BY: Sharan Kaur

Everyone snores, even if you think you do not.

According to Dr Hsu Pon Poh, Director of Integrated Sleep Service at Changi General Hospital, snoring is the result of a partial obstruction in one's upper airway, which includes the mouth, nouse and throat. This obstruction can be located anywhere from the tip of a person's nose to the voice box.

"It just differs from person to person how loud the snoring is," explained Dr Hsu, a senior consultant otolaryngologist. An otolaryngologist is a doctor who specialises in treating diseases of the ear, nose, and throat.

While not usually serious, snoring can lead to fatigue during the day as patients might have to wake up several times in the night in order to breathe correctly. The patient's snoring also leads to social problems, such as disturbing the sleep of those around him or her.

It can, however, be a sign of the more serious medical condition, Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). In this condition, there is a complete obstruction in one's airway, compared to a partial obstruction for non-sleep apnea patients. Sufferers of OSA can stop breathing in their sleep.

To determine if a snorer suffers from OSA, Dr Hsu will first carry out a sleep study - collecting and analysing the patient's mannerisms and breathing patterns while the patient sleeps.

"There can also be other positive effects of going for a sleep diagnostic," he said. "For example, you may find out if there's a growth, or even detect early nose cancer."

If the patient does not suffer from OSA, then snoring is "perfectly harmless". According to Dr Hsu, the patient's snoring then becomes a social problem rather than a medical one.

While snoring is not something that can be fully cured, Dr Hsu could give the patient a medical method to control the snoring. Or give the partner earplugs so he or she doesn't get affected by the snoring instead, Dr Hsu jokingly added. To the social snorers, "I always ask: Who do you want me to treat?"

As for risk factors, snoring is usually worse in middle-aged men who are slightly obese or in women who have gone through menopause, that is, people with lower muscle tones.

Patients are thus usually advised to lose weight, and sleep on their side instead of on their back. This is because when you lie flat on your back, the tongue is more likely to fall back into the throat and block your airway. Limiting alcohol intake just before bedtime helps as well since alcohol will cause muscles to relax more than usual during sleep, increasing the likelihood of snoring.

For more serious cases, Dr Hsu may conduct surgery to insert a permanent pillow implant in the patient's throat. The implant is inserted into the soft palate, a muscular flap located at the back of the mouth. It helps to down vibrations caused by abnormal breathing, thus reducing the snoring sound. He does not usually recommend this method as the implant can get dislodged over time.

But whatever the choice, the first step in treatment for snoring is always the same. "We will have to educate the patients, let them know that everybody snores - nobody actually sleeps in complete silence," explained Dr Hsu.

Snoring woes? Keep your chin up Health product company Beauty Impress offers an alternative non-invasive treatment for snorers - the Chin-Up Strips. As most patients snore with their mouths open - causing the loud snoring sound - these strips are designed to help support the chin and keep the mouth closed during the patient's sleep. Patients would then be encouraged to breathe nasally, which is supposed to clear their obstructed nasal passages naturally. AsiaOne decided to take the Chin-Up Strips on a little test drive on three people who snore - student Raghu (22 years old), projects manager Chew V Ming (34 years old) and retiree Raju (66 years old). So, did the strips measure up? Comments from the testers were not very encouraging, as most felt the strip was sticky and uncomfortable. They also felt breathless throughout the night. Said Raghu: "It's uncomfortable as you can feel it there. It's quite damaging to my goatee, and if you've got nasal problems like me, breathing can be quite difficult." V Ming felt that the strip caused him to have sinus problems in the morning, and he also expressed discomfort with the sticky residue left behind. "I feel