The causes of snoring
What can an otolaryngologist find?There are many reasons why snoring and sleep apnea occur. Let's look at the most common processes that make it difficult for air to pass through the upper airways. The nose and nasopharynx are the beginning of the respiratory tract. Diseases that contribute to snoring in men and women equally: adenoids, chronic rhinitis, rhinosinusitis, deformations of the nasal septum, nasal polyps, if they cause swelling of the nasal mucosa and difficulty breathing through the nose. As for the lower respiratory tract, this is the larynx and pharynx, here there is swelling of the palatine tonsils, thickening or palatine atony, proliferation of the lingual tonsil, wide root of the tongue, specific structure of the epiglottis, excess fatty tissue in the cervical region in overweight people, features of the structure of the lower jaw. What can an endocrinologist find? The appearance of snoring in women or its increase is related to the menopause period. During this period, hormonal changes occur, which leads to weakening of the respiratory tract muscles and weight gain. Thyroid dysfunction also reduces the tone of the pharyngeal muscles.
Troubleshooting methods
What can a general practitioner offer?Therapeutic methods of treatment are, first of all, various devices that hold the tongue. There are also special stickers and devices. They create positive air pressure when inhaling. Salt aerosols for moisturizing the mucous membrane bring relief. It is not recommended to take sleeping pills and alcohol, as this relaxes the muscles and the brain ceases to control all processes normally, it is also highly desirable to quit smoking (irritates the larynx membrane). There are special exercises that are effective when snoring is associated with weakness of the pharyngeal muscles. Therapeutic methods are used when surgical intervention is not indicated due to the general condition of the patient or severe concomitant diseases. Radically changing the condition is within the power of surgical intervention. What can a surgeon offer? If the cause of snoring is curvature of the nasal septum that occurs after facial trauma (often seen in men), accompanied by hemorrhage into soft tissues, then in cases where only the cartilage of the initial section is curved, the operation lasts about half an hour and is performed under local anesthesia. If the posterior bony sections of the nasal septum are also curved, the intervention is performed under general anesthesia. The operation time increases. The operation is called septoplasty. It is highly effective. After septoplasty, about 15% of both men and women stop snoring and the frequency of sleep apnea attacks quickly decreases. Snoring can also be caused by nasal polynosis, which is associated with disorders of the mucous membrane. Mucous soft formations fill the sinuses and nasal cavity, disrupting breathing. The doctor will prescribe an operation to remove nasal polyps. It is called nasal polypotomy. Sometimes it is combined with opening and cleaning the paranasal sinuses. Depending on the complexity, it is performed both in outpatient and inpatient settings. Rhinitis can also be the cause. The nasal conchae swell at the most inopportune time, when you walk barefoot on the floor, or after eating hot food, or when you enter a warm room from the cold. The nose stops breathing. It gets worse at night, when in a lying position, additional blood flows to the head and fills the improperly functioning vessels of the nasal conchae. You cannot fall asleep, and you use vasoconstrictor drops (naphthyzin, glazolin, etc.). They cause vascular spasm and open the nasal passages for a while. After a few hours, the effect of the drug wears off and the nose stops breathing again. Any doctor will tell you that it is often forbidden to use such drugs, as they are addictive. In addition, vasoconstrictor drugs contain adrenaline-like substances that increase vascular tone and lead to an increase in blood pressure. If rhinitis becomes frequent, the doctor will recommend surgical intervention. Its purpose is to reduce the size of the respiratory system and eliminate the obstruction of the nasal cavity, which causes snoring.
General advice to all snoring
Because even the best operation does not give 100%success, the doctor advises to try all types of treatment and engage in general health improvement of the body. In general, do everything necessary to get rid of unpleasant and often dangerous snoring.
