Are you being nudged, shaken, or elbowed during the night from your sleep partner because of your snoring? It is estimated that 90 million Americans snore, so there is a good chance you may be getting nudged. If so, both you and your partner are losing sleep and it can be frustrating. People don’t want to snore, and those that don’t snore (or at least think they don’t) don’t want to sleep with someone who does. What is snoring and what does it mean? Does snoring mean you have sleep apnea?
Snoring vs Apnea
Just because you snore does not mean that you have sleep apnea. There are people who simply snore. People who simply snore do not experience apneic events and are called primary snorers.
Primary snorers: Primary snoring is due to the relaxation of the soft tissues in the back of your throat. These tissues relax when you fall asleep. When they are in a relaxed position they sag toward your tongue partially blocking your airway. As the air passes through when you breathe, the soft tissue vibrates creating the sound we call snoring.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA): While primary snorers may snore loudly or softly depending on their position, their anatomy, body weight, alcohol consumption, and other factors, excessively loud and frequent snoring can be a sign of OSA. People suffering from OSA snore, but more seriously they can stop breathing. This temporary suspension of breathing is an apneic event and those with OSA can experience hundreds of these cessations of breathing a night. The cessations in breathing can last from a few seconds to over a minute.
Treatment
While primary snoring can sometimes be treated with nasal strips, oral devices, weight loss, a decrease in alcohol consumption, or simply changing positions. OSA is often treated using a CPAP machine which continuously blows air through your airways creating pressure that prevents the soft tissues from collapsing.
About Your Livonia MI Dentist Dr. Stewart
James R. Stewart, Jr, DDS, PC and our compassionate staff proudly serve patients of all ages from Livonia, MI., Farmington Hills, Plymouth, Northville, Dearborn Heights, Garden City, and all surrounding communities. If you think you or a loved one is dealing with a sleep disorder, call our office today at (734) 425-4400, to schedule an appointment. At Dental Sleep Medicine of Michigan, we are committed to forming trusting relationships with our patients so we can work together to achieve sound treatment and a future full of restful nights.
