Can snoring be cured?

I have been snoring for 10 years now, the noise often causes insomnia for people sleeping next to me. Can my illness be cured, by what method? (Tuan, 45 years old, Hai Phong).

Reply:

Snoring is a common phenomenon that most of us will encounter at least once in our lives. If snoring only occurs occasionally, it is not a cause for concern. This condition can be caused by sleeping position (lying on your back), nasal congestion, use of sedatives or alcohol before going to bed... Snoring people just need to avoid repeating these factors and it will go away.

However, in some people, snoring occurs regularly and lasts for many years. The main causes are sleep apnea, abnormalities in the nose and throat, obesity...

In case the patient has been snoring for 10 years, they should go to a hospital with a respiratory specialist to be examined and accurately diagnosed for the cause in order to have an appropriate treatment regimen. In addition, lifestyle changes such as sleeping on the side instead of on the back, avoiding drinking alcohol before bedtime, keeping the body warm, especially the nose and throat area to avoid nasal congestion... will help improve the condition.

Chronic snoring can be cured or alleviated depending on the cause. In cases of snoring caused by sleep apnea, symptoms can be improved by up to 90% thanks to the CPAP continuous positive airway pressure system. This is the most common and effective treatment method today. Patients will wear a mask over their nose or both nose and mouth, the pressure of the machine will help prevent the airway from collapsing while sleeping, thereby reducing snoring. CPAP machines are being used in a number of hospitals with specialized respiratory departments, including Tam Anh General Hospital, Hanoi.

In case of snoring due to abnormalities in the nose and throat such as nasal polyps, deviated nasal septum... the doctor can perform surgery to treat it. If snoring is due to obesity, the patient only needs to lose weight, the fat will no longer cause pressure on the neck area, then snoring will be reduced or stopped.

Many people think that snoring when sleeping shows that the person is sleeping soundly and this is good. But in fact, snoring greatly affects health. Patients often wake up in the middle of the night due to gasping or feeling suffocated, when waking up they feel tired, have headaches, and feel sleepy during the day. In cases of snoring due to sleep apnea, the patient will increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, metabolic disease, and sudden death while sleeping. Snoring also affects the sleep of the person lying next to them, causing tension in the relationship.

Master, Doctor Phung Thi Thom
Respiratory Department, Tam Anh General Hospital, Hanoi

Source link