A quarter of the American population are habitual snorers. Common causes of snoring include nasal allergies, infection or deformity; enlargement of the tonsils and adenoids; and narrowing of the airway by the palate (roof of mouth) or base of tongue. While it may seem like a harmless condition, snoring can cause serious physical and emotional complications for patients and their partners.
Snoring is also a sign of sleep apnea, a serious condition in which individuals stop breathing repeatedly while sleeping. This means that the brain and other parts of the body are not receiving enough oxygen. Sleep apnea can cause fatigue, slow your reaction time, and lead to confused thinking and memory loss. Other complications of sleep apnea include high blood pressure, heart attacks, stroke, anxiety and depression.
In mild cases, treatment may consist of nasal decongestants, nasal steroids, or oral appliances that move the jaw forward to prevent the tongue from falling back and constricting the throat. For more difficult cases, a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine may be prescribed. This device generates pressurized air, which helps keep the airway open during sleep. In some cases, surgery may be indicated to open the airway.
Surgical treatment options for sleep apnea include:
- Turbinate Reduction: This procedure reduces the size of the shell-shaped structures in the nose that are made up of bone, vessels, and tissue. Their function is to humidify and filter air, but when they are too large or inflamed, the turbinates can obstruct breathing and surgical reduction may be the best treatment.
- Septoplasty: This is a surgical procedure to correct defects of the septum, which is the structure separating the right and left nasal cavities.
- UPPP: Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty is a surgical procedure in which tissue is removed or remodeled to increase the airway size and decrease tissue collapse.
- Tonsillectomy: Large tonsils may obstruct the oral airway. Removing the tonsils may improve snoring.
If you have debilitating snoring or think you may have sleep apnea, please contact our office in San Diego and schedule an appointment with Dr. Angela Chang.
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Last Updated: January 5, 2019 by Angela Chang · Leave a Comment
Snoring and Sleep Apnea
A quarter of the American population are habitual snorers. Common causes of snoring include nasal allergies, infection or deformity; enlargement of the tonsils and adenoids; and narrowing of the airway by the palate (roof of mouth) or base of tongue. While it may seem like a harmless condition, snoring can cause serious physical and emotional complications for patients and their partners.
Snoring is also a sign of sleep apnea, a serious condition in which individuals stop breathing repeatedly while sleeping. This means that the brain and other parts of the body are not receiving enough oxygen. Sleep apnea can cause fatigue, slow your reaction time, and lead to confused thinking and memory loss. Other complications of sleep apnea include high blood pressure, heart attacks, stroke, anxiety and depression.
In mild cases, treatment may consist of nasal decongestants, nasal steroids, or oral appliances that move the jaw forward to prevent the tongue from falling back and constricting the throat. For more difficult cases, a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine may be prescribed. This device generates pressurized air, which helps keep the airway open during sleep. In some cases, surgery may be indicated to open the airway.
Surgical treatment options for sleep apnea include:
If you have debilitating snoring or think you may have sleep apnea, please contact our office in San Diego and schedule an appointment with Dr. Angela Chang.
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