Forty-five percent of normal adults snore at least occasionally, and 25 percent are habitual snorers. Thirty percent of adults over age 30 are snorers. By middle age, that number reaches 40 percent. Clearly, snoring is a dilemma affecting spouses, family members and sometimes neighbors.
Snoring sounds are caused when there is an obstruction to the free flow of air through the passages at the back of the mouth and nose. This area is the collapsible part of the airway where the tongue and upper throat meet the soft palate and uvula. When these structures strike each other and vibrate during breathing, snoring results.
Treatment For Snoring
Snoring can be diagnosed as primary snoring (simple snoring) or obstructive sleep apnea. Primary snoring is characterized by loud upper airway breathing sounds during sleep without episodes of apnea (cessation of breath). Obstructive sleep apnea is a serious medical condition where individuals have frequent episodes of apnea during sleep, contributing to an overall lack of restful sleep and severe health risks including heart attack and stroke.
Various methods are used to alleviate primary snoring. They include behavior modification (such as weight loss), surgical and non-surgical treatments, and dental devices.
A popular device since the 1800′s is a “snore-ball.” To make one, simply place a tennis ball in a tube sock and safety pin both ends of the sock to a night-shirt, so that the tennis ball is positioned between the shoulder blades. This keeps the sleeper on his sides or stomach, rather than on his back, when most snoring occurs.
Surgical treatments for primary snoring can be performed in the office, which include injection snoreplasty (where a stiffening agent is placed into the soft palate) and the Pillar Procedure (where strips of woven Dacron polyester are placed to stiffen the soft palate).
Snoring Is A Problem
Snoring sounds are caused when there is an obstruction to the free flow of air through the passages at the back of the mouth and nose. This area is the collapsible part of the airway where the tongue and upper throat meet the soft palate and uvula. When these structures strike each other and vibrate during breathing, snoring results.
Treatment For Snoring
Snoring can be diagnosed as primary snoring (simple snoring) or obstructive sleep apnea. Primary snoring is characterized by loud upper airway breathing sounds during sleep without episodes of apnea (cessation of breath). Obstructive sleep apnea is a serious medical condition where individuals have frequent episodes of apnea during sleep, contributing to an overall lack of restful sleep and severe health risks including heart attack and stroke.
Various methods are used to alleviate primary snoring. They include behavior modification (such as weight loss), surgical and non-surgical treatments, and dental devices.
A popular device since the 1800′s is a “snore-ball.” To make one, simply place a tennis ball in a tube sock and safety pin both ends of the sock to a night-shirt, so that the tennis ball is positioned between the shoulder blades. This keeps the sleeper on his sides or stomach, rather than on his back, when most snoring occurs.
Surgical treatments for primary snoring can be performed in the office, which include injection snoreplasty (where a stiffening agent is placed into the soft palate) and the Pillar Procedure (where strips of woven Dacron polyester are placed to stiffen the soft palate).