Does Snoring Mean You Need A CPAP Machine?
If you or your partner snores regularly, you may worry that the snoring may indicate a far worse health issue that’s about to be dangerous. Does snoring automatically mean that you are going to have sleep apnea? Moreover, does your snoring indicate that you need to get a CPAP Machine?
The answer is, of course, more involved than just saying yes or no. We need to find out the cause of the snoring first and then decide whether or not a CPAP machine will be needed to provide optimal health. Let’s dig into this important topic!
What Causes Snoring?
Snoring occurs when the muscles in the throat, mouse of nose start to vibrate when breathing. The vibration is normally traced to a blocked airway. Snoring is one of the key warning signs for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA).
Sleep Apnea causes breathing interruptions or disturbed sleep. If left unattended, Sleep Apnea can lead to serious health concerns. Remember, most people who suffer from OSA have a snoring problem, but not all people who snore have Sleep Apnea.
Snoring is a fairly common occurrence since it is closely linked to many factors. According to HelpGuide, here are the most common causes of snoring:
- Getting older
- Being overweight
- Underlying nasal problems
- Underlying sinus issues
- Sleeping postures
- Drinking alcohol
- Smoking
- Certain medications
- Respiratory diseases
- Allergies
Getting Older
As folks get older, things get flabby. That can include tissue inside the mouth associated with breathing. Flabby tissue is more prone to vibration and that can lead to the development of snoring in older individuals.
A 2013 study published by the Cleveland Clinic shows 10% of men between the ages of 30 to 49 suffer from Sleep Apnea. The number rises to 17% among men between the ages of 50 to 70. Only 3% of women between the ages of 30 to 49 suffer from the condition. The number rises modestly to 9% among women aged 50 to 70.
Excessive Weight
Being overweight puts much more pressure on the throat and the chest, especially when lying down. While it is possible for a thin person to also snore, any doctor will recommend that you lose weight if you have excessive snoring.
Underlying Nasal Problems
You could have a chronic nasal condition that could be causing the snoring. These conditions include nasal inflammation and swelling from allergies, nasal polyps, or even a deviated septum from an old broken nose.
Underlying Sinus Problems
Sinus issues such as chronic sinusitis or allergies could cause excessive, chronic snoring. Typically folks with chronic sinusitis will experience pressure and pain in the area of the sinuses.
Sleeping Postures
What’s the best position to sleep when you have a snoring issue? The recommended position would be on your side. When you lay flat on your back, relaxed tissues (palate, tonsils, tongue) are more easily able to block the back of your mouth. Switching to the side when sleeping will pull those tissues down and away from those openings.
One tip that may help spouses of snorers – if your partner is on their back and snoring loudly, give them a gentle nudge to try and encourage them to sleep on their side. I know that this technique helps me to help my husband when his snoring becomes a bit too much.
Drinking Alcohol
If you drink alcohol shortly before going to bed, you can worsen snoring. Alcohol will cause soft tissues to relax even further than they normally would with sleeping. These relaxed tissues in the mouth or the nose can cause the snoring to become far worse.
Medications
Tranquilizing medications such as diazepam (Valium) and lorazepam have been shown to intensify muscle relaxation thereby triggering the snoring action. People with enlarged nostrils and other abnormalities affecting the nose and throat may also experience snoring.
When Does Snoring Indicate A Problem?
Not everyone who snores has obstructive sleep apnea and needs intervention. There are different levels of snoring. If you snore on your back but not on your side then your snoring isn’t that bad and likely doesn’t need medical intervention.
If you sleep alone, how will you know if you snore or if you potentially need to see a doctor for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)? If you experience any of the following symptoms consistently, then you may need to schedule a visit with your doctor to discuss it:
- Early morning headache
- Excessive drowsiness during daytime
- Shortness of breath when you wakeup
- Chest pain at night
- Memory loss and reduced concentration
- High blood pressure
- Low libido
- Heavy bouts of breathing cessation
- Unexplained weight gain
Why Is Obstructive Sleep Apnea So Bad?
When your breathing stops and starts periodically through the night in your sleep, that places stress on the rest of your body. Not only are you not able to acquire the levels of REM sleep your body needs for proper health, but the lower levels of oxygen in your blood can lead to high blood pressure and other cardiovascular diseases.
Daytime fatigue invariably results and that can lead to poor work performance, higher risk of a car accident, and stress on your daily relationships.
If left untreated, serious cases of Sleep Apnea can lead to a reduction in the brain’s white matter. OSA can also cause in a health emergency, including death in the worst-case scenario. CPAP can repair the damaging effects caused by Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
Using A CPAP For Snoring And OSA
To be diagnosed with OSA, you’ll likely need to be evaluated by a sleep center. If the sleep specialist determines that your airways aren’t being kept open while you sleep and it’s severe enough to cause you harm, a CPAP may be prescribed.
A CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine is designed to push air into your nose and mouth at a consistent pressure while you are sleeping. Once your doctor prescribes a CPAP, you can acquire a machine and set it up at home yourself.
What Are The Benefits Of Using a CPAP Machine With OSA?
Improvements To Your Quality Of Life
People who use a CPAP machine enjoy daytime alertness, better concentration and are emotionally stable. CPAP’s ability to curtail and eliminate snoring means quieter sleep, better health and no disturbances while sleeping.
