Sleep apnea is a tricky disorder to track because, well, you’re asleep when the condition manifests. That said, there are telltale signs that you may have sleep apnea, and we review the most common of them here.
The benefits of a good night’s rest are almost incalculable. From regenerating cells to regulating hormone levels, your body is hard at work while you slumber peacefully. If you have ongoing problems with snoring, however, you may not get the restorative sleep you need, and it may signal a larger problem.
At Houston Sinus Surgery, Cecil Yeung, MD, and our team specialize in solving snoring problems, which can help you and those around you rest more easily. With that in mind, we discuss some of the most common issues that can lead to chronic snoring and how we can treat them.
Approximately 22 million people in the United States suffer from sleep apnea, the most common type being obstructive sleep apnea. With this condition, the soft tissues at the back of your throat collapse while you sleep, effectively blocking your airways. When your brain registers the fact that your body isn’t getting oxygen, it rouses you to clear your airways — and this can happen dozens of times throughout the night.
Sleep apnea is associated with high blood pressure and diabetes, to name just two of the more common complications.
If we find that sleep apnea is the underlying cause of the snoring, we usually treat the problem with a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device or with an oral appliance. CPAP devices are designed to help keep your airways clear. Oral appliances are custom-made to help prevent your airways from being obstructed.
Another common cause of snoring is a structural issue in your septum, the piece of cartilage that forms the divider between your nostrils. If your septum is moderately to severely deviated, it means that one nostril is much smaller, and you may have trouble breathing through your nose, which could lead to snoring.
In these cases, we can first approach the problem with decongestants, steroids, or antihistamines. If these treatments prove ineffective, we can correct the deviation through surgery.
If there’s an infection in your sinuses, which is called sinusitis, it can lead to congestion and, in turn, snoring. There are many reasons why people develop sinusitis, from allergies to unusually small sinuses. Our approach will depend on the underlying cause.
It’s worth noting that nearly 30 million Americans struggle with chronic sinusitis, and snoring is only one byproduct. If you have sinusitis, we can clear up the infection once and for all.
Most nasal polyps aren’t a cause for concern, but if they grow large enough, they can lead to snoring and other symptoms. In these cases, we typically first turn to more conservative treatments, such as medications. However, if your symptoms persist, we can remove the polyps surgically.
If you snore, we can get to the bottom of your condition and get you breathing right again. To learn more, book an appointment online or over the phone with Houston Sinus Surgery today.
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