What is Sleep Apnea and Snoring Surgery?
Snoring is a sound in the form of noise that occurs when there is stenosis in the airway. 45% of adults snore from time to time and 25% snore constantly. Although snoring is more common in men and obese people, it can be seen in anyone. The frequency of snoring increases with age.
WHY DO WE SNOR?
The area where the tongue base, uvula, soft palate and tonsils meet the nasal area is a region that can narrow spontaneously. As the muscles in this area relax during sleep, the air passage area narrows and the passing air creates vibration in the loose tissues, causing snoring. Thick and fatty neck tissue in obese people, and large tonsils and adenoids in children are the most common causes of snoring. People with nasal congestion create excessive vacuum in the nasal passages to take in air. This vacuum pulls the contractile tissues in the throat towards the airway, so that the person who does not snore when the nose is open begins to snore. Deviation problems that cause nasal congestion, nasal flesh enlargement, and polyps can cause snoring. Long or sagging soft palate uvula narrows the airway and causes snoring. During sleep, the tongue and throat muscles relax. Loose muscles cannot prevent the tongue from reaching the back of the throat, especially when lying on your back. Drinking alcohol or sedatives increases this muscle relaxation and therefore snoring.
WHY DO MEN SCORE MORE?
This is because fat is concentrated mainly in the hip area in women and around the neck and abdomen in men. This situation, especially in overweight men, increases the intrathoracic pressure due to the pressure of the abdominal mass on the diaphragm while lying down (especially in the supine position); As the tongue slides back and the soft tissues and muscles around the pharynx relax during sleep, conditions that cause snoring occur. It is thought that differences in women’s muscle structure also reduce snoring. Since women’s muscle structure begins to resemble men’s as a result of hormonal changes after menopause, after a certain age, their snoring rate approaches or even equals that of men.
IS SNORING A PROBLEM?
We call uninterrupted snoring, that is, unaccompanied by breathing irregularities, simple snoring. It was thought that snoring did not cause any harm to the patient if it did not cause breathing pauses or interruption of sleep. However, recent studies show that even if there are no respiratory disorders (e.g. respiratory arrests) during sleep, simple snoring can cause fatigue in the body due to the effort spent on breathing during the night, and therefore fatigue and sleepiness during the day. Here, the noise disturbs the environment, especially the partner, and disrupts their sleep. People who already have simple snoring usually consult a physician due to the insistence of their relatives. Snoring may be considered an insignificant and simple situation by some: However, sometimes it can become a problem that disturbs the entire household. It is certain that it has a negative impact on the quality of life. Other members of the family are held responsible for sleepless nights. A snorer becomes an unwanted roommate on holidays and business trips. A person who snores is likely to encounter many medical problems. The damage the person inflicts on himself is greater. There are nights spent without rest. High blood pressure is more common in people who snore excessively than in people who do not snore.
CAN SNORING BE TREATED?
Many types of snoring can be treated. Simple snoring can be improved by taking some precautions. The recommendations listed below should be followed for adult snorers. One should try to reach the ideal body weight. A sporty lifestyle should be chosen to gain good muscle tone. People who snore should not take sleeping pills, sedatives and allergy medications called antihistamines before sleep. One should avoid drinking alcohol 4 hours before sleep. Heavy meals should be avoided 3 hours before sleep. Excessive fatigue should be avoided. Lying on your side should be preferred instead of lying on your back while sleeping. The old suggestion of sewing a tennis ball onto the back of pajamas is still a useful method. This prevents sleeping on your back. Give people who do not snore at home time to fall asleep before you do. It is known that being overweight is one of the most important causes of snoring. It has been observed that snoring has significantly decreased or completely disappeared in 80% of overweight patients who lost weight.
Contact
Categories
Specialties
No Content Available
The information on this page varies from person to person.
Kenan Selçuk TUNCAY
Otolaryngologist