The loud sounds some people make while sleeping are no joke. When the interruptions caused by snoring begin to affect life during the daylight hours, they may indicate an underlying medical problem. A Chicago sleep medicine center helps sufferers by providing individually tailored solutions to this personal problem.
The mechanics of snoring differ individually, but generally occur when air cannot move freely through the nose and mouth. The blockage can be caused initially by the position of the body at rest, or by excess fatty tissue surrounding the throat. It often become more pronounced with age as the throat narrows and muscle tone gradually diminishes.
More men than women experience this syndrome, which is encouraged by excess body weight in combination with poor physical condition. Some prescription medications, as well as alcohol, inhibit normal breathing, and smoking irritates the throat and lungs. Sinus and nasal blockages prevent normal air intake, resulting in mouth-breathing.
Because the problem is so widespread, new consumer products are regularly introduced that promise instant relief. While individual successes have been reported, oral prosthetic devices correct symptoms, but not underlying causes. Long-lasting solutions involve physical changes including weight loss, smoking cessation, and exercise.
Non-medical solutions include using nasal strips or a humidifier, assuming less restrictive sleeping positions, or using over-the-counter antihistamines. They may clear nasal passages, but do not stop apnea, a nightly interruption associated with snoring that feels like repeated suffocation or strangling, and can indicate other physical problems.
If nothing provides real relief, ask to be referred to a medical sleep center. While surgery is usually necessary only in cases of inflamed adenoids or similar problems, new techniques help shrink throat tissue in less invasive ways. Snoring may be humorous on a very basic level, but not to those who must deal with the consequences.
The mechanics of snoring differ individually, but generally occur when air cannot move freely through the nose and mouth. The blockage can be caused initially by the position of the body at rest, or by excess fatty tissue surrounding the throat. It often become more pronounced with age as the throat narrows and muscle tone gradually diminishes.
More men than women experience this syndrome, which is encouraged by excess body weight in combination with poor physical condition. Some prescription medications, as well as alcohol, inhibit normal breathing, and smoking irritates the throat and lungs. Sinus and nasal blockages prevent normal air intake, resulting in mouth-breathing.
Because the problem is so widespread, new consumer products are regularly introduced that promise instant relief. While individual successes have been reported, oral prosthetic devices correct symptoms, but not underlying causes. Long-lasting solutions involve physical changes including weight loss, smoking cessation, and exercise.
Non-medical solutions include using nasal strips or a humidifier, assuming less restrictive sleeping positions, or using over-the-counter antihistamines. They may clear nasal passages, but do not stop apnea, a nightly interruption associated with snoring that feels like repeated suffocation or strangling, and can indicate other physical problems.
If nothing provides real relief, ask to be referred to a medical sleep center. While surgery is usually necessary only in cases of inflamed adenoids or similar problems, new techniques help shrink throat tissue in less invasive ways. Snoring may be humorous on a very basic level, but not to those who must deal with the consequences.
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Find details about the advantages you get when you consult a sleep doctor and more information about a reputable Chicago sleep medicine center at http://www.sleepmedcenter.com now.
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