Our ENT specialists here in London are no stranger to snoring problems – or, indeed, nose problems and treatments in general. Many people of all ages snore, but the cause can sometimes be difficult to pin down and even more complex to treat. Thankfully, our experts have the skills and qualifications required to offer heavy snoring treatment – and can also share some at-home tips, too.
Why do I snore?
The reasons behind a snore can be varied, but as the sound may suggest, it’s to do parts of your body (such as the throat, tongue, mouth or nasal airways) vibrating while breathing. Not everyone who snores makes the same type of sound, and they may not snore every night, either.
- Causes of snoring include:
- Allergies, particularly allergic rhinitis
- Lifestyle factors, such as smoking or drinking to excess
- Poor muscle tone in the tongue
- Sleeping habits, like your mouth falling open while asleep
- Being overweight
Sometimes, snoring can suggest a health problem, which is all the more reason to seek help and heavy snoring treatment.
What’s so bad about snoring?
Well, the main reason is that it disrupts sleep – in turn, this can cause you to develop problems such as diabetes, can affect your focus and concentration, and could have implications on your immunity.
How can I reduce my snoring?
There are lots of solutions for snoring, both at home and in our practice.
Surgically, anti-snoring treatment can involve operating on the throat region, to adjust the tissues in the area and see if this makes an improvement to the airways. Alternatively, surgery could help stiffen your palate (which is sometimes behind the vibration that causes the snoring sound).
At-home, anti-snoring treatment often relates to the list of causes:
- Consider taking medication for allergies, if they disrupt your sleep (ask your doctor for advice)
- Shake up your lifestyle and try to avoid smoking, and also excessive drinking
- Invest in sleep aids; chin straps hold your mouth shut, and nasal strips keep your nose open
- Address serious weight gain (again, discuss this with your doctor)
It’s also possible that sleeping position has an impact on snoring, so try sleeping on your side instead of your back.
What about if someone else snores?
Aside from suggesting our surgical treatments or at-home advice, you could try wearing earplugs, sleeping in a different room or going to bed at a different time – if you’re awake and the other person is already asleep and snoring, it may be more difficult for you to drift off yourself.
What else should I know?
Our ENT specialists are keen to educate our patients on the differences between snoring and sleep apnoea. The latter is a condition that temporarily pauses your breathing, which can lead you to wake up repeatedly in the night (even if you don’t realise it). It’s been linked to serious problems such as high blood pressure and depression. If in doubt, secure a consultation with us and we can help identify the cause of your snoring and whether or not sleep apnoea plays a part.
What should I do now?
We recommend that anyone whose snoring disturbs them get in touch with our ENT specialists for anti-snoring treatment, right here in London. We specialise in nose problems and treatments and can work with you to diagnose and treat your concerns.