Snoring is the resultant sound that occurs when two relaxed surfaces collapse into each other during a sleep cycle. Snoring is caused by vibrations of our tissues which are relaxed during sleep, the obstruction can be anywhere between tip of the nose to your larynx, sometimes even beyond.
Is snoring really even a big deal?
Most of us are guilty of snoring at one point in our life, it is more or less looked at as a pesky habit. Snoring once in a while can be looked upon as a cute pet peeve but snoring doesn’t belong in your bedrooms everyday.
There are various pitches or variations to snoring, my cat snoring or gently purring is the most relaxing sound I have heard. There is always this uncle who either boards the plane or a train promptly to fall asleep sitting, making sure everyone can hear the vibrations of his pharynx and single handedly ruining it for every person who doesn’t travel with earphones.
Is it really uncles fault?
Snoring is like a dirty secret which is swept under the rug, I can almost hear Seema aunty from Mumbai saying shaadi is adjustment and compromises. While being a very under screened disorder in our country, a 2015 study revealed 59.72 percent men, 40.20 percent female and 27 percent children snore on a daily basis while 47.46 percent of the population have no idea about their snoring habits.
Snoring in children.
Snoring in children is almost always ignored by parents in both urban and rural populations alike, unlike adults children need proper undisturbed sleep of 6 to 8 hours to have a healthy immune system and proper mental development.
Most common causes of snoring in children
- Adenoids
- Enlarged elongated tonsils
- Uncontrolled allergic rhinitis
- Deviated nasal septum
- Obesity
- Poor air quality or passive inhalation of tobacco.
- Bronchitis or bronchial asthma.
Most of the causes of snoring in children are treatable. Parents have to understand the urgency of the treatment because no child deserves to struggle to breath. Life throws various struggles at our children from a very young age, finding the cause, eliminating it or getting it treated has to be the utmost priority of every parent.
Chronic effect of snoring in young children
Will cause frequent throat infections
Gapped or crooked teeth
Frequent chest infections or bronchitis
Obstructive sleep apnea
Cardiac issues
Developmental disorders Cognitive delays
Snoring in adults
I remember being in school and a poor woman cited her reason for divorce was her husband’s unrelenting snoring and it was national news to our countries dismay. Snoring has caused a lot of friction in a lot of married or unmarried now 21st century couples, but is that all that is a nuisance? Sadly as the under collected data suggests snoring is a household issue and needs a lot of prompt public awareness.
When does snoring in adults have to be addressed?
- Breathing pauses during sleep
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- Difficulty concentrating
- Morning headaches
- Sore throat upon awakening
- Restless sleep
- Gasping or choking at night
- High blood pressure
- Chest pain at night
- Your snoring is so loud it’s disrupting your partner’s sleep.
Common causes of snoring in adults
- Enlarged adenoids or tonsils
- Deviated nasal septum
- Chronic or allergic sinusitis
- Excessive alcohol consumption
- Obesity
- Bulky tongue
- Lax oropharyngeal tissue or muscles
- GERD
- Bulky neck.
Most common concern with adult snoring is OSA or Obstructive Sleep Apnea which is a legitimate silent killer which as the recent news cycle has pointed out has taken our beloved Bappi Da. If not death snoring will definitely affect quality of life of the patient and their partner
How to know if your snoring is heading towards sleep apnea?
There are very simple sleep studies which can either be done at the comfort of your very own bedroom or very pristinely set up sleep labs located at various hospitals and ent centres across the city.
The surgical evaluation of sleep apnea consists of a sleep endoscopy which is a day care procedure which can be scheduled at the convenience of the ent surgeon and the patient.
Is snoring treatable?
As satirical as it might appear to the 55+ year old sitting across from a rather plump me advising him/her to lose some weight and practice yoga, the treatment for snoring starts by the process of eliminating the stressors in our life.
There are various treatment options available for snoring identifying the cause and the extent of damage caused are the first steps to be taken
Medical management involves treating the underlying cause, there are various machines available to facilitate adequate air supply.
Surgical management of snoring is vastly evolving with Hitech lasers and minimal access surgeries designed to eliminate the stressors for good. Stop the monster before it lurks too close to a loved one, breathing is an autonomous function engrained inside our brains which happens with no input from us, why suffocate and live an inferior quality of life.
