Snoring and the latest treatment methods..

Senior Consultant Otorhinolaryngologist

What is snoring and why does it happen? It’s a harsh sound that occurs when air flows past loose tissues in the upper airways, causing the tissues to vibrate during breathing. Everyone snores from time to time, but for some, it can be a chronic problem. It can sometimes indicate a serious medical condition and can be annoying for your partner.

Symptoms

Snoring is often associated with sleep disorders, the most important of which is obstructive sleep apnea. This disorder is characterized by loud snoring followed by periods of quiet when breathing stops. Lack of breathing can cause you to wake up several times during sleep, and the person may wake up with loud snoring or choking sounds. Sleep may be light and poor due to interrupted sleep and apnea.

People with obstructive sleep apnea typically experience symptoms such as:

  • Excessive daytime sleepiness
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Morning headaches
  • Dry throat upon waking
  • High blood pressure
  • Chest pain during sleep
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Frequent awakenings during sleep
  • The need to urinate frequently during sleep
  • Impaired sexual performance
  • Bedwetting in children
  • Poor attention, academic performance, and behavioral problems in children

Causes of Snoring

The causes are divided into two main groups:

  • Anatomical causes: Narrowing or obstruction in the upper respiratory tract during sleep, such as nasal problems (chronic congestion, deviated septum, sinusitis, nasal polyps) and oral anatomy issues (jaw deformities, looseness of jaw, palate, uvula, enlarged tonsils or tongue, epiglottis looseness).
  • Behavioral causes: Consuming alcohol, certain medications or drugs that relax throat muscles, smoking, being overweight, sleeping position, and sleep deprivation. Snoring increases when sleeping on the back.

When to See a Doctor

See a doctor if you experience any of the symptoms mentioned above, suggesting your snoring is related to obstructive sleep apnea, or if your child snores or has sleep apnea.

Potential Health Complications of Snoring

  • High blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and sudden death during sleep
  • Behavioral problems such as aggression and learning difficulties in children
  • Frequent frustration and anger
  • Increased risk of car accidents due to lack of sleep
  • Frequent work problems due to poor concentration
  • Family problems due to disturbance of the partner and weak sexual ability

Diagnosis and Treatment

Significant scientific progress has been made in this field. Previously, such cases were a source of concern due to treatment failures and complications. Currently, diagnosis begins with a sleep study to identify causes of snoring and an upper airway sleep endoscopy, which uses anesthetics to help the patient sleep without a breathing tube, determining the location and cause of stenosis.

Treatment methods are divided into two categories: conservative behavioral therapy and surgical treatment.

  • Conservative treatment: Changing habits such as quitting smoking, losing weight, improving sleeping position, or using breathing aids such as a CPAP machine.
  • Surgical treatment: Previously, lasers were used but had high complication rates. Modern methods include tightening and lifting the roof of the mouth with cosmetic surgical sutures (Barbed Pharyngoplasty), cold cautery (Coblation) for tongue enlargement, tissue removal at the back of the tongue, sagging roof of the mouth correction, and epiglottis beautification. All these technologies are available at Jordan Hospital.

Dr. Muhammad Ali Al-Hayari