Do you wake up with sore ribs due to being repeatedly elbowed in the side to get you to wake up or move in your sleep? Is you family sleep deprived? If so, you might benefit by having your snoring condition evaluated. Snoring is a common condition affecting both men and women, old and young. Certain factors can exacerbate snoring, such as alcohol intake, certain medications, and weight gain. Snoring does not discriminate. A person of any size or shape can have troublesome snoring.
Although simple snoring is a benign, nonlife-threatening condition, it can be a sign of a potentially more serious problem such as sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a condition of interrupted breathing during sleep caused by blockage somewhere in the upper airway. People with sleep apnea will typically feel fatigued and will fall asleep easily during times of inactivity. Sometimes they will have morning headaches or night sweats. People with obstructive sleep apnea are more likely to have or develop high blood pressure, heart disease, or strokes.
If snoring is a problem for you, you should see an otolaryngologist (ENT doctor) for a complete evaluation of the upper airway including a thorough nasal examination, examination of the mouth and back of throat, as well as the larynx and hypopharynx (voice box and lower throat) areas. If there are any symptoms of sleep apnea or any physical findings to suggest the possibility of sleep apnea, a sleep study would be recommended in order to evaluate for a potentially more serious condition.
Many different treatments can be offered for snoring depending upon the site of airway resistance causing snoring. Treatment options vary from surgery -- including surgery of the nasal airway, palate, or back of the tongue -- to nonsurgical methods including an oral device to wear at night to reposition the back of the tongue.
After a thorough evaluation, your ENT physician can recommend appropriate treatment options for you.