SNORING

Snoring is produced when there is a vibration of the tissues in your throat because of the forceful flow of air from your mouth or lungs. It may be a loud noise that can give your partner a difficult time sleeping. With your partner having a difficult time sleeping and you breathing, both of you may feel tired during the day.

Snoring can be a sign of obstructive sleep apnea. This is a serious problem because you stop breathing at times during sleep in obstructive sleep apnea. So if you snore often, talk to your doctor about it.

Snoring is more common in men than in women.

Snoring is a noise that you may make while breathing during sleep. Snoring can be soft, loud, raspy, harsh, hoarse, or fluttering. Your bed partner may notice that you sleep with your mouth open and that you are restless while sleeping. If snoring interferes with your or your bed partner’s sleep, either or both of you may feel tired during the day.

If you temporarily stop breathing during the night, you may have sleep apnea, a serious condition. For more information, see the topic Sleep Apnea.

DIAGNOSIS

Diagnosis of snoring focuses on finding out whether you might have sleep apnea. Your doctor will do a physical exam and ask questions about your medical history. Because a physical exam and medical history cannot determine if you have sleep apnea, a sleep study almost always will be done if your doctor suspects the condition.

Children

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics:

  • All children should be screened for snoring as part of a routine checkup.
  • If sleep apnea is suspected, a complete sleep study generally is needed.

 

RECOMMENDED MEDICATIONS

Medicine can help prevent or reduce snoring when it is caused by nasal congestion. Medicine may open the nasal passageway, permitting a smoother airflow and reducing snoring. Decongestants (oral and nasal) and nasal corticosteroids both reduce nasal congestion.

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