Does anyone in your family have a snoring problem?
I have finally found a cure. About two years ago I started to snore. It got to the point that my soul mate, wife and lover of over 36 years had to leave the room and sleep on the couch. I also had sleep apnea. I would stop breathing and my wife stayed awake to make sure I would start breathing again. In summary she wasn’t getting much sleep at night, and I wasn’t getting much quality sleep either. Either Gila (my wife) was shaking me to get me to breath or I was waking myself up with the noise.
Finally about a year ago I went to the local sleep clinic. Their conclusion was I was a borderline candidate for the positive air pressure masks one wears at night to cure the condition. My wife said “NO” to that idea, as the noise from the machine would be as bad as my snoring. About a year after my visit to the sleep clinic I saw an ad on the internet by accident. It talked about a devise called a “Snore Guard”. I called the doctor at the sleep clinic and asked why he never mentioned this possible solution last year. He said he didn’t bring it up because most dental insurance plans don’t pay for it. It was apparent form his answer that he was purely profit motivated. He would only profit it I purchased the noisy air pressure devise and was not about to talk about something that he wouldn’t profit from.
To make a long story short, I went to my dentist and got the snore guard. It worked! And to top it off, my dental insurance covered all but about $125. I don’t snore and I don’t stop breathing in my sleep. I feel rested in the morning and best of all, my wife is able to sleep all night for the first time in two years. The dentist said they have about a 80% success rate with this appliance. I was real surprised that I didn’t know about this device sine I was a dental technician in the Army and my wife was a dental technician in the past and her sister is currently a dental technician. I wish I had known about this sooner. The brand name of the appliance that I use is “Silent Nite”. Ask your dentist about it or just the generic term "snore guard" to see what he or she might recommend. Just so you know, I have no affiliation with the maker of the product. There are other similar products on the market and if any of you have experience with those let me know and I will pass on the information. Just one more side note, it was not hard to get used to wearing the appliance at night. It is very comfortable, and easy to put on and take off.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Friday, February 20, 2009
Treatments To Stop Snoring Now
Even though a bad snorer may sound like a motorboat speeding over the waves, the truth is that snoring is caused by obstructed breathing, and obstruction can lead to serious problems. Snoring disturbs sleeping patterns and deprives the snorer of much needed rest. When snoring is severe, it can cause serious, long-term health problems, including obstructive sleep apnea not to mention disturbing the peace and quiet in the bedroom.
Simple changes, such as losing weight or sleeping on your side, can help as well as more drastic measures such as surgery. The following is a list of some of the best treatments to help with snoring problems.
Surgery is often used for treating snoring caused by obstructive sleep apnea. Different types of TAP (Thermal Ablation Palatoplasty) include bipolar cautery, laser, and radiofrequency.
• Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) tightens flabby tissues in the throat and palate, and widens air passages.
• Laser Assisted Uvula Palatoplasty (LAUP) treats snoring and mild obstructive sleep apnea by removing the obstruction in the airway. A laser is used to vaporize the uvula and a specified portion of the palate. Removing excess tissue enlarges your airway and reduces vibration.
• Radiofrequency-assisted uvulopalatoplasty or RAUP. Instead of a laser, thermal energy is used under local anesthesia to scar and shrink the soft tissue in the back of the throat
• Genioglossus and hyod advancement is a surgical procedure that prevents collapse of the lower throat and pulls the tongue muscles forward, thereby opening the obstructed airway.
• Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy treats snoring caused by problems with tonsils and adenoids. Often found in children.
If surgery is too risky or unwanted here are some non surgical ways to treat snoring:
• Use a nasal mask that delivers air pressure into the throat called a continuous positive airway pressure or "CPAP". The mask is attached to a small pump that forces air through your airway to keep it from collapsing. CPAP eliminates snoring but many people find it cumbersome and uncomfortable.
• Change your sleep posture. Snoring is especially loud when you sleep on your back. Various pillows and strap-on devices will force you to sleep in the right position.
•Throat sprays coat the soft tissues of the throat with lubricating oils, allowing the air to move more freely and lessening the noisy vibration.
• Open up nasal passages with the following items including adhesive strips which hold open the airways of your nose, plastic devices to hold open your nostrils, and nasal sprays which reduce congestion or the swelling of nasal tissues. These methods will enhance your breathing.
• Mouthpiece devices are available often custom-fitted by your dentist which pulls the lower jaw and tongue forward, making more room at the back of the throat.
Oftentimes snoring can be helped with lifestyle changes but if you have concerns about snoring you should contact your doctor or dentist for a complete evaluation to discuss the snoring treatments available and to decide which might be the best help to stop your snoring now.
Simple changes, such as losing weight or sleeping on your side, can help as well as more drastic measures such as surgery. The following is a list of some of the best treatments to help with snoring problems.
Surgery is often used for treating snoring caused by obstructive sleep apnea. Different types of TAP (Thermal Ablation Palatoplasty) include bipolar cautery, laser, and radiofrequency.
• Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) tightens flabby tissues in the throat and palate, and widens air passages.
• Laser Assisted Uvula Palatoplasty (LAUP) treats snoring and mild obstructive sleep apnea by removing the obstruction in the airway. A laser is used to vaporize the uvula and a specified portion of the palate. Removing excess tissue enlarges your airway and reduces vibration.
• Radiofrequency-assisted uvulopalatoplasty or RAUP. Instead of a laser, thermal energy is used under local anesthesia to scar and shrink the soft tissue in the back of the throat
• Genioglossus and hyod advancement is a surgical procedure that prevents collapse of the lower throat and pulls the tongue muscles forward, thereby opening the obstructed airway.
• Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy treats snoring caused by problems with tonsils and adenoids. Often found in children.
If surgery is too risky or unwanted here are some non surgical ways to treat snoring:
• Use a nasal mask that delivers air pressure into the throat called a continuous positive airway pressure or "CPAP". The mask is attached to a small pump that forces air through your airway to keep it from collapsing. CPAP eliminates snoring but many people find it cumbersome and uncomfortable.
• Change your sleep posture. Snoring is especially loud when you sleep on your back. Various pillows and strap-on devices will force you to sleep in the right position.
•Throat sprays coat the soft tissues of the throat with lubricating oils, allowing the air to move more freely and lessening the noisy vibration.
• Open up nasal passages with the following items including adhesive strips which hold open the airways of your nose, plastic devices to hold open your nostrils, and nasal sprays which reduce congestion or the swelling of nasal tissues. These methods will enhance your breathing.
• Mouthpiece devices are available often custom-fitted by your dentist which pulls the lower jaw and tongue forward, making more room at the back of the throat.
Oftentimes snoring can be helped with lifestyle changes but if you have concerns about snoring you should contact your doctor or dentist for a complete evaluation to discuss the snoring treatments available and to decide which might be the best help to stop your snoring now.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Help Stop Snoring, Limiting Eating Before Bedtime
It’s getting to close to bedtime and your stomach is looking for a late night snack. You go to the kitchen and decide on a nice thick slice of chocolate cake. After brushing your teeth you tuck yourself into bed and within hours you feel the familiar hand of your spouse trying to wake you up so you’ll stop snoring.
Snoring is a problem that almost everyone has had to deal with at some point. Whether it was a parent who snored, a partner or their own snoring problem, it changed not only their sleep patterns but their stress level as well. If we don’t get a good night’s rest we can end up irritated, frustrated and angry with the person who snores, even if logically it seems that there is nothing they can do about it.
There might be something that can easily change the situation and help them to stop snoring. The solution might be found in their menu. The foods we eat can have a direct impact on whether or not we snore.
Eating right before you retire for the night gives your body less of a chance to digest the food. This can result in the food sitting within your stomach and depending on the size of the snack or the meal it can also cause you to feel pressure on your diaphragm. It is that pressure that can result in snoring.
Adjusting your meal time might help improve the snoring. If you are accustomed to eating dinner later in the evening at eight or nine o’clock, it might be wise to move that ahead several hours so that by the time you do hit the hay, the food will have been digested and it won’t result in a restless sleep that is filled with the sounds of snoring.
Experimenting a bit with eating times is wise in this case. It might be as simple as an hour difference in time that results in you snoring or not. That is a small change that can have a big result in not only your sleep but in the sleep of those who have listened to you snore night after night.
Snacks are often a regular routine of night time television viewing. Eating potato chips, popcorn or pretzels is a great way to add flavor to an evening of sports or movies. Choosing a different snack might help you to have a sounder sleep though. Some research suggests that honey has a positive effect on the airways and can help stop snoring. Eating an apple dipped in honey or having a cup of warm tea with honey will not only help with stopping the snoring but it won’t place such a heavy burden on your digestive system at the end of the day.
Overall the main points to remember when eating to avoid snoring are:
* Avoid eating late in the day.
* Avoid eating snacks that contain too many calories
* Avoid snacks that take a long time to digest.
Looking carefully at your diet and your dietary habits might result in not only a healthier eating pattern but also may help with a snoring problem. Simply adjusting what you eat and when you eat it could stop your snoring completely.
Snoring is a problem that almost everyone has had to deal with at some point. Whether it was a parent who snored, a partner or their own snoring problem, it changed not only their sleep patterns but their stress level as well. If we don’t get a good night’s rest we can end up irritated, frustrated and angry with the person who snores, even if logically it seems that there is nothing they can do about it.
There might be something that can easily change the situation and help them to stop snoring. The solution might be found in their menu. The foods we eat can have a direct impact on whether or not we snore.
Eating right before you retire for the night gives your body less of a chance to digest the food. This can result in the food sitting within your stomach and depending on the size of the snack or the meal it can also cause you to feel pressure on your diaphragm. It is that pressure that can result in snoring.
Adjusting your meal time might help improve the snoring. If you are accustomed to eating dinner later in the evening at eight or nine o’clock, it might be wise to move that ahead several hours so that by the time you do hit the hay, the food will have been digested and it won’t result in a restless sleep that is filled with the sounds of snoring.
Experimenting a bit with eating times is wise in this case. It might be as simple as an hour difference in time that results in you snoring or not. That is a small change that can have a big result in not only your sleep but in the sleep of those who have listened to you snore night after night.
Snacks are often a regular routine of night time television viewing. Eating potato chips, popcorn or pretzels is a great way to add flavor to an evening of sports or movies. Choosing a different snack might help you to have a sounder sleep though. Some research suggests that honey has a positive effect on the airways and can help stop snoring. Eating an apple dipped in honey or having a cup of warm tea with honey will not only help with stopping the snoring but it won’t place such a heavy burden on your digestive system at the end of the day.
Overall the main points to remember when eating to avoid snoring are:
* Avoid eating late in the day.
* Avoid eating snacks that contain too many calories
* Avoid snacks that take a long time to digest.
Looking carefully at your diet and your dietary habits might result in not only a healthier eating pattern but also may help with a snoring problem. Simply adjusting what you eat and when you eat it could stop your snoring completely.
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