Stop snoring with surgery
One of the common sleep disorders is snoring, though it is not considered to be a fatal condition, there are some serious problems associated with it that may or may not originate from its effects. This snoring problem is observed mostly in men aged between 40 years and 60 years. You will also notice this sleep disorder in obese people, the reason being that during relaxed breathing, those with chubby necks have more muscles that crumple and this causes them to snore.
Snoring is caused from a narrowed air passage between the nose and the throat. Especially when sleeping on the back, this passage narrows because of the relaxation of the tissues and the effects of gravity. When the passage is narrowed, the pressure of air is highly increased, which drives the relaxed, flapping muscles to vibrate more, which in turn, increases the snoring sounds.
Snoring results whenever the respiratory passages are narrowed because the muscles along the passage relax. For example substances that causes muscles to relax will make the tongue fall back and will result in snoring. A cold can cause the nasal passages to become clogged, and obstruct free flow of air while breathing. This condition may also produce snoring, which however is limited to the duration of the cold or inflamed sinuses.
Snoring is often related to the sleeping position of the patient. When one sleeps on one's back, the tongue along with the throat muscles are pulled back due to the presence of the gravitational force. This often causes snoring, even though the root cause is the unwanted relaxation of the tissues lining the respiratory tracts. The most effective cure would be to repair the excess muscle, but sleeping sidewise may also help.
An otolaryngologist specializes in eye, ear, nose and throat problems, among them, snoring. He will perform a thorough examination that may result in a surgery called uvulopalatoharyngoplasty or UPPP. It widens air passages, removing excess tissues such as the uvula, tonsils, adenoids and tissue around the pharynx.
The muscles that prohibit normal air passages can be removed using an intensive version of laser named laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty or LAUP. Both the methods work best for mild snores. They don’t necessarily work for those who are suffering from sleep apnea or disruptive snoring. On the other hand, if snoring is caused by unnecessary blockages in the nasal septum then nasal surgery is recommended.
Many procedures are used to prevent the tongue from falling back. The Tongue Suspension Procedure is one such method where a small screw is inserted in the lower jaw. Another method is to shrink the excess throat tissue using an electrode needle; this is termed as "Somnoplasty". The excess portion of the tissue is normally absorbed by the body.
While an operation will likely remove the cause of snoring, there are still attendant risks. Your doctor will be able to recommend the best solution for your particular condition.
