6 Camacho, Macario, et al. "Nasal dilators (Breathe Right Strips and NoZovent) for snoring and OSA: a systematic review and meta-analysis." Pulmonary medicine 2016 (2016).