Sleep Better Tonight: Exploring Solutions for Snoring and Sleep Apnea

Is your snoring keeping you (or your partner) up at night?

If so, you’re not alone. According to data shared by Johns Hopkins, at least 45% of adults snore occasionally — and about one-fourth of people snore regularly.

But just because snoring is common doesn’t mean it’s something you should ignore. When left untreated, frequent sleep disruptions can lead to chronic fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes. Snoring can also be a symptom of a more serious condition called sleep apnea.

But how do you know whether your snoring is cause for concern? And what can you do to nip this nighttime nuisance in the bud?

Here’s everything you need to know about the difference between snoring and sleep apnea, when to see a board-certified ENT like Dr. Shawn Allen, and a few procedures that help patients like you breathe easier at bedtime.

What Causes Snoring and Sleep Apnea?

The first step in addressing your condition is understanding what causes sleep apnea or snoring and narrowing down the root cause of your symptoms.

Here’s a quick breakdown of each:

• Snoring
  Snoring happens when your airflow becomes partially blocked, causing the soft tissues in the back of your throat to vibrate and produce a guttural, whistling, or snorting sound.Temporary snoring is usually caused by nasal congestion from seasonal allergies, a head cold, or from consuming alcohol or sedatives (which can over-relax the respiratory muscles). However, chronic snoring develops from irregularities in your anatomy (such as a deviated septum, enlarged tonsils, or a swollen tongue).
• Sleep Apnea
  Sleep apnea is a disorder where you repeatedly stop and start breathing throughout the night, which often causes you to snore deeply and wake up gasping for breath.“Most cases of sleep apnea develop when the throat muscles relax and block air from reaching the lungs,” explains Dr. Allen. “This is usually because of untreated chronic nasal congestion, a narrowed airway, inflammation from smoking, or medical conditions like asthma, hormonal disorders, or congestive heart failure.”However, a less common type of sleep apnea (called central sleep apnea, or CSA) happens when the brain fails to send the proper signals to the respiratory muscles that control your breathing.

 

Why You Shouldn’t Ignore These Conditions

It’s easy to dismiss loud snoring as an annoying yet harmless habit or downplay your frequent fatigue as a side effect of a busy life. But chronic snoring and sleep apnea can erode your health over time and significantly diminish your quality of life.

There are two primary reasons you shouldn’t ignore snoring or sleep apnea symptoms:

• Health risks of untreated sleep apnea
  Patients who fail to address their sleep apnea are at a higher risk of developing high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.Additionally, when you don’t get enough rest or struggle to get enough oxygen into your body at night, you can also develop cognitive impairments or mood disorders like depression and anxiety, and increase your risk of workplace mistakes or car accidents.
• Snoring may be a sign of underlying issues
  Habitual snoring may indicate sleep apnea — but could also signal inflammation or infection in your tonsils, soft palate, sinuses, or adenoids (the immune system glands at the back of the throat).

“Sometimes, there’s a reason behind your snoring,” Dr. Allen shares. “It could mean you have a deviated septum, enlarged turbinates, nasal polyps, or another correctable anatomical issue obstructing your nasal passages.”

Even if you think your snoring is harmless, seeing a doctor for a proper diagnosis is always a good idea — especially since most causes are highly treatable.

When to See an ENT for Snoring or Sleep Apnea

If you’re experiencing these snoring and sleep apnea symptoms, consider making an appointment with an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist like Dr. Allen for an evaluation:

• Loud, chronic snoring that disrupts your sleep (or wakes your partner)
• Waking up gasping for air or feeling like you’re choking
• Frequent headaches, sore throat, or dry mouth
• Difficulty breathing through your nose, especially when you lie down
• Persistent fatigue or waking up feeling like you’ve gotten poor-quality sleep
• A history of chronic congestion or nasal injuries (like fractures or blunt impact to the nose)

Your ENT can examine your nose and throat for structural issues, help identify the cause of your condition, and recommend treatments to help you feel better.

ENT Solutions That Can Help

Here are a few minimally invasive procedures Dr. Allen often recommends for patients considering surgery to stop snoring and those who want to address the root cause of their sleep apnea:

Septoplasty & Turbinate Reduction

A deviated septum or enlarged turbinates often make it difficult to breathe well at night, but these procedures can provide lasting relief.

• Septoplasty: Dr. Allen often recommends this procedure for patients with a crooked septum (the wall of bone and cartilage that divides your nostrils). Straightening your septum can help you breathe easier from both nostrils, decrease snoring, and support better sinus drainage to alleviate congestion.
• Turbinate reduction: This surgery removes excess tissue from around the bony structures inside your nose, clearing a path for better airflow.

 

Sinus Surgery

If you suffer from chronic congestion, your surgeon may recommend one of these procedures:

• Balloon Sinusplasty: During this gentle, in-office procedure, Dr. Allen inserts a small balloon into the sinus opening, inflates it to widen the opening, and uses a saline solution to flush and clear your sinuses.
• Endoscopic Sinus Surgery: Using a tiny camera and small, precise tools, Dr. Allen carefully removes any blockages, polyps, or diseased tissue from the sinus passages to restore natural drainage and improve your airflow.

 

Sleep Apnea Surgical Options

If you can’t (or don’t want to) use a CPAP machine, surgery can be an effective alternative. Here are a few procedures your surgeon may recommend to correct sleep apnea:

• Inspire® Therapy: Like a pacemaker for your airway, this innovative implant device gently stimulates the muscles that keep your airway open while you sleep. Patients can turn the device on at bedtime using a small handheld device.
• Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP): During this obstructive sleep apnea surgery, Dr. Allen carefully removes or reshapes tissue from the soft palate and uvula to help open the back of your throat and clear your airway.
• Multilevel surgery: Sometimes, sleep apnea has multiple causes. For example, you may have a deviated septum and excess tissue in your soft palate. In these cases, Dr. Allen combines multiple procedures (which may include complete airway remodeling) to help restore effortless breathing.

 

Ready to Sleep Better? Start with a Consultation

Living with sleep apnea or severe snoring is more than just a mild inconvenience. These conditions can destroy the quality of your sleep, strain your relationships, and trigger a cascade of severe chronic conditions.

Fortunately, you don’t have to continue suffering. If you’re ready to breathe easier and enjoy more restful nights, contact Dr. Allen for a consultation. Unobstructed breathing is just around the corner.