We all had our share of laughs every time we see cartoon and movie characters snore as part of their scripts. But because of these hilarious moments, we fail to realize that snoring can lead to a serious condition and we’re not just talking about our partners unable to sleep because of the sound. Chronic illness might cause snoring. Therefore it’s highly recommended to see a snoring doctor specialist.
Causes
When there’s too much muscle relaxation when sleeping, it leads to breathing restriction through the nose and throat. This leads to airflow turbulence, making the airway tissues vibrate, resulting to snoring.
Once airflow is blocked, breathing cessation occurs for a few second, leading to coughing or choking. This effects causes disruption of sleeping pattern and if it happens many times, sleep deprivation will take place.
There are various causes of snoring and can be categorized as short term or long term. Regardless, the cause should be detected prior to treatment. Here are some short term causes.
- Medications that cause drowsiness
- Alcohol
- Smoking
- Sleeping position
- Flu or cold
- Swollen tonsils, which usually happens among kids
- Seasonal allergies
Once these causes are addressed, snoring can also be resolved.
However, snoring also has causes which are long term. These are usually the conditions where you need to see a snoring doctor specialist. Some of these causes are:
- Muscle weakness on the throat, resulting to throat closure during sleep
- Too much fat within and inside the throat
- Misaligned jaw
- Nose shape
- Sinus problems
- Overweight or obesity
- When tissues above the airways touch each other leading to vibrations
- Pregnancy
- Head and neck shape which can cause smaller airway
- Aging, since passageway of throat becomes narrower and muscle tone also decreases
To know the true cause of your snoring, it’s best to consult your snoring doctor specialist.
Treatment
Fortunately, there is a wide range of treatment methods to address snoring. It’s highly important to first detect the cause and understand it. Afterward, the best solution can be suggested. Remember the goal is to have a good sleep.
One of the most effective methods to address snoring is the CPAP machine. This is the usual recommendation even the sleep doctor especially when the patient is suffering from sleep apnea.
The customized Dental Plate can also be a method to address snoring problems. This method works by placing the tongue and lower jaw forward, hence, opening the airway wider and preventing air restriction.
When to See a Sleep Doctor
If one or more of these observations are noted, it’s strongly recommended to visit a sleep doctor:
- Snoring is too loud that it can even be heard at the next room
- Long-term insomnia
- Long-term feeling of being stressed out even at daytime
- Continuous choking and gasping while asleep
- Snoring that causes pain
- Dry throat upon waking up
- Mood swings during daytime
Snoring should not be taken lightly especially if it has been happening for a long time. A visit to your sleep doctor can help you address this problem.
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