Do you snore? Has a loved one had to tap you awake at night or roll you over on your side because you’re keeping them up? It’s estimated that around 40% of the adult population of the UK snore, and in severe cases it can cause sleep deprivation of you and those closest to you. Let’s take a look at the snoring problems you could experience and how an ENT specialist treats them.
Why you might need snoring treatments
Vibrations in the airway behind the tongue cause snoring. During sleep, the muscles that hold the airway open during the day relax and become a little floppy. The airway behind the tongue become narrower as the support loosens and the tissue closes in a little more. This limits your ability to breath and causes the walls of the throat to vibrate, producing snoring.
Drinking alcohol, smoking, or taking sleeping tablets can also cause the airway muscles to relax and cause snoring. An obstruction in the airway such as a cold or hay-fever also has this same effect, as does the physical thickness of the neck most commonly caused by obesity.
Sleep apnoea and snoring problems
Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) creates snoring problems through the disruption and almost occasionally halting airflow during sleep. This can be so severe that it actually cuts off breathing and causes your brain to automatically wake you up with a sudden grunt or snort in order to breathe again. People with sleep apnoea may experience these waking episodes many times during the night and consequently may feel very sleepy during the day. Special tests are required to diagnose and assess this snoring problem, which your London ENT specialist Mr Jonathan Hughes can assist you with.
Coblation Palatal surgery
Coblation palatal surgery (or coblation assisted upper airway procedure) is a procedure that involves partial excision of uvula, the structure that dangles at the back of the throat. This is the tissue that usually vibrates when snoring. This treatment also works to cure snoring problems by scarring part of the soft palate either side of the uvula to encourage scar formation and stiffening of the palate.
Snoring problems and treatments in London
If you feel that the quality of your life, sleep, and relationships are being impacted by your snoring problems, then get in touch with specialist ENT Jonathan Hughes in Harley Street, London. He will provide empathetic support, diagnosis, and advise on the best treatments for snoring. Enquire online to book your initial consultation.