People who live alone may never realize that they snore. Yet almost half of the American adult population snores once in a while and one fourth snores most of the time. And twenty million Americans have sleep apnea. People who live with and sleep with a partner will certainly know that they snore, as the partner who is being deprived of sleep will undoubtedly bring the matter to the snorer s attention.
But it isn t enough for a loving partner just to complain. There are conditions the partner should observe to be sure the problem doesn t require a visit to the doctor. Does the snorer appear to stop breathing for a nanosecond? Does the snorer make a rough, hoarse or fluttering noise during sleep? If you are the one snoring and your partner answers yes to the above questions, you should observe if you feel sleepy during the day and if you fall asleep at inappropriate times during the day. If you have yes answers to these questions as well, you need to consult a doctor about the possibility of having sleep apnea.
There are three types of sleep apnea: constructive sleep apnea, central sleep apnea and complex sleep apnea. When you have obstructive sleep apnea the muscles in the back of your throat relax which causes your airway to narrow as you breathe in. For just a moment your breathing stops. When your brain senses this, it wakes you up so you can reopen the airway however this is so brief that you won t remember the next morning. While anyone can have obstructive sleep apnea it is most likely to occur in people who are overweight. Other risk factors for this problem are: high blood pressure, use of alcohol, male gender, nicotine use, genetic (family history) and neck circumference. A neck circumference of 17.5 inches or 44 centimeters is a risk factor for the obstructive type.
In central sleep apnea, your brain does not transmit instructions to your breathing muscles so you wake up with shortness of breath and have a difficult time sleeping. You will also experience daytime sleepiness. Central sleep apnea is usually caused by heart disease. Complex sleep apnea involves both the obstruction of the upper airway and breathing problems.The different types are difficult to diagnose, as the symptoms are so similar. However if you experience or if your partner reports symptoms such as loud snoring, shortness of breath that wakes you up, pauses in your breathing during sleep and excessive sleepiness during the daytime, you should see your doctor.
There are over the counter medications for snoring. And if the sprays don t work, one can consider a dentist constructed bite plate. There is also an outpatient procedure known as the Pillar procedure. The surgeon uses a topical anesthetic to numb your throat. Then three polyester strips are inserted into your soft palate. You cannot see or feel these but the scar tissue that forms around the implants stiffens the soft tissues of your palate and keeps it from vibrating. The procedure has a high success rate and there are no side effects except for a mild sore throat.
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