About half of all adults suffer from occasional snoring and about one quarter of adults suffer from frequent snoring. Children can even suffer from snoring. Knowing this, there must be ways to prevent or treat the problem of snoring. So what are some of the prevention and treatment methods for snoring?
One of the first steps that can be taken toward preventing and possibly treating the problem of snoring is self-help. If a person wants to fix the problem of snoring, that person needs to start by helping themselves. There are several ways that a person could go about trying to prevent and treat snoring problems.
One major thing that adults could do to lessen snoring is to lose weight. Since overweight people are more likely to snore than those people who maintain a healthy weight, then this is a good place to start. This can be done by developing and maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle, which in turn can tone the throat muscles and get rid of extra bulkiness in the throat.
Alcohol, sleeping pills and antihistamines should all be avoided before bedtime. It is recommended to avoid drinking alcohol for at least four hours before bedtime. All of these products act as sedatives and relax the body, including the throat tissues. This leads to increased snoring.
Another option for the self-help of snoring is to treat any nasal congestion or blockages, since this will cause increased breathing through the mouth, resulting in increased snoring. Some nasal congestion or blockage can be self-treated; however, more severe cases may require treatment from a doctor. Either way, this will help to decrease the problem of snoring.
An option for snoring that has been growing increasingly popular is the use of adhesive nasal strips, which can also be used to alleviate the problems of congestion or blockage. Nasal strips are applied to the outside of the nose, just below the bridge and they contain little bands which help to open up the nasal passages to restore freer breathing through the nose.
A couple of more options to prevent or treat the problem of snoring are to elevate the head during sleep, create regular sleeping patterns and to sleep on your side as opposed to your back. Sleeping on your back allows the tongue to relax and fall back into the throat, obstructing the airway; lying on your side will help to prevent this problem and avoid snoring.
If none of the above self-help options help to alleviate the problem of snoring or if the snoring is too severe, then there are some medical treatments available. (Of course, a doctor will probably first recommend the above-mentioned lifestyle changes. If they do not work, then the doctor might recommend the following options.) Treatments may vary depending on the cause of the snoring.
Surgery is one of the medical treatments available to snorers. There are different types of surgery that may be offered. In one surgery, called uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, the doctor trims excess throat tissues and tightens the remaining tissues. In a surgery called laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty, the doctor uses a small laser to remove the uvula and to shorten the soft palate, which makes the airway bigger and reduces snoring. This surgery is not recommended for light to moderate snorers however. In a third type of surgery, called somnoplasty, the doctor removes part of the soft palate by using a low-intensity radio signal. This surgery is also called radio frequency tissue ablation and is a relatively new procedure which is receiving further study.
A couple of other medical treatments available to snorers, besides surgery, include the use of oral appliances and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). Oral appliances are mouthpieces that need to be fitted to the form of your dental structure and help the problem of snoring by keeping the air passages open. With CPAP, the snorer wears a pressurized mask over the nose that continually pushes air through the nose to keep the airways open. This is done with the use of a small pump which is attached to the mask. While this method may be uncomfortable, it is very effective at eliminating snoring.
If you or someone you know suffers from snoring, then maybe one of the above-mentioned options may help to prevent or treat the snoring problem, whether a self-help option or a medical option. In addition, there are several “cures” that were not mentioned that some people swear by, which may or may not help the problem of snoring. In any case, happy sleeping!
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Snoring
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