Snoring

South Florida Ear, Nose and Throat Michael Jaindl, MD Our Services Snoring
Michael Jaindl, MD - - Otolaryngology

South Florida Ear, Nose and Throat

Michael Jaindl, MD

Otolaryngology located in Lehigh Acres, FL

Studies estimate that 30% of women and 45% of men snore on a regular basis and that both genders are likely to snore loudly. Michael Jaindl, MD, at South Florida Ear, Nose and Throat in Lehigh Acres, Florida, helps men and women of all ages get the treatment they need to eliminate or reduce snoring. To learn about your treatment options, call the office today.

Snoring Q & A

What causes snoring?

Snoring occurs when the airways in your nose and/or throat are partially blocked by soft tissues. The tissues vibrate as air flows by and the vibration produces the sound of snoring.

You can start to snore for numerous reasons, including narrow airways, consuming alcohol before bedtime, sleeping on your back, and being overweight. Two of the primary causes of snoring are:

Nasal obstruction

Snoring develops when your nasal passages are congested due to a cold, sinusitis, or allergies, and when they’re partially blocked by problems such as nasal polyps.

Throat obstruction

Muscles relax when you sleep, allowing the soft tissues in your mouth to fall toward the back of your throat. The tissues in your throat can also relax enough to fall inward. In both cases, the tissues partially block the airway and cause snoring. If they completely block airflow, you stop breathing, which is a condition called sleep apnea.

What symptoms develop in addition to snoring?

A mild case of snoring may not cause any other symptoms. If your snoring is associated with sleep apnea, though, you experience symptoms such as fatigue during the day, morning headaches, and memory problems.

While sleep apnea almost always causes loud snoring, that snoring alone doesn’t mean you have sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is often distinguished by a repetitive cycle of loud snoring, followed by silence when you stop breathing, then a slight gasp as you resume breathing.

Chances are you don’t realize you snore, even if you have sleep apnea. It usually takes the complaints or jokes of someone who lives in the same house to alert you to snoring.

How do you treat snoring?

If your doctor at South Florida Ear, Nose and Throat has any concerns about sleep apnea, the first step is to participate in a home sleep study. You wear several sensors while you sleep and the data collected about your breathing and oxygen levels allows your doctor to diagnose or rule out sleep apnea.

When your diagnosis is confirmed to be snoring without sleep apnea, your treatment may include lifestyle changes such as limiting alcohol before bedtime, or one of the following:

  • Treating nasal congestion
  • Removing growths
  • Surgery to repair structure problems
  • Oral appliances

If you need help with snoring, call South Florida Ear, Nose and Throat today.

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