'Snore No More' Remedy Series, Part VI
Source: AARP Mag., May/June Issue '08 (which Features Jamie Lee Curtis on the Cover)
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PART VI: WHEN TO SEE A DOCTOR
Loud snoring can be a sign of obstructive sleep apnea, a serious condition in which the Snorer stops breathing many times a night. Left untreated, it can lead to heart damage, stroke, and even death.
If a Snorer is frequently very sleepy during the day, stops breathing during sleep, or snorts awake, gasping for breath, then it's time to see an Otolaryngologist. And even if you don't have symptoms of apnea, this doc can ease snoring if other remedies have failed.
THE MASK. Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) is the standard treatment for sleep apnea and severe snoring. A facemask delivers air pressure into the throat. The machine is effective but can be cumbersome.
CHOPPER CHECKERS. A plastic dental splint fits into the mouth over the teeth. It moves the lower jaw forward and enhances nose breathing.
STIFF UPPER MOUTH. The most common types of surgery for snoring, in which tissue is cut away from the throat and palate, are very painful and frequently not very effective. But newer procedures called palatal stiffening -- shoring up the soft palate to prevent it from vibrating -- can work well.
The newest and possibly most effective kind is called a pillar palatal implant, in which a surgeon inserts a few 1"long polyester cords into the soft palate to promote scarring and stiffening. A reduction in snoring usually takes a month. In surveys, as many as nine in ten patients were satisfied with the procedure. (End)
**************************************** ********
NEXT SERIES: 'JOINT PAIN' (following in-depth research)
~~~ STAY TUNED ~~~ SL
**************************************** *****************
PART VI: WHEN TO SEE A DOCTOR
Loud snoring can be a sign of obstructive sleep apnea, a serious condition in which the Snorer stops breathing many times a night. Left untreated, it can lead to heart damage, stroke, and even death.
If a Snorer is frequently very sleepy during the day, stops breathing during sleep, or snorts awake, gasping for breath, then it's time to see an Otolaryngologist. And even if you don't have symptoms of apnea, this doc can ease snoring if other remedies have failed.
THE MASK. Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) is the standard treatment for sleep apnea and severe snoring. A facemask delivers air pressure into the throat. The machine is effective but can be cumbersome.
CHOPPER CHECKERS. A plastic dental splint fits into the mouth over the teeth. It moves the lower jaw forward and enhances nose breathing.
STIFF UPPER MOUTH. The most common types of surgery for snoring, in which tissue is cut away from the throat and palate, are very painful and frequently not very effective. But newer procedures called palatal stiffening -- shoring up the soft palate to prevent it from vibrating -- can work well.
The newest and possibly most effective kind is called a pillar palatal implant, in which a surgeon inserts a few 1"long polyester cords into the soft palate to promote scarring and stiffening. A reduction in snoring usually takes a month. In surveys, as many as nine in ten patients were satisfied with the procedure. (End)
**************************************** ********
NEXT SERIES: 'JOINT PAIN' (following in-depth research)
~~~ STAY TUNED ~~~ SL
