Severe Snoring Can Be a Sign of Something Worse
Did your snoring start out as a random occurrence but quickly ballooned into an issue that causes you and your partner to miss out on sleep?
You may be suffering from sleep apnea. Sleep apnea can keep both the sufferer and their partner from getting a goodnight's sleep, which can lead to other health issues down the road.
If you or someone you love is a chronic snorer, it may be time to come into Emerald ENT for a diagnosis and treatment.
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What Causes Snoring
When we sleep, the airflow coming into our nose and mouth may become turbulent. Meaning that it’s coming in from different angles or different speeds due to some sort of obstruction in the nose or mouth.
This turbulent air can begin to vibrate and cause snoring. Snoring is often the main sign of sleep apnea, and it can lead to interrupted rest, fatigue, and other health concerns.
What is Sleep Apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), the most common form of sleep apnea, occurs when an obstruction forms due to a soft palate or tongue. The muscles in the mouth become weak and relax, resulting in a blockage that causes snoring and the occasional pause in breathing.
OSA can lead to conditions like:
- Fatigue
- Reduced Mental Function
- High Blood Pressure
- Irregular Heart Beat
- Risk of Stroke
- Heart Attack
- And More
Treating Sleep Apnea At Emerald ENT
Most of the time, OSA can be traced back to a soft palate and relaxed tissues while sleeping. However, at Emerald ENT, we will go through your symptoms to diagnose the true cause of your OSA. As we are an ENT specialty, we can treat any and all blockages we find such as nasal polyps or a deviated septum.
Once we diagnose the true cause of your OSA, we can then work with you to determine the best course of treatment. We want to make sure that the treatment will be successful while also fitting with your lifestyle and overall health goals.
One of our favorite OSA treatment options at Emerald ENT is called Inspire for Sleep Apnea. It allows us to treat our patients without the need for a sleep apnea mask.
