Help for snorers

SNORING is that sound made during sleep from the vibration of the back of the throat due to partial airway obstruction, and apart from being a nuisance to those nearby, it may lead to disharmony in the bedroom.

According to ear, nose and throat specialist Dr Francis Barnett, snoring may be a sign of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). He said during sleep, muscles at the back of the throat relax and lead to some narrowing of the airway during breathing.

“In people with a narrow airway this may lead to total obstruction while sleeping. During these apnoeic events patients are unable to breathe so they are deprived of oxygen and the body is unable to get rid of carbon dioxide. These apnoeic events may last longer than 10 seconds and there may be hundreds of episodes during a night, leading to fragmented sleep,” he said.

Dr Barnett said OSA carries several serious consequences which include:

1. An increased risk for stroke and heart attack. He said very severe OSA may lead to heart failure.

2. Daytime somnolence. Dr Barnett said this is where patients fall asleep easily throughout their daily activities. “This leads to poor performance at work or school. It is a common cause for car accidents and accidents at work,” he said

3. Fall in libido. Dr Barnett said OSA can lead to a lower sex drive.

4. Attention deficit in children. Dr Barnett said children may suffer from attention deficit and hyperactive behaviour.

The specialist said it is important to know that patients with OSA are not usually aware that they have breathing problems while sleeping. But some of the symptoms and signs include:

1. Loud snoring with silent breaks

2. Gasping and choking sounds

3. Sweating

4. Waking up to pass urine frequently, or bed wetting

5. Waking up with a dry mouth

6. After a full night’s sleep, the patient does not feel rested

7. Waking up with a headache

8. Daytime drowsiness.

Dr Barnett said snoring and OSA are strongly linked to obesity, and the more overweight you are, the more likely you will snore and have OSA.

“Weight loss is an important part of these patients’ treatment,” he said.

But he mentioned that in children the most common cause of this problem is enlargement of the tonsil and adenoids, which is the most common cause for the removal of the tonsil and adenoids.

Moreover, OSA can be treated and Dr Barnett suggested that once people experience the symptoms they should seek medical attention. However, for simple snoring — snoring without OSA — Dr Barnett said certain steps can be taken to help with this.

These include:

1. Avoid smoking and alcohol

2. Lose weight

3. Sleep on your side

4. Oral appliances, which are made by a dentist, that push the lower jaw out, may help to reduce snoring

5. Minor and major surgeries may be done by your ENT specialist.

— Kimberley Hibbert