Snoring Apnea
Snoring & Sleep Apnea
Care to quiet snoring and achieve restful sleep
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Managing Snoring and Sleep Apnea
Snoring and sleep apnea are common sleep disorders. These conditions can disrupt your sleep and the sleep of others.
If you snore loudly and habitually, your doctor may test you for sleep apnea. Testing is important. Sleep apnea increases your risk for heart conditions and other medical complications.
At Lahey Clinic, you can complete sleep studies in the fully accredited Lahey Sleep Laboratory. Testing helps your doctor make a diagnosis and find the right therapy for you.
What Is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is the most common sleep disorder. If you have sleep apnea you likely snore loudly and often. You also stop breathing for short periods of time.
When you stop breathing, your body is deprived of oxygen. Your brain wakes you up so that you start breathing again.
This constant waking — sometimes hundreds of times a night —can make you feel fatigued after a full night’s sleep. Usually, you have no memory of these awakenings.
Over time, the lack of oxygen can lead to other health problems. If you have sleep apnea you may:
- Develop high blood pressure.
- Be at increased risk for heart disease and stroke.
Types of Sleep Apnea
There are two major types of sleep apnea: obstructive and central.
- Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA): This is the most common type of sleep apnea. It is caused by something that blocks the throat during sleep. This blockage narrows your upper airway. Causes include your physical characteristics, being overweight or consuming alcohol before going to sleep.
- Central sleep apnea: This type of sleep apnea is caused by a delay in the breathing signal from the brain.
Differences Between Snoring and Sleep Apnea
Habitual snoring affects up to 20% of the population. Thirty percent of patients who snore have OSA.
Snoring and OSA are caused by blockages of the airway during sleep. The difference between the two is important:
- OSA: This condition involves partial or complete airway obstructions. You frequently stop breathing and then wake up during sleep. These symptoms are tied to increased risks for heart and stroke conditions.
- Snoring: Snoring does not cause the cycle of breathing stoppages and awakenings. Snoring is not related to increased health risks. Snoring is considered a social problem, although it can affect how well you sleep.
It can be tough to differentiate between OSA and snoring. You can get a sleep test to diagnose your condition.
Making a Diagnosis
To diagnose the cause of your snoring, your doctor will complete an evaluation and tests.
These include:
- An ear, nose and throat exam: Your doctor studies your upper airway to look for the site of airway collapse. Obstructions can occur in the nose, tonsils, soft palate and uvula, tongue or voice box. Your doctor also checks for other medical problems that may be causing your sleep disturbance.
- Overnight sleep study: This sleep test measures your body functions and sleep patterns during a night of sleep. You spend the night in a private room at a Lahey Sleep Lab. Electrodes attached to your head and chest track your brain waves, breathing, eye movement and muscle tone. A specialized technician monitors your sleep. If needed, you may be awakened and asked to wear a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP) machine.
Treatment Options
Your treatments depend on the severity of your snoring or sleep apnea and your test results. You and your doctor create a care plan that’s best for you.
Treatments for snoring and sleep apnea include:
- Avoiding alcohol and certain medications that may worsen sleep apnea
- Wearing dental mouthpieces
- Minimally invasive procedures
- Weight loss
If you are diagnosed with snoring, you can choose from several therapies to reduce symptoms. Most important is to get enough sleep. When you are overly tired your snoring is more likely to be worse.
Other treatments include:
- Earplugs specially made for your bed partner
- Minimally invasive outpatient procedures to stiffen the soft palate and decrease its flutter and noise. Options include:
- Injection snoreplasty
- Implants
- Radiofrequency treatment to the soft palate
- Laser-assisted uvulopalatopharyngoplasty
- Nasal surgery
Treatment options for obstructive sleep apnea include breathing devices and surgical options.
If you need surgery, you get care from specialized Lahey ear, nose and throat surgeons. This team pioneers innovative, minimally invasive techniques for treating sleep apnea. This approach means you feel less pain than with traditional surgery. In most cases, you receive care in an outpatient clinic or day surgery setting.
Sleep apnea treatments include:
- CPAP machine: This device forces air through your nose to keep your airway open when you are asleep. Most people with OSA get successful results with CPAP. Your doctor will likely prescribe CPAP before other therapies.
- CPAP clinic: You can get support and guidance from sleep specialists at the Lahey CPAP clinic. The team helps you adjust your equipment and get the best results.
- Minimally invasive procedures: Your doctor may perform a procedure to remove an airway obstruction in your nose, soft palate and uvula, tongue or throat.
- Surgical procedures: Options include:
- Airlift (hyoid suspension): Your doctor removes the hyoid bone and tongue base forward. This improves airflow and lets you breathe easier at night.
- Inspire (hypoglossal nerve stimulation): Your doctor implants a nerve stimulator into your chest. This device pushes your tongue forward, making nighttime breathing easier.
Additional Services
Your sleep health team coordinates your care with other specialty providers throughout our medical center. This ensures you receive comprehensive, streamlined care.
