Nobody enjoys hearing other people snore, right? What in fact is snoring? Snoring is hoarse or noisy breathing during sleep. This sound is produced when air flows past relaxed tissues in your pharynx, causing the tissues to vibrate as you breathe.
A causa do ronco alto pode ser a flacidez nos músculos da garganta, uma amidalite, as adenoides muito grandes, o desvio de septo, pólipos no nariz, sinusite, obstrução nasal, ingestão de álcool pois relaxa a musculatura, obesidade e acúmulo de gordura na região cervical, tabagismo, refluxo gastroesofágico, problemas na arcada dentária, dormir de barriga para cima e é mais comum no sexo masculino.
So, if you snore and have one or more of the symptoms below, seek help from a healthcare professional as soon as possible:
- Sono não reparador (aquele que você continua cansado durante o dia).
- Despertar noturno frequente (ninguém merece não é mesmo?).
- Distúrbios cognitivos como dificuldade de memória, concentração e atenção.
- Irritability.
- Fatigue.
- Sonolência Diurna Excessiva (aquele bom e velho encostou dormiu.)
- Decreased libido and sexual impotence.
Let’s now see a few actions you can take to prevent snoring:
- Procurar dormir de lado, utilizando colchão e travesseiro adequados;
- Procurar ajuda especializada, de médico ou dentista, e seguir suas orientações em caso de obstrução nasal, rinite, alergia, refluxo gastroesofágico, bruxismo (ranger de dentes noturno), etc.;
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Evitar o tabagismo e o consumo de bebidas alcoólicas;
- Exercise regularly.
Treating snoring is of paramount importance for us and for those close to us, and this requires identifying its causes. Snoring might be a sign of a more severe problem, Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS), a widespread disease characterized by upper airways obstruction during sleep, usually accompanied by a drop in blood oxygen saturation, followed by a transient arousal from sleep to breathe.
Pauses in breathing last 20 seconds on average, but might last up to 2 minutes and happen several times during sleep in severe cases. Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, heart attack, stroke (CVA), and arrhythmia.
In order to diagnose this disorder, healthcare professionals might request sleep-monitoring tests. Beside the well-known test that requires patients to sleep at the hospital for one night connected to not-so-friendly piece of equipment, there is the option of Sleep Apnea Digital Monitoring (SADM), the Biologix Sleep Test. This is a test you can conduct at home -simple, convenient, and effective, with no need to sleep at a sleep lab. Before going to sleep for the night, just place the Oxistar sensor, which is a high performance oximeter, on your finger and start the test using the Biologix App. Upon waking up, click on “end test” to get the result in a few seconds by e-mail. See how simple this is?
The diagnosis can also be established by means of a test called Polysomnography, which is conduct at a sleep lab where patients are required to sleep for one night (yes, the one I’ve just mentioned above). There, patients are monitored using sensors that record the passage of air through nose and mouth, blood oxygenation, heart rate, brain activity, as well as chest and limb movements.
Ok, but what is all this information used for? These measurements are used to establish whether you have Obstructive Sleep Apnea or connected disorders such as central sleep apnea, bruxism, restless legs syndrome, sleepwalking, night terrors, fibromyalgia, etc.
The Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSAS) treatment goal is to keep airways always open to achieve adequate breathing during sleep. Treatments available vary and depend, to a great extent, on the severity of the problem. Sometimes, a change in lifestyle habits in order to lose weight or a postural change can solve the problem. In more severe cases, the treatment can take advantage of intraoral devices, devices to assist breathing, and even surgery to unblock the upper airways.
For severe cases, the best option is CPAP, acronym that stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. This machine, through a mask covering your nose or face, uses continuous air pressure to keep the airways open while you sleep. In addition to reducing snoring, CPAP use eliminates the risk for cardiovascular problems and hypertension stemming from apnea and snoring. While it does not cure Obstructive Sleep Apnea, the most common type of respiratory disorder, CPAP is a 100% effective and safe treatment.
For mild to moderate cases, intraoral devices (IOD) are an excellent option. These devices are only used during sleep. They bring the mandible forward, thus allowing air to flow freely through your throat
Prior to recommending surgery to treat loud snoring and sleep apnea, your physician must evaluate your health thoroughly.
DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this blog aims at assisting you in your education and is not intended to be construed in any manner as medical advice. Only physicians and dentists can diagnose diseases and prescribe treatments and medication. Thank you for visiting our website.
