While patients who use CPAP machines for CPAP therapy often experience less snoring and other sleep disorders, a CPAP machine shouldn’t be solely relied upon as a treatment for snoring.
Snoring is not always a sign of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), although it may be. Various, more reasonably priced anti-snoring options are available that help ease symptoms when they are slight or sporadic. However, it is advised that you be evaluated for sleep apnea if you snore often. We’ll examine what snoring is in this post, go over how it differs from sleep apnea, and suggest some remedies you may be able to try if you or your bed partner sometimes snores.
Understanding The Reasons Behind Snoring
Finding a solution begins with understanding the cause of your snoring. We can all picture what snoring sounds like, but how does it appear? Despite having a rather amusing sound, snoring is caused by partial airway obstruction and can signify a more serious underlying medical condition.
Research from 2019 reveals that primary snoring is the early stage of sleep-disordered breathing, which is very common; however, it isn’t necessarily a reason for alarm in and of itself.
The muscles in your mouth and throat relax during sleep, enabling any extra tissue—including the tongue itself—to sag and constrict the airway. This partially obstructing the airway causes the sagging tissue to vibrate as air passes through, which results in snoring.
The Relationship Between OSA And Snoring
Snoring frequently indicates the presence of an underlying disorder known as obstructive sleep apnea. Snoring volume has been observed to be inversely correlated with the severity of OSA. OSA is an airway obstruction that is so severe that sufferers are unable to breathe for an hour at a time while asleep and frequently wake up gasping for air or choking.
Simple snoring is snoring that doesn’t have underlying OSA – it’s called simple snoring. People with OSA are typically prescribed a CPAP machine, which continuously blows pressurized air into the airway to keep it open.
Now, Does CPAP Therapy Stop Snoring?
The first people to speak about your loud snoring are often your sleep-deprived spouses. If sleep apnea is identified, CPAP treatment may lessen or stop snoring.
Soft tissues in the throat relax to the point that they restrict the airway and vibrate, producing snoring. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment reduces loud breathing. At the same time, you sleep by maintaining the throat more open throughout the night, reducing “apneic” occurrences (breathing stoppages), and preventing these events.
To supply consistent and steady air pressure, CPAP treatment uses various equipment, including a particular machine, a hose, and a mask or nosepiece. The upkeep and wise choice of equipment are crucial to the treatment’s effectiveness.
A simple remedy may help you get more effective treatment if you still snore loudly after using CPAP therapy.
Root Cause:
Numerous aspects of one’s lifestyle can affect snoring, such as:
1. Having A Weight Problem
People who are overweight or obese frequently have extra soft tissue in their necks, which increases their risk of snoring. The risk of snoring and developing OSA can be decreased by losing weight and engaging in regular exercise.
2. Drinking Alcohol
Alcohol consumption within two to three hours of bedtime has been linked to poorer sleep quality because it interferes with specific sleep stages. Additionally, it causes muscle relaxation and increases snoring propensity.
3. Intake Of Tobacco
According to a 2012 study, smokers had more apneas and leg movements while sleeping than non-smokers. Smokers also reported several sleep-related problems. Numerous studies have also discovered links between smoking and an increased risk of snoring, leading researchers to the conclusion that quitting smoking will probably improve your sleep and lessen your snoring frequency and/or intensity.
Managing Snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea
1. Medication
Due to how they affect the muscles in the throat while you sleep, sedatives, muscle relaxants, and sleep aids all tend to make you snore more.
2. Position For Sleeping
It’s common knowledge when addressing OSA that POSA, or positional obstructive sleep apnea, affects many people. By experimenting with alternative sleeping positions and supportive pillows, this obstruction, which only occurs in one sleeping position, usually on the back, can be resolved.
3. Surgical Interventions For Severe Snoring and OSA
Although uncommon, surgical snoring treatments are usually successful. Surgery is typically a last resort, and if your doctor is contemplating it as a treatment, you probably have severe OSA. The following are some common OSA surgeries:
4. Soft Palate Techniques
Examples include The Pillar Procedure and Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP). These procedures concentrate on removing tissue from the soft palate at the back of the roof of the mouth or figuring out how to maintain it.
5. Procedures for the Hypopharynx
Examples involve midline glossectomy and genioglossus advancement. These treatments place additional emphasis on the muscles that regulate the tongue and the throat.
6. Stimulation Of The Hypoglossal Nerve
Implanting a device on the hypoglossal nerve, which regulates the tongue, is known as hypoglossal nerve stimulation. To prevent the nerve from obstructing the airway when breathing, the implanted gadget softly stimulates the nerve.
7. Jaw Development
This treatment, also known as maxillomandibular advancement surgery, involves moving the jaw forward to prevent the tongue from obstructing the airway (much to how oral appliances function).
4 Tips for Maximizing the Benefits of CPAP Therapy
Choose The Ideal Mask For You
When choosing CPAP masks, several factors should be taken into account. Comfort level, convenience, maintenance, and efficacy should all be examined. Because not everyone needs the same kind of mask, CPAP masks come in three different varieties: nasal pillow mask, full-face masks, and full-face masks. Full-face masks are the best if you breathe through your mouth.
Put Your Mask On Correctly
Your nasal mask should fit perfectly without causing skin discomfort or air leakage. A full-face mask is optimal for a mouth-breather.
Give Your CPAP Machine Maintenance A High Priority
Your CPAP supplies may work more efficiently and keep you healthy if you clean them.
Practice, Endurance, And Patience
As you adjust to treatment, adopt an optimistic outlook and give yourself enough time to see improvements. Be willing to experiment with various equipment until you discover the best fit. Ask your sleep doctor for assistance to obtain the tools you need to feel at ease to treat sleep apnea.
If you haven’t explored the world of CPAP accessories yet, now is the perfect time to start. Visit our Amazon Shop and uncover a range of products designed to reduce snoring and enhance your sleep quality.
