Snoring. It doesn’t sound like a serious medical condition but it can be surprisingly disruptive, and is sometimes associated with other health problems.
At the risk of over-sharing, we have a “snoring room” in our house which I am kindly dispatched to from time to time when my wife has got sick of turning me on my side. I didn’t realise what she was putting up with until I had to room with my brother at a family function. Unfortunately he got to sleep before I did and I was treated to a trombone concert of stentorian proportions. The walls seemed to shake slightly and I wouldn’t have been surprised if the neighbours had called noise control. I sympathised with the person who wrote that “killing somebody who snores is not murder, it is self defence!”
Snorers basically come into three categories – the ones who have to mouth breathe because of a blocked nose, the floppy palates which flap in the breeze and the collapsing throats mostly due to obesity. Obviously the treatment is different for each type and it would be worth checking with your doctor to find out. The blocked noses could be due to allergy, sinus or structural problems, all of which are potentially remediable. Persistent snoring in children is not normal and warrants investigation.
The floppy palate problem has been the target of a number of interventions. At this point I just have to drop in one of my favourite medical terms: the uvulopalatopharyngoplasty! Mercifully shortened to UPPP, this operation was not uncommon in the past but was painful, slow to recover from and not universally successful. Less invasive procedures have been developed which tighten the palate, employing either chemical injections, laser or high frequency radio waves. The latter is available in some GP practices in Auckland and has a good success rate at reasonable cost.
Mandibular advancement splints, which are like a mouthguard to bring the jaw forward, are promoted for this problem but I haven’t had much success with them.
The collapsed throat scenario is the most serious. When associated with sleep apnoea it can have a significant impact on health and quality of life. Contributing factors are obesity, excess alcohol and smoking, plus being a male, older and having a thick neck. It really requires medical input. The consequent daytime tiredness makes it difficult for the patient to achieve motivation for exercise and diet, creating a vicious circle. Fortunately your GP can help you get access to CPAP or other remedies that can be truly life-changing.
