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Sleep Apnea and Snoring: Understanding Causes and Treatment Options
Quality sleep is a crucial element in keeping yourself healthy. The quality of our sleep impacts our overall well-being and can significantly affect our mental health. However, getting good quality sleep may be a difficult task if we are prone to snoring or sleeping with people who constantly (and loudly) snore.
Sleep disruption due to loud snoring can be bothersome, and snoring is a common concern among many adults. But when does snoring become more than a nuisance and more of a serious health concern?
In some cases, loud and excessive snoring during sleep can be associated with a much more serious health concern known as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
What Is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea, also known as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a serious sleep disorder that is characterized by cycles of frequent breathing pauses during sleep. It is a prevalent health condition and affects about 18 million Americans, that is approximately one in every 15 Americans who suffer from this disorder.
The frequent pauses in breathing cause loud and excessive snoring. More than the nuisance of loud snoring, sleep apnea is a serious health concern because the person stops breathing during sleep, which is caused by the collapsing or narrowing of the upper airway during sleep.
When we stop breathing, the amount of oxygen in the blood is limited, forcing the heart to work and pump harder. When there is a lack of oxygen in the blood, it sends a signal to the brain, making you jolt awake to get more air. People will often wake up gasping for air or with the sensation of choking.
This causes disrupted sleep. People with sleep apnea tend to be restless during the night and suffer from daytime fatigue. People with sleep apnea have increased risks for stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, or other cardiac issues.
Typically, people with sleep apnea will experience 30 to 300 episodes a night.
Common symptoms of sleep apnea
- Loud and excessive snoring
- Cycles of breathing pauses during sleep
- Disrupted sleep, causing restlessness at night and daytime fatigue
- Waking up gasping for air
- Waking up with a dry mouth or sore throat
- Headaches
What Causes Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea results from a partial obstruction to the upper airway, preventing the flow of air through the passages of the mouth and nose. This results in compromised or blocked airflow, reducing the flow of air during sleep.
Other factors that can contribute to sleep apnea include:
- Large tonsils and adenoids and excess soft tissue in the neck
- Very large tongues
- Tongue and throat muscles that are too relaxed
- Long soft palate
- Obstructed nasal passages due to a stuffy nose
Treatment Options to Address Sleep Apnea
An ENT specialist can expertly diagnose and treat obstructive sleep apnea and determine when snoring is more than just snoring. Getting to the bottom of your sleep concern can give you a personalized treatment plan that may include the following treatment options:
- CPAP machine (Continuous Positive Air Pressure machine) helps sleep apnea patients keep their airways during sleep. This machine will supply the body with a continuous supply of oxygen through a face mask the patient will have to wear during their sleep.
- Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) is the recommended treatment option if sleep apnea is due to excess soft tissues in the throat. This procedure will remove the excess throat tissue to open up the airways.
- Balloon sinuplasty is a minimally invasive procedure that uses a small balloon catheter inserted into the nose to open nasal passages. This removes nasal obstruction and encourages open airways for mild cases of sleep apnea.
- Septoplasty is a surgical procedure that can restore a deviated septum to its anatomically correct position, enhancing breathing. This is the recommended procedure if sleep apnea is due to a deviated septum.
- Radiofrequency can reduce the size of enlarged turbinates. Turbinates are tissues inside the nose. When they become enlarged, they restrict the flow of air, so reducing their size can restore proper breathing.
An ENT Specialist Can Help Address OSA and Excessive Snoring
Excessive and loud snoring can be bothersome and a nuisance, often disrupting sleep and making it impossible to get a good night’s sleep. But when snoring becomes more than just a nuisance and more of a major health concern in the form of sleep apnea, our ENT specialists at CT-ENT can help.
We perform several tests to diagnose sleep apnea, including a sleep study to evaluate your sleeping patterns and design a personalized treatment plan for you. Schedule a consultation with us today and find the best ways to improve your sleep and health.
