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Snoring is a sound made during sleep, and it can sound like a rattle, whistle, or rattle. While almost everyone snores at some point, it becomes a problem when it becomes something that happens every night and leads to daytime sleepiness or irritability.
How does snoring happen?
Snoring occurs when the flow of air through the mouth and nose stops, as a result of several reasons, including sleeping on the back and the presence of swelling in parts of the throat, which we will explain in the following.
Causes of snoring
- Nasal airway obstruction
Some people only snore during allergy season or when they have sinusitis or nasal problems, such as a deviated nasal septum (when the wall separating one nostril from the other is off-center), or nasal polyps, which can also lead to Airway obstruction.
- Muscle weakness in the throat and tongue
The muscles of the throat and tongue can be too relaxed, allowing them to collapse and close the airway.
- Bulky throat tissue
The throat tissue can be large, obstructing the airway. This may occur as a result of being overweight or may be congenital. Some children suffer from large tonsils and adenoids, which causes them to snore.
- Long soft palate
A long soft palate can narrow the opening from your nose to your throat.
- Long uvula
The uvula is the dangling tissue at the back of your mouth, and if it’s long it can vibrate when you breathe and hit your throat, making your airway obstructed.
Taking muscle relaxants can cause the tongue and throat muscles to relax too much.
Sleeping on your back can make you snore, as can using a pillow that is too soft or too large.
- Sleep deprivation
Your throat muscles may relax too much if you don’t get enough sleep, causing them to close your airways.
Is snoring normal?
Snoring is common and normal for many people, and in fact almost everyone suffers from it at some point, including babies and young children.
But loud and annoying snoring may indicate sleep apnea. If snoring occurs with episodes of sleep apnea and other symptoms such as fatigue or irritability, you should talk to your doctor.
Symptoms of snoring
Snoring sounds vary from person to person, and may sound like:
- Quiet vibrations.
- whistling.
- clink
- rumbling.
People who snore may also exhibit:
- Tossing and turning a lot while sleeping.
- Waking up with a dry throat.
- Feeling tired during the day.
- Headache.
- Mood swings or irritability.
- Difficulty concentrating.
Types of snoring
- Nasal snoring
Nasal snoring occurs when the nasal passages are partially blocked. Nasal snoring sounds vary between constantly loud growling sounds or whistling sounds. This may be caused by allergies, sinus infections, nasal polyps, or a deviated nasal septum. The common cold can also cause nasal congestion.
- Oral snoring
In this case, the nasal passages become completely blocked, causing the person to breathe through his mouth during sleep. This causes the soft tissues inside the mouth to vibrate and produce a low growling sound. Another cause of mouth snoring is enlarged tonsils, and snoring in the mouth can sometimes lead to infection. Because the air being breathed in is not filtered through the nose.
- Lingual snoring
Tongue snoring can easily be identified by loud sounds. This type of snoring occurs because the tongue becomes too relaxed, and when this happens it can reflux into the throat and obstruct airflow.
Tongue snoring is more likely to occur if you use sleep medications, and being overweight can increase your risk because there is more fatty tissue around the airway.
Oral and tongue snoring tends to be worse if you sleep on your back, so using devices that help prevent you from sleeping on your back may be helpful.
Throat snoring is considered the highest and most dangerous type of snoring. Throat snoring occurs due to sleep apnea, which basically means that a person may stop breathing several times during the night, and it can happen in every sleeping position, and the muscles and tissues in your throat become relaxed. Very, which leads to the throat being blocked, and air cannot pass into your lungs.
Snoring treatment
Your doctor uses a wide range of treatments to reduce snoring, and the right choice for you depends on several factors, including the severity of your snoring and your health history.
Non-surgical snoring treatments
Non-surgical snoring treatments focus on improving your sleeping position or opening your airways. These treatments may include:
- Lifestyle change
Changing your sleeping position and maintaining a healthy weight can reduce snoring.
Cold and allergy medications relieve nasal congestion and help you breathe freely.
Wearing nasal strips (elastic bands that stick to the outside of your nose) can help keep your nasal passages open.
- Oral system
It is a device worn while sleeping that keeps your jaw in the proper position so that air can flow. It is called a mouth guard.
Surgical snoring treatments
Your doctor may use surgery to treat severe snoring. The goal of the surgery is to shrink or remove excess tissue or correct a structural problem (such as a deviated nasal septum).
Surgical treatments may include:
- Laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty
This procedure reduces tissue in the soft palate and improves airflow.
- Excision therapy
This technique uses radiofrequency energy to shrink excess tissue in the soft palate and tongue.
- Septoplasty
If you have a deviated septum, your doctor may recommend septoplasty. Septoplasty improves airflow through your nose by reshaping cartilage and bone.
- Tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy
The surgeon removes excess tissue from the back of the throat (tonsillectomy) or the back of the nose (adenoidectomy).
Prevention of snoring
Some lifestyle changes may help you stop or reduce snoring. Here are some things you can try:
- Avoid sedatives (such as zolpidem, clonazepam, eszopiclone).
- Ask your doctor about medications to relieve nasal congestion.
- Stay active, get plenty of exercise, and maintain a healthy weight.
- Elevate your head while sleeping to improve airflow.
- Try sleeping on your side instead of your back.
- Buy a pillow that reduces snoring and keeps your head in the proper position while sleeping.
- Cleaning the nose before bed.
