To Dr Gopalan, the most important element in treating snoring is in educating the snorer and his or her partner on the ways to look out for danger signs when it comes to snoring.

While mild, intermittent snoring may be just be an irritation that disrupts sleep, snoring that is loud, persistent and followed by stopped or laboured breathing and choking may indicate other health problems.

One of the causes of loud snoring - OSA - is a serious condition that requires treatment. "About one out of 10 people who snores may have OSA," Dr Gopalan says.

"And in OSA, when the patient is sleeping, he suddenly stops breathing. Then he chokes but he doesn't realise it."

However, the spouse or sleeping partner may pick it up. And when that happens, you better seek treatment, Dr Gopalan cautions.

"Because what happens is the saturation of oxygen (in your blood) that goes to your brain decreases dramatically and you may end up dying, or having a stroke or heart attack," he says. "It may even lead to hypertension."

People who have sleep apnoea also experience sleep deprivation, making them sleepy during daytime or unable to concentrate on their daily activities.

As Dr Gopalan relates a personal experience of his friend who left work and found himself lying in a hospital with a fractured leg due to an accident, lack of quality sleep due to sleep apnoea can pose risks to people who suffer from it.

Therefore, if you realise that your snoring is a problem, consulting a physician may benefit both you and your partner. You can rule out harmful conditions such as OSA, nasal congestion or obesity, and your partner may finally be able to get a good night's sleep after you seek medical advice.

Snore no more

The treatment of snoring depends on its severity. To reduce snoring, Dr Gopalan says some of the easiest ways are to lose weight, avoid taking sleeping tablets or consuming alcohol in the evening and stop smoking.

Dental appliances and nasal strips to open the airways through mechanical means can also be used.

However, if a person has OSA, detection and treatment must be started early by ENT or respiratory specialists to prevent further complications like hypertension, heart attacks and stroke, Dr Gopalan says.

OSA can be treated with the help of a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine. "What a CPAP machine does is it pushes in air through the obstructed part directly into the lungs. It is a live-saving machine for some patients who have moderate to severe sleep apnoea," Dr Gopalan says.

If all above fails, surgical or invasive methods to correct or removing parts of the structures that are obstructing the airways can be discussed.

"Nasal symptoms and snoring are all treatable symptoms. Patients who have severe snoring may have OSA, especially in the overweight population," Dr Gopalan says.

That is why if you are in doubt, always consult a doctor, he concludes.

References:

1. Snore tests: Identify the cause of your snoring, British Snoring and Sleep Apnoea association, www.britishsnoring.co.uk

2. Snoring, Mayoclinic, www.mayoclinic.com/health/snoring/DS00297

This story was first published in The Star on Nov 9, 2008.

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