The problem of snoring is widespread and millions of people all over the world are either snorers themselves or have to live with a snorer. If your own or your partner’s snoring is making your life a misery, then snore relief is a topic that will be of the utmost importance to you.
The problem of snoring is not as straightforward as it may seem, as there are different types of snorers and different reasons for snoring. The good news is that there are many effective remedies available in stores and through the Internet and it is worth trying a few and seeing which one works best for you.
The ultimate solution is surgical intervention, but like any surgery that has its drawbacks, in that there is always a risk of complications during anaesthesia and as removing some of the loose flesh within the mouth is part of the operation, the after affects can be extremely painful for several weeks afterwards as the wounds heal. Even then, there is no guarantee of a cure and the surgical option is by far the most expensive.
More cost-effective remedies to give snore relief range from custom made mouth pieces to jaw supporters, and from nasal dilators to elasticated nasal strips. All these items have the same purpose; to try and keep the airways unobstructed during sleep, as it is the passage of air into the lungs being blocked, or at least partially blocked, that causes all the noise associated with snoring.
The causes of snoring are varied; sometimes people snore because they have a blocked nose or suffer from rhinitis, hayfever, or are asthmatic and those people with naturally small nostrils can also be sufferers. More men snore than woman; this is not a sexist remark but a proven fact! The reason for this could be that men tend to acquire excess flesh around the chin and jowls, especially as they get older or if they are overweight. Also, men have proportionally narrower airways then women. Women on the other hand, tend to gather their excess weight around the stomach and hips as opposed to under the chin and have bronchial tubes that are proportionately larger compared to their size.
Snoring is rarely a condition that is hazardous to your health, although the exasperation of your sleeping partner can be slightly dangerous if they have a suitable weapon close at hand. The other exception (apart from an exhausted wife clutching an axe) is a condition called sleep apnoea, where breathing ceases momentarily during sleep.
For obvious reasons this is a serious condition that needs to be properly diagnosed and treated, usually by a machine that is hooked up to the sleeper and monitors their breathing, sounding an alarm if breathing ceases. Sleep apnoea is a frightening concept but is uncommon and can be controlled satisfactorily with no side-effects.
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