Know the causes and consequences of snoring

Know the causes and consequences of snoring


The disorder can be very damaging to health and quality of life.

Snoring is a disorder that can have various causes and, sometimes, be related to more serious diseases, such as apnea. Therefore, it is essential to consult a doctor to investigate the causes. Initially, it is important to understand what snoring is and how it happens.




Know the causes and consequences of snoring

Otolaryngologist Eric Thuler explains that snoring is the sound caused by the vibration of the pharyngeal tissues and occurs when a narrowing of the air passage occurs. “The most frequent sites of this narrowing occur in the nose, such as deviation of the nasal septum and hypertrophy of the nasal turbinates; on the lateral pharyngeal wall, such as hypertrophy of the palatine tonsils and base of the tongue,” he lists.

Causes of the problem

One of the causes of snoring is position in which the person sleeps and it is related to the belly up, as the individual tends to open the mouth and the tongue moves backwards, pressing the throat and making it difficult to breathe.

Rhythmic snoring, on the other hand, is not related to position during sleep. Some influencing factors are: very large adenoids and tonsils, tumors, rhinitis and deviated septum. Most of these complications cause chronic obstruction of the nose, causing the person to breathe through the mouth.

Alcohol and sedative medications (diazepine-based) also affect snoring. “Alcoholic beverages increase muscle relaxation of the pharynx, increasing the vibration of these tissues and consequently causing snoring,” explains the otolaryngologist. Furthermore, obesity can also affect the appearance of the problem.



Snoring can cause apnea and affect sleep quality

consequences of snoring

One of the main risks of snoring, according to doctor Eric Thuler, is the possibility of it developing obstructive sleep apneacharacterized by “breathing pauses that can lead to a decrease in oxygenation, compromising the quality of sleep and, in severe cases, leading to an increased risk of hypertension, arrhythmia, heart attack and even stroke (stroke)”.

In these cases, obstructive sleep apnea can cause more severe cases of cardiovascular overload, daytime sleepiness, poor intellectual and work performance, fatigue, and persistent irritability.

Pay attention to the signs

In general, snoring is not normal. Therefore, according to Fausto Ito, a specialist in sleep disorders, we should be concerned about any signs of snoring emitted. during sleep. “But, mainly, with that noise that can be followed by gagging and a pause in breathing. The easiest characteristics to identify are frequent and loud snoring, which is usually associated with overweight people, postmenopausal women, people with a small or retracted chin, mouth respirators or those who consume alcoholic beverages before bedtime, “he concludes.

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Source: Terra

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