Snoring is a sound that is produced due to vibration of tissues in the throat. Studies have shown that approximately 24% of the local population are loud habitual snorers.
Snoring is usually not harmful, but it can be a symptom of upper airway obstruction – this medical condition is known as obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA).
OSA is a potentially serious disorder, in which one’s breathing is interrupted during sleep resulting in a drop in oxygen levels in the body. This causes the individual to awaken many times during the night, experience unrefreshed sleep and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS).
Many people snore, but only some snorers have OSA.
In patients with OSA, repeated drops in blood oxygen levels every night lead to multiple health issues if left untreated. Complications of untreated OSA include:
Snoring is a sound that is produced due to vibration of tissues lining the upper air passages. It is usually due to a combination of factors that eventually lead to narrowing or collapse of the upper air passage. These factors include:
Other factors which can influence the snoring condition are:
Consult your physician if you have these symptoms in addition to loud snoring, as you may possibly have OSA:
Your physician will then refer you to a Sleep Disorders Centre for a thorough evaluation of your problem.
At the Sleep Disorders Centre, the attending Specialist will schedule a sleep study to evaluate the severity of your upper airway collapse and drops in oxygen level during sleep. A sleep study is required to diagnose OSA. This sleep study can be done overnight in the hospital or at the comfort of your own home.
The treatment of snoring and OSA requires a multidisciplinary approach and is divided into medical and surgical options. The eventual therapeutic choice is individualised.
Surgical procedures for the treatment of snoring and OSA may include nasal, palate, jaw, tongue or neck surgery depending on the location of the tissues contributing to the upper airway obstruction.
A comprehensive assessment by an ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgeon is required prior to surgery, as surgical recommendations are tailored to individuals. This usually involves an upper airway endoscopy under sedation to evaluate the areas of your upper airway collapse during sleep.
Most treatments are directed at the soft palate (soft tissue at the back of the roof of the mouth) since this is the most common site of snoring. Some snorers have excessive tissue such as large tonsils, long palate and bulky tongue. Removal of such excessive tissues will help alleviate snoring.
Types of surgery include:
Download Snoring Brochure [ PDF | 2.7MB ]
The information provided is not intended as medical advice. Terms of use. Information provided by SingHealth.
Department
Otorhinolaryngology - Head &Neck Surgery
Department
Otolaryngology (ENT)
Department
Otorhinolaryngology- Head & Neck Surgery
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