sleep apnea & snoring

A man is sleeping next to a woman who is covering her ears.

Learn More about Sleep Apnea & Snoring in Shreveport

Snoring is the sound of someone struggling to breathe. According to the National Sleep Foundation's (NSF) 2002 Sleep in America Poll 37% of adults report they had snored at least a few nights a week during the previous year. Additionally, 27% said that they snore every night or almost every night. This was more common in males than females.


Snoring is not a laughing matter as it is frequently portrayed. If one were to go to the emergency room making the breathing sounds of snoring that person would be immediately placed in the Intensive Care Unit for observation and treatment. Should we ignore it because it happens while we are asleep?

Why do we snore?

Snoring is caused by the turbulence of the air and the vibration of the soft palate during sleep. When we go to sleep the muscles of our airway, our palate and our tongue relax. This causes the airway to get narrower and less air can pass through. As this happens our body senses the problem and we start exerting more effort to suck air in. This is what is recognized as Upper Airway Resistance and even when limited can be a cause of medical problems. Unfortunately, in many instances the situation is even worse and this increased effort to breathe backfires. Just like what happens when we try to drink out of a straw with an ice chip blocking the bottom, our airway gets even narrower and ultimately collapses and totally closes down. The only way to overcome this is for us to momentarily wake up, activate those muscles, take a gasping breath, and go right back to sleep. This process is actually how we experience Sleep Apnea.

Snoring is a symptom of Sleep Disordered Breathing.

Around half of the people who snore loudly have Sleep Apnea. Although you may not may not be aware of your snoring, ask your bed partner how often you snore and whether or not you stop breathing.

Sleep Apnea is a life threatening disorder.

When a person experiences sleep apnea events several things can happen. Usually with the breathing event the body experiences a reaction of fear with increase in the adrenaline system activity. Along with that the oxygen level in the blood drops, the blood pressure increases and the heart has to work harder but without it's fuel. This process results in:



Other health consequences of Sleep Disordered breathing include:


  • Diabetes
  • Gastro-esophageal Acid Reflux (GERD)
  • Headaches
  • Depression
  • Impotence
  • Memory and concentration problems


In addition to the above the fragmentation of sleep causes daytime sleepiness with increased risk of motor vehicle accidents and job related injuries. Being sleepy means that you owe your body the rest it deserves and if one can sleep anytime and anywhere during the day it may not be the blessing that many think it is.


Loud snoring can also annoy one's bed partner, whose sleep quality may be impaired due to their mate's snoring and may end up on medication when the real problem is someone else's.

TREATMENT OF SLEEP DISORDERED BREATHING

Nasal positive airway pressure (NPAP) is the treatment of choice for Sleep Disordered Breathing. A gentle stream of air is directed towards the airway, splinting it open and preventing it from collapsing. Usually this treatment is delivered through any of several kinds of interface devices. Nasal masks and nasal prong type interface devices are among the most commonly used. Other devices include full face masks and oro-nasal masks. The amount of air pressure needed is different for each person and is determined via a NPAP titration. There are several NPAP devices including Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure and Auto Positive Airway Pressure. The most commonly used NPAP device today is CPAP.


Advancements in technology and new interface devices has made NPAP treatment easier and more comfortable than in the past. Proper training and professional support are important for good NPAP usage. NPAP works on all patients who wear it. It will also help patients with High Blood Pressure and Cardiovascular disease


Weight loss is very important as this decreases the amount of fat and increases the size of the airway. A significant amount of weight loss may be enough to reverse Sleep Disordered Breathing in some cases. Until such time as the weight is lost and the condition is corrected one has to be treated with effective methods such as CPAP.


Dental Appliances may be effective in some cases. Those devices are like mouth guards and help by pulling the jaw forward or repositioning the tongue. They are most effective in the milder cases.


Surgery is another option that may help some patients. The most common surgery performed is the UPPP (U triple P). This surgery involves the shortening of the palate and does not have a high success rate except in a select few with a mild condition. the risk of this is that it can convert the condition to what is known as "Silent Apnea". Silent Apnea is true sleep apnea and is just as dangerous but, without the snoring noise.

Other types of nasal, throat, and jaw surgeries can help some but not all people with snoring or apnea.


Miscellaneous approaches: Avoiding alcohol, muscle relaxants, and certain sedating medications may reduce the risk of SDB because those agents may increase airway muscle relaxation and collapse.


Over the Counter Products: Many products are available over the counter at drugstores. Those claim to be snoring and even Sleep Apnea treatments. There is very little data to show that these treatments are helpful or safe to use. Furthermore they could be dangerous because they may have side effects or may interfere with other medications.

Those treatments may lull the individual into a false sense of security by mistakenly thinking the problem is cured if the snoring is not as loud, thus, causing delay in the treatment of this serious and life threatening condition.