Snoring is a noise generated as a result of partial upper airway obstruction during sleep due to vibration of the soft palate and pharyngeal wall caused by turbulent airflow. The turbulence is caused by a partial blockage that may be located anywhere from the nose to the voice box.
Snoring is more common with increasing age, commoner in men and in the overweight population.
The airway narrowing occurs only during sleep, or it may persist all the time and be worse when we are asleep. This is because our muscle tone is reduced during sleep and there may be insufficient tone to prevent the airway tissue vibrating.
Snoring can be due to multifactor causes, hence there will never be one single universal cure for snoring, accurate assessment is paramount to guide treatment. However, we can try to identify the cause of snoring and deal with it aiming to control the problem.
Losing weight and avoiding heavy meals and alcohol at night can contribute to a degree of snoring relief. Your doctor needs to exclude Sleep Apnoea which is a related disease where oxygen saturation can drop during sleep as the approach to treatment can vary.
Mandibular Positioning Devises to push the lower jaw forwards has a role in treatment however success rates vary as well as patient tolerance to wearing it during sleep.
Surgery can help to relieve the obstruction following an assessment by the Ear Nose and Throat Consultant.