Snoring
Snoring is a common condition that causes a person to make snorting, rattling, or grumbling sounds from the airway during sleep. While it’s usually not dangerous, it can cause problems with sleep for others in the home. Many people recall being shaken awake by a disgruntled partner complaining of their snoring.
Though snoring is common and normal, when it becomes disruptive or seems constant and excessive, it may indicate an underlying problem that needs addressing. The team at Snore Vegas is here to help. From appliances to surgical solutions, we have a number of treatment options to bring relief to your snoring concerns.
Causes of Snoring
Snoring can have multiple potential causes, but the most common is an airway blockage. When something gets in the way of the airflow in your mouth and throat, you may snore. The most common sources of this blockage include:
- Tongue
- Adenoids
- Soft palate
- Tonsils
What causes these parts of the body to block the airway depends on a number of lifestyle factors. Contributors can include:
- Age – As people get older, their risk of snoring increases due to decreases in muscle tone.
- Anatomy – If one of the structures is unusually large, like enlarged adenoids, then snoring is more likely. Someone with a deviated septum is also more at risk.
- Alcohol or sedative use – These substances relax the muscles in the airway, increasing the risk of snoring.
- Gender – Males are more commonly snorers than females.
- Health risks – Someone suffering from nasal congestion or experiencing hormonal changes may snore more often.
- Weight – A high BMI increases the risk of snoring.
Why Snoring Can Be Dangerous
Snoring is no more than an annoyance to some people, but for others, it can indicate a more serious underlying health condition. Specifically, loud snoring is an indication of sleep apnea. Snoring that’s becoming disruptive can also reduce the quality of the person’s sleep. It can impact their relationship with their partner as well.
Because of these dangers, if you are suffering from snoring, or if snoring is keeping your partner up at night, you should get an evaluation. Many of the underlying causes of snoring are treatable, or devices can help reduce the severity of the snoring.
Some signs that your snoring needs treatment include:
- Waking up tired
- Irritability
- Relationship problems
- Waking up gasping for air
- Tossing and turning
- Waking up with a dry, sore throat
- Headaches
- Problems focusing
While these may not be due to your snoring, snoring and the lack of restful sleep it causes can be a contributing factor. Getting help for snoring can help you rest more fully.
Treatment for Snoring
If you come to Snore Vegas for help with snoring in Las Vegas, we will perform an evaluation and potentially a sleep study to see why you are snoring. Treatment will focus on treating the underlying cause to stop the snoring.
Often, lifestyle changes can be a solution for snoring. Elevating the bed slightly or losing weight can make a difference. If the cause is allergies or congestion, treating that with over-the-counter medication can help. Some people benefit from wearing nasal strips to keep the airway open.
If the problem is due to the tongue or soft palate, then wearing an oral appliance can be beneficial. The mouth guard device can keep the tongue in place and prevent the soft palate from falling into the airway.
In rare cases, severe snoring needs surgery. Surgery shrinks the structures in the airway so they don’t block airflow. For example, if the culprit is the tonsils or adenoids, performing a tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy can help.
If snoring is making a restful night’s sleep difficult for you, reach out to our team of sleep specialists in Nevada to learn more about sleep solutions that can put a stop to the problem. You can get restful, deep sleep with help from our team.
