Snoring therapy

What to do if you snore

Since snoring can be caused by a variety of causes, the first thing to do is to identify where a patient's problem is coming from. He can then contact his doctor for a (or several) decide on the various available therapy options.

Learn more about the Causes of Snoring

For many people with a tendency to snore, it is sufficient to switch off existing risk factors in order to remedy their snoring.
So you should stop or replace sleeping pills, tranquilizers and, if possible, psychotropic drugs if they can be linked to snoring.

In addition, you should definitely limit your alcohol consumption, so preferably generally, but no longer drink alcohol at least two hours before going to bed. Losing weight has been shown to be one of the most effective behavior changes to prevent snoring. For many of those affected, it helps to change position at night. While you snore loudly in the supine position, there may be calm as soon as you turn on your stomach or on your side.
Many people subconsciously change their situation on their own because the body notices and wants to correct the lack of oxygen, others do not. So if you feel disturbed by the snoring of the person next to you, you should always try to see if it is not enough to wake him up briefly so that he can turn around to eliminate the problem. Sleeping with your head up can also help.

If a clear reason for the snoring can be identified, the snoring usually disappears when this underlying disease is adequately treated.
For example, people with a curvature of the nasal septum can be corrected by surgery, straightening them and allowing them to breathe normally again.
If you have a cold or the flu with a runny nose and swollen nasal mucosa, you can use decongestant nasal drops or try inhalation or chamomile steam baths to restore proper breathing through the nose.

Sometimes this works very well, sometimes not so much, but since these infections are mostly caused by viruses, they almost always evaporate after a few days and take the snoring problem with them. The same applies in principle to bacterial infections (although the use of antibiotics is advisable here) and allergies (although antiallergic agents such as antihistamines can also be used here). Swollen tonsils can usually be successfully treated with antibiotics. If someone is more prone to tonsillitis, you can discuss with a doctor whether it makes sense to have the tonsils removed.

At this point, read our article on snoring during pregnancy and find out what effects snoring could have on your child. The nasal spray can also be helpful during pregnancy. Learn more at: Snoring During Pregnancy

For people who snore for no apparent reason, there are other steps that can be taken to help. This includes, for example, a bandage that is tied around the head and chin at night and thus prevents the lower jaw from sagging. A bite splint for the lower and upper jaw has a comparable effect, namely that the lower jaw is pulled forward and the mouth and throat area are enlarged. Another option is a denture-like prosthesis, which presses the tongue down and thus also creates space.

In extreme cases, surgery can be considered. Here, too, there are different variants, often the mucous membranes of the throat and palate are simply tightened and the uvula (sometimes in combination with the almonds) completely or partially removed from the neck. Alternatively, the uvula can be pulled up and sewn onto the roof of the mouth, which does not affect the mucous membrane as much. Newer and less frequently performed methods are the use of lasers or radiation (Radiofrequency therapy) for removing parts of the palate and / or uvula. All of these surgical interventions have a good success rate, but must be carried out as an inpatient under general anesthesia and can be associated with rare but significant complications such as secondary bleeding, swallowing disorders or fluid leakage from the nose.

If you notice snoring in yourself, it is best to consult a doctor and take action, as it is not only bothersome but can also have health consequences. Snoring occasionally leads to not inconsiderable sleep disturbances, so that concentration and performance deficits can occur during the day. The worst form, the so-called sleep apnea syndrome, is accompanied by very pronounced and loud snoring and longer breathing pauses, during which the patient can no longer breathe. Due to the resulting lack of oxygen, this disease places a considerable burden on the cardiovascular system and is even potentially life-threatening.

Are you interested in this topic? Then read our next article below: How can you prevent snoring?