When should you visit an ENT doctor for snoring?
Snorers are frequently the target of jokes and mockery. However, many people are unaware that snoring can have a negative impact and that it can be an indication of a serious underlying condition.
Snoring is such a common problem for many people that we’ve probably heard a lot of wives complain about how loudly their husbands snore, and all they do is get used to it, like giving the snorer an elbow tug in their sleep. Snoring can be caused by blocked airways, resulting in obstructed breathing, and yone should seek medical snoring treatment in Dubai for it
What is snoring?
While snoring is very common, frequent loud snoring indicates a larger problem. If you snore every night, it’s a sign that air isn’t flowing freely through your nose and throat and that you have some obstruction in your breathing pathways. The tissues around your nose and throat vibrate due to the blockage, producing the snoring sound.
Snoring is sometimes perfectly normal, but in other cases, it could lead to a potentially fatal sleep disorder.
What causes snoring?
Snoring can be caused due to many different factors. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common type, in which the airway becomes blocked, and airflow is restricted. In other words, OSA occurs when the throat muscles relax more than necessary, resulting in a blocked airway and heavy, loud snoring.
Excess weight, enlarged tonsils or adenoids, smoking, drinking alcohol, and sleeping on your back can all contribute to abnormal snoring. Other causes of snoring include nasal congestion caused by a cold or allergies, a deviated septum, and nasal polyps.
Apart from the above, the following factors could contribute to the problem of snoring:
- Smoking
- Diabetes & Blood Pressure
- Age
- Other underlying health conditions
- Overweight
Fact Check Men snore more frequently than women, and people over the age of 40 snores more frequently than younger people. |
What are the symptoms of snoring?
Snorers produce a vibrating, rattling, and noisy sound while sleeping. It could be an indication of sleep apnea.
Other signs of sleep apnea include:
- Excessive sleepiness during the day
- Headaches in the morning
- Weight gain recently
- Not feeling rested when you wake up in the morning
- Feeling befuddled in the middle of the night
- Changes in your level of concentration, attention, or memory
- Breathing pauses during sleep
Are there any differences between snoring and sleep apnea?
Snoring | Sleep Apnea |
|---|---|
The rattling and vibration of tissues near the airway in the back of the throat cause snoring. | When you have sleep apnea, the muscles in your throat relax and block your airway while sleeping. |
Snoring is one of the most typical symptoms of OSA, but not everyone who snores suffers from this condition. | Sleep Apnea is typically loud, maybe accompanied by other sounds like choking, snorting, or gasping. |
Milder snoring, also known as primary snoring, occurs frequently but has no other consequences. | Sleep Apnea disrupts sleep and frequently disrupts the body’s balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide. |
How can snoring affect your health adversely?
Apnea – Although snoring is frequently perceived as a minor annoyance by one’s partner, it can become more serious and require a visit to the doctor. Obstructive sleep apnea is characterized by irregular breathing during the night and can develop as a result of severe snoring. Sleep apnea causes people to unknowingly stop breathing in their sleep for brief periods of time, which can occur throughout the night. This causes inadequate sleep, leaving the person feeling lethargic and tired throughout the day due insufficient oxygen during the night.
Long-term sleep apnea episodes can be fatal if not treated. If you have been experiencing these symptoms, you should see our otolaryngologist in Dubai as soon as possible.
Deteriorated quality of life – When your quality of life or relationship with your partner suffers from your symptoms, it may be time to seek medical attention. If you feel excessively tired during the day or wake up gasping at midnight regularly, this is a sign that your snoring is causing more than just minor discomfort. If you do not notice these symptoms, your partner may notice that you stop breathing at night.
Is snoring perilous?
Snoring’s danger level is determined by its type, severity, and frequency:
Snoring is normal and does not necessitate medical testing or treatment. Its primary effect is on a bed partner or roommate bothered by the occasional noise.
More than three nights per week, primary snoring occurs. It is more disruptive to bed partners because of its frequency; however, it is not usually regarded as a health concern if you aren’t facing any signs of sleep disruptions. In this case diagnostic tests may be required.
OSA-related snoring is more concerning in terms of health. If OSA is not treated, it can seriously affect a person’s sleep and overall health.
Which are the recommended snoring treatments in Dubai?
Making healthy changes in lifestyle – Many lifestyle changes can be made to help reduce or eliminate snoring. Losing weight, quitting smoking, and avoiding alcohol before bedtime are just a few of the changes. You can also try sleeping on your side or using a nasal strip to open up your airway.
Oral appliance – An oral appliance is a device placed in the mouth that keeps the airway open while sleeping. This device is frequently recommended for people with mild-to-moderate obstructive sleep apnea.
Surgery – Rarely is surgery the first-line treatment for snoring or sleep apnea in adults, but it may be an option if other methods fail.
Palatopharyngoplasty surgery widens the airway at the level of the back of the throat by remdilling nearby tissue. Nasal polyps, a deviated septum, or other nasal passage blockages can also be treated surgically. There are many other types of less-invasive surgeries that have been developed. Treatment needs to be performed in a customized way as each person is different. .
Visit our ENT doctor in Dubai if you constantly encounter the following symptoms:
- Snoring that occurs three times or more per week
- Snoring that is extremely loud or bothersome
- Snoring accompanied by gasping, choking, or snorting sounds
- Obesity or recently gained weight
- Drowsiness during the day
- A lack of concentration or mental sharpness
- Congestion and headaches in the morning
- Blood pressure is high
- Teeth grinding at night (bruxism)
- Urinating frequently at night (nocturia)
Dr. Peter Baptista, is an ENT specialist in Dubai who specializes in treating sleep apnea, obstructive sleep apnea, and other sleep disorders. He treats various ailments of the ears, nose, and throat with improvisational techniques. The European Sleep Research Society named him an “Expert in Sleep Medicine.” Besides he was also credited with performing the first successful transoral Robotic surgery using the Da Vinci Surgical System in Spain in 2011.
Get in touch with him and book your appointment to get your snoring issues treated the most effectively snoring treatment in Dubai for your partner or self.
Dr Peter Baptista Jardin
European Board Certified ENT Doctor In Dubai
Dr. Peter Baptista Jardin is an ENT specialist with a special interest in treating sleep apnea. He is a revered expert in Spain for performing the first ever robotic transoral surgery in 2011, and the only series of hypoglossal nerve stimulation proved revolutionary for obstructive sleep apnea treatment worldwide. He currently serves as an ENT doctor in Dubai’s Al Zahra Hospital.
