Seeking Medical Treatment for Snoring

Snoring is a nuisance that can affect most people at any given time in their lives. Little things like colds or sinus infections can bring on the occasional night of snoring. Allergy season can be a common culprit as well. Pregnancy or over indulging in alcohol has also been known to induce temporary bouts of snoring. Just getting through the occasional night of snoring can be challenging for you and your partner. Imagine if you suffered from snoring on a more ongoing and chronic level.

Chronic snoring does have far reaching consequences that can affect day to day life in ways that the occasional night of sleep deprivation does not. Not only does this long-term sleep deprivation cause you to feel listless and tired throughout the day, but your work and general daily performance may suffer as well as your relationships with other people. Feeling tired leaves you moody and irritable making it unlikely that people will want to be around you for any length of time. Your sleeping partner may be experiencing many of these same problems. This makes for a very tense and anxious relationship within the home. If you realize that your snoring problem is more chronic in nature, there are both medical and non-medical treatments available to you.

First, seek medical attention. Chronic snoring can be a sign of a more serious underlying medical condition such as heart disease, diabetes or even an impending stroke. Once a doctor has checked you and other more serious conditions have been ruled out, there are more natural approaches that you can take to try to decrease your snoring. If you are overweight, losing weight will help. To help keep your airway open and flowing, try sleeping with the top of your mattress elevated rather than using a pillow. The pillow will bend your neck in such a way that it will decrease airflow. Try sleeping on your side. Avoid alcohol and eating before bed and do not resort to sedatives. Avoid milk products. Dairy products thicken our mucus lining making congestion more likely which, in turn, causes an increase in snoring.

If none of the non-medical approaches have any affect, there are medical options available to you. There are a variety of dental and oral devices on the market today that many people use to reduce chronic snoring. There are also surgical procedures available.

One popular procedure that has been met with great success is the Pillar Procedure. Endorsed by Dr.’s Jennifer Jordan and Dwight Lee, Dallas, TX experts in sleep apnea and chronic snoring, the Pillar Procedure involves inserting three tiny woven inserts into the soft palate of your mouth which effectively eliminates or reduces the vibrations that cause the snoring sound. Best of all, it can be done in one office visit and is pain-free. Check with your physician. Only a doctor can determine the cause of the snoring and advise you on which option would work best for you.