Snoring

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Snoring is the vibration of respiratory structures and the resulting sound, due to obstructed air movement during breathing while sleeping. The sound may be soft or loud and unpleasant. The structures are usually the uvula and soft palate. The irregular airflow is caused by a blockage, due to causes including:

• Allergies
• Throat weakness causing the throat to close during sleep
• Mispositioned jaw, often caused by tension in muscles
• Fat gathering in and around the throat
• Obstruction in the nasal passageway

Statistics on snoring are often contradictory, but at least 30% of adults and perhaps as many as 50% of people in some demographics snore.^[1][2]One survey of 5713 Italian residents identified habitual snoring in 24% of men and 13.8% of women, rising to 60% of men and 40% of women aged 60 to 65 years; this suggests an increased susceptibility to snoring as age increases.^[3]

Snoring is usually an involuntary act, but may also be produced voluntarily.

According to Dr. William C Dement, of the Stanford Sleep Center, anyone who snores and has daytime drowsiness should be evaluated for sleep disorders.

Contents 1 Impacts 2 Cures 3 External links 4 References

[edit] Impacts

Snoring is known to cause sleep deprivation and knock-on effects: daytime drowsiness, irritability, lack of focus, lack of interest in sex. It has also been suggested that it can cause significant psychological and social damage to sufferers.^[4]

Armstrong et al. at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh found that snoring strains interpersonal relationships, and concerns for its effects were often voiced above the medical malady. Patients also lamented the social embarrassment arising from complaints when they sleep outside their homes. Both business and holiday arrangements can be detrimentally affected.

While snoring may popularly be seen in some circles as a minor affliction, snorers can suffer severe impairment of lifestyle. The between-subjects trial by Armstrong et al. discovered a statistically significant improvement in marital relations after snoring was surgically corrected. This was confirmed by evidence from Gall et al. ^[5], Cartwright and Knight ^[6] and Fitzpatrick et al.^[7]

[edit] Cures

Almost all cures for snoring revolve around clearing the blockage in the breathing passage. This is the reason snorers are advised to lose weight (to stop fat from pressing on the throat), to stop smoking (smoking weakens and clogs the throat), and to sleep on their side (to prevent the tongue from blocking the throat).

Cures include surgery (for example uvulopalatopharyngoplasty and uvulopalatoplasty), dental appliances such as a mandibular advancement splint, special exercises designed to remove blocks in the breathing passages (The Stop Snoring Exercise Program) and devices such as nose clips to dilate the nostrils and jaw mechanics to keep the jaw in an optimum position. A pinky ring is purported to reduce snoring through accupressure.^[8] Different aids work for different people. According to the British Medical Journal, playing the didgeridoo can also help, as it increases muscle usage in the throat.^[9]

[edit] External links

• American Academy of Sleep Medicine information on snoring
• Snoring treatment slashes heart-attack rates
• Snoring from EntNet.org
• Snoring Self-assessment test. Medical advice and discussion forum from Snoring.com.au
• Snoring: Symptoms, Causes, Cures, and Treatment
• British Snoring & Sleep Apnoea Association
• The Sleep Apnoea Trust Association

[edit] References

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