Almost one out of every two Americans adults snore occasionally, and one in four snore regularly. Snoring is more common in males and in those who are overweight. Snoring is a problem that gets worse with age.

What causes snoring?

Snoring occurs when there is a blockage of free air flow through the back of the mouth and nose. This area is collapsible - when the structures in this area of the breathing pathway strike each other and vibrate during breathing, snoring is the result.

People who snore may suffer from a nasal problem:

	A stuffy or blocked nose requires extra effort to pull air through it. This creates an exaggerated vacuum in the throat, and pulls together the floppy tissues of the throat. Snoring results.
	Deformities of the nose or nasal septum, such as a deviated septum, nasal polyps, enlarged adenoids, sinusitis, and other abnormalities can cause such an obstruction.

People who snore may suffer from a throat problem:

	Children with large tonsils and adenoids often snore. In adults, a long palate or uvula can also narrow the throat. This tissue can dangle in the throat and flutter with breathing, causing snoring. Overweight people have bulky neck tissue and often snore too. Other rare causes, such as cysts or tumors, require evaluation by the specialist.
	When the muscles in the tongue and throat are too relaxed, the tongue falls backwards into the airway, and/or the throat muscles draw in from the sides into the airway, causing snoring and in some cases even obstruction of breathing. This can happen during deep sleep. This can also happen as an effect of alcohol or drugs that cause sleepiness, or from other causes.

Is Snoring Serious?

Anyone who shares a room with a snorer knows the answer to this question! It can cause sleepless nights and resentment for the non-snoring roommate or spouse.

Snoring can also be a sign of a medically serious problem called Obstructive Sleep Apnea. People who snore should be evaluated by a specialist.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)

When loud snoring is interrupted by frequent episodes of totally blocked breathing, it is known as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). When episodes of blocked breathing last more than ten seconds each and occur more than seven times per hour, this is considered quite serious. OSA patients may experience 30 to 300 such events per night. These episodes can reduce blood oxygen levels, causing the heart to pump harder.

In order to breathe, the snorer with obstructive sleep apnea sleeps lightly and keeps his or her muscles tense and the airway open. Because the OSA patient sleeps this way, they do not get a good rest. They may be sleepy during the day, which impairs job performance and makes them hazardous drivers or equipment operators. After many years with this disorder elevated blood pressure, heart enlargement, and other serious conditions may occur.

Treatment

Heavy snorers, those who snore in any position, and those who are disruptive to the family, should seek medical advice to ensure that sleep apnea is not a problem, and to see what treatments are available for their snoring. A snoring specialist will provide a thorough examination of the nose, mouth, throat, palate, and neck. A sleep study in a laboratory environment may be necessary to determine how serious the snoring is and what effects it has on the snorer's health.

Treatment depends on the diagnosis. An examination will reveal if the snoring is caused by nasal blockage, sinusitis, enlarged tonsils and adenoids, or some other nose and throat problem.

Snoring may respond to various treatments now offered by snoring specialists. These are some of the treatments advocated by the Nose and Sinus Center:

Self-Help for the Light Snorer

Adults who suffer from mild or occasional snoring should try the following self-help remedies:

	Adopt a healthy and athletic lifestyle to develop good muscle tone and lose weight
	Avoid tranquilizers, sleeping pills, and antihistamines before bedtime.
	Avoid alcohol for at least four hours and heavy meals or snacks for three hours before going to bed.
	Establish regular sleeping patterns.
	Sleep on your side rather than your back.
	Tilt the head of your bed upwards four inches.

Medical Devices

There are some medical devices that are effective for snoring. Oral appliances exist that may help. Also, the patient may sleep every night with a nasal mask that delivers air pressure into the throat; this is called continuous positive airway pressure or "CPAP." Many snoring patients do not like these devices, and prefer a more definitive treatment if possible.

Surgical Treatments for Snoring

A chronically snoring child should be examined for problems with his or her tonsils and adenoids. If the chronically snoring child has enlarged tonsils and adenoids, and if they have excessive daytime sleepiness affecting their performance at school, a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy may be required to return the child to full health and full function.

For the adult, radiofrequency ablation - with temperature control approved by the FDA - is the preferred method to treat snoring at the Nose and Sinus Center because it is effective, it is minimally invasive, and it has a very brief recovery time. The Nose and Sinus Center radiofrequency device utilizes a needle electrode to emit energy to shrink excess tissue to the upper airway including the nasal turbinates (for chronic nasal obstruction), the palate and uvula (for excessive throat tissue), and also the base of the tongue when necessary. At The Nose and Sinus Center, we find that the SOMNOPLASTY radiofrequency device is preferable to Laser for snoring.

If a patient is not just a snorer but also has obstructive sleep apnea, this condition is more serious and may require more invasive procedures. Your doctor will discuss these with you.