Improved Mood
The chances of becoming emotionally unstable and depressed will go a few notches higher if you do not seek treatment for Sleep Apnea. CPAP has been shown to be effective in improving mood while minimizing the symptoms that trigger depression.
Better Sleep
The machine helps restore a normal sleep pattern and eliminate breathing problems during sleep. Having sufficient amounts of sleep will keep you refreshed and energized during the day. This means high productivity and sound health and wellness.
Enhanced Concentration
For people with concentration issues, CPAP can improve thinking ability and decision making. This is important because an untreated Sleep Apnea has been shown to cause brain damage, difficulties in concentration and loss of memory.
Decrease Your Risk Of Heart Disease
Besides making it difficult to breathe, OSA can reduce oxygenation in the blood to the point where the heart is under strain. Because of this strain, certain heart conditions can develop such as coronary artery disease, irregaular heartbeat, and congestive heart failure.
Decrease Risk Of Stroke
Research has shown that OSA is a common condition associated with stroke. In fact, doctors will usually screen stroke sufferers for OSA during their investigation as to why the stroke happened. According to one study…
Stroke patients with OSA have a worse prognosis overall, but treatment with CPAP can have a significantly better impact on overall cognitive and other physical disabilities suffered after stroke.
National Institutes of Health
What Are The Alternatives To A CPAP Machine To Help Snoring?
Maybe you can’t afford, or don’t want to use, a CPAP Machine. Even though your health insurance should cover it, perhaps your doctor doesn’t feel as if your case is serious enough to warrant a CPAP machine yet.
What can you do to help your snoring without a CPAP? Let’s take a look at the most effective non-CPAP remedies:
- Changing Sleep Positions
Changing sleep position is a simple solution to overcoming sleep problems. All you need to do is avoid sleeping on your back and instead sleep on your side. Sleeping on the side allows air to flow better when sleeping and helps stop snoring.
- Losing weight
If you are overweight, it is highly advisable to consider losing weight. Doing this will help you reduce the weight of the throat tissue that causes snoring. Unless you have an underlying medical condition, weight loss can be achieved by eating healthy foods and smaller food portions.
It is also highly advisable to exercise on a regular basis to complement the weight loss measure. For support and guidance, see a dietitian or medical doctor.
• Oral Appliances
The other strategy that can help you avoid using the CPAP machine is using appropriate oral appliances that are custom-made and fitted in the mouth just like the mouth guard or retainer. The appliances are very effective in keeping the airway open.
• Performing Throat Exercises
Oropharyngeal or throat exercise helps strengthen the weakened throat muscles. The exercises include:
- Pushing the tongue out to the furthest distance you can surmount.
- Raise the palate and uvula for up to 20 times.
- Perform a chewing motion on an empty mouth for about two minutes per session.
- Open the mouth to the furthest angle and maintain the position for about 10 seconds.
• Establish A Good Sleep Routine
Some of the good sleep practices include sleeping in a comfortable bed and darkroom. These practices are important because snoring is linked to both weight gain and lack of sufficient sleep.
Make sure you don’t use your phone right before you try to get to sleep. Plug your phone into the charger and set it aside at least 30 minutes prior to attempting to sleep.
• Reduce Your Alcohol Intake, Especially Before Bed
If you drink too much alcohol, you need to reduce the intake or avoid drinking before going to bed. Alcohol is a great inducement for snoring because it relaxes the culpable throat muscles.
- Surgical Procedures
Sometimes surgery can be an effective option to treat snoring. According to Medical News Today, the most effective surgeries for people suffering from snoring include tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy, somnoplasty and Laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP).
Tonsillectomy is a delicate procedure that involves the removal of enlarged tonsils. Somnoplasty uses radiofrequency energy to correct the flabby tissue found in the palate and throat. Laser-Assisted Uvulopalatoplasty, commonly called LAUP is a laser procedure that involves cutting the soft palate to prevent vibrations that cause snoring.
- Alternative Medicine
For patients who do not want to use CPAP at all, alternative treatments like acupuncture and herbs can help. According to a 2009 study published on VeryWellHealth health and medical resource, a team of researchers concluded that Acupuncture sessions can help patients suffering from hypoxia recover from oxygen deprivation.
Hypoxia is a serious condition that normally affects part or an entire region of the body. In 2016, a control study revealed that hand-performed Acupuncture and Electropunture procedures had the ability to raise oxygen saturation and improve the critical hypopnea index (AHI), which tests the gravity of Sleep Apnea.
Although the study found acupuncture to be effective compared to the controls used in the studies, most of the studies that have been done are inconclusive as such more scientific proofs are needed. Herbs such as Valerian and passionflower have also been found effective in controlling Sleep Apnea and the underlying symptoms.
It is important to know that the supplements are largely unregulated as they are classified as “regular use” dietary supplements. When using herbs and other supplements, utmost care should be taken by people with underlying medical conditions. Extra precautions should also be taken by pregnant or nursing women and children.
In Conclusion
Snoring is a potentially serious health issue for many people. When it indicates the presence of Obstructive Sleep Apnea, the use of a CPAP machine can help greatly.
Ignoring your snoring could severely affect your health. Talk to your doctor and do your research. Live the very best life that you can.
