SNORING AND ITS CAUSES

If you have been told that you snore then you probably already know that you are not sleeping as well as you should.

When we sleep the muscles of the upper airway relax and partially close, so thats not enough air reaching the lungs due to the narrowing of the upper airway. This can happen due to reversible causes, such as a hypertrophy of the tonsils or excess fat around the neck, or to structural causes, such as the shape of the nose or palate.

This narrowing of the airway causes a vibration in the throat with the passage of air with each breath, which creates the characteristic sound of snoring.

HOW CAN SNORING AFFECT YOUR SLEEP?

Your snoring not only interfere your rest, which you may not always be aware of, but it also disturbs the sleep of your family or partner.

Snoring means that you are limiting the oxygen supply to your body, it also means that you are probably experiencing micro-awakenings during the night without being aware of it. This may be preventing you from having a restful and healthy sleep and so in addition to the cause that is causing your snoring, if you snore, or suspect that you snore, consider it as a form of alarm and talk to your doctor about having a sleep study carried out. Snoring disorders are associated with the appearance of other pathologies in the medium and long term, such as high blood pressure.

People who snore are 1.6 times more likely to develop hypertension within 41 years of starting to snore. They are also at risk of developing other cardiovascular diseases2.

Not all snorers have obstructive sleep apnea, however almost all those with Obstructive Sleep Apnea snore.

Snoring is also the main indicator of the existence of obstructive sleep apnoea (SAOS)3.

These two pathologies are closely related and at a worrying rate: 3 out of 10 men and almost 2 out of 10 women who usually snore also suffer from some obstructive sleep apnea4.

References:
1. Peepard T. Prospective study of the association between sleep-disordered breathing and hypertension. N Engl J Med, 342 (2000), pp. 1378-1384.
2. Marin JM. Long-term cardiovascular outcomes in men with obstructive sleep apnoea-hypopnoea with or without treatment with continuous positive airway pressure: an observational study. Lancet. 2005 Mar 19 25;365(9464):1046-53
3. Meslier N, Racineux JL. Snoring and high-resistance syndrome. Rev Mal Respir 2004; 21 : 2S35-2S42. (French)
4. Young T et al. The occurrence of sleep-disordered breathing among middle-aged adults. N Engl J Med 1993; 328(17):1230–5.

TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR SNORING DISEASE


Treatment options for snoring disease depend on several factors, but the main ones are as follows:

-> Do you snore through your nose or throat?

-> Do you snore and have obstructive sleep apnea (SAOS)?

Snoring through the throat and not having sleep apnea:

This includes patients who have had a sleep study and obtained an apnea-hypnoapnea index (AHI) of less than 5. The most effective solutions for the treatment of this type of throat snoring are custom-made devices1,2. The Narval CC device adapts to the size of your mouth and helps keep the lower jaw forward while you sleep, which will help reduce airway collapse and expand the space behind the tongue preventing snoring and sleep apnoea. This device is called the Mandibular Advancement Device – Narval CC™.

If you snore through your nose and do not have sleep apnea, the Narval CC device will not be indicated as it will not solve the problem, in which case we advise y ou to consult your doctor and explore other options such as aerosols, nasal strips, etc.

You snore from the throat and have an obstructive sleep apnea:

If your Apnea- Hypoapnea Index (AHI) is between 5 and 30 we offer you the full range of treatment possible, whether it be the Narval CC mandibular advancement device or positive airway pressure (PAP) treatment. The Narval CC mandibular advancement device is a clinically proven treatment alternative for mild to moderate sleep apnea as a substitute for positive airway pressure (PAP)3,4,5.

If your apnea-hypnoapnea index is above 30, you suffer from severe sleep apnea, in which case the first treatment option indicated by your doctor is positive airway pressure, also known as APAP, CPAP or bilevel. We also have a complete range of equipment, masks and accessories which will bring more comfort to your treatment with positive pressure.

If you do not know your Apnea and Hipoapnea Index consult your sleep specialist doctor so that a sleep study can be performed.

Why do we snore?

References:
1. Peepard T. Prospective study of the association between sleep-disordered breathing and hypertension. N Engl J Med, 342 (2000), pp. 1378-1384.
2. Marin JM. Long-term cardiovascular outcomes in men with obstructive sleep apnoea-hypopnoea with or without treatment with continuous positive airway pressure: an observational study. Lancet. 2005 Mar 19 25;365(9464):1046-53
3. Meslier N, Racineux JL. Snoring and high-resistance syndrome. Rev Mal Respir 2004; 21 : 2S35-2S42. (French)
4. Young T et al. The occurrence of sleep-disordered breathing among middle-aged adults. N Engl J Med 1993; 328(17):1230–5.

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