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One fourth of the world’s population snores. A survey conducted by Owens Corning in December, 1999 found that one in every three women who are 45 years old or younger have a snoring spouse that keeps them awake. Nothing can turn wedded bliss into a gigantic nightmare any faster than trying to deal with a snoring spouse. The person doing all the snoring usually is not aware that he is interfering with his wife’s sleep, because he is sleeping fine. Usually, his wife has to work hard to convince him that he is creating enough noise to wake neighbors two floors away with taped recordings and threats of divorce. Many even resort to finding other sleeping quarters.
Many wives’ tales list cures for this problem, from putting an axe under the offender’s pillow to burying a tuft of his hair under a willow tree during a moonlit night. Do not despair, ladies! More practical helps now exist to help remedy this problem that do not involve divorce, separate bedrooms, or moonlit nights.
Stertor, the medical term for snoring, is the noise created from vibrations made by air being forced through a small opening in the back of an overcrowded throat. Lifestyle changes can help lessen, and sometimes totally eradicate the snoring problem. These include losing weight, changing eating patterns, getting more exercise throughout the day, and avoiding alcohol use at bedtime. For some, not using sleeping medications have drastically decreased the snoring episodes.
Nasal stuffiness can sometimes cause snoring. This can be remedied with antihistamines or the use of nasal breathing strips. If antihistamines are to be used, it is advisable to speak with your physician first for recommendations. Many antihistamines should not be used by individuals with certain medical conditions or if they are taking other medications for conditions such as high blood pressure or asthma. But, the nasal strips are relatively free of any side effects. They may be easily used by simply applying the strip over the bridge of the nose as directed by the instructions included with the strips.
If help is sought out from the snorer’s physician, he may first do some simple exams to make certain that the snoring is not due to thyroid problems or other metabolic disorders. Once these are ruled out, he may refer the snoring individual to a sleep clinic for evaluation. Here, the individual would be evaluated for problems such as sleep apnea in which there are periods of not breathing during the night.
A dental evaluation may be needed. Dentists now have the ability to design mouthguard pieces that prevent the vibration of the soft palate in the mouth and the soft tissues in the throat that lead to the grunting noises made in the snoring episodes. Depending upon the cause of the snoring, these appliances work in various ways. Some lift the soft palate to stop the vibrations. Some use a suction method to hold the tongue forward, preventing it from blocking the throat. Still others hold the jaw forward, pulling the tongue forward with it.
If all else fails, there are surgeons who perform procedures known as “snorectomies“. Fleshy parts of the throat are removed that obstruct the normal breathing passageways. In many cases this may be done on an outpatient basis with very little discomfort. It is done with a laser under local anesthesia so that the patient is sitting upright and is fully awake during the 20 to 30 minute procedure. This usually produces a noticeable change in the snoring problem immediately. Speech is not affected, and the throat may have some minor soreness with swallowing for about a week.
Many helps are now available to help the spouse of a chronic snorer to get a good night‘s rest as well. So, why suffer through one more night of loud obnoxious grunts that may be heard on the next block? No need to let a good marriage go bad due to your lack of sleep, make that appointment with your physician today. .
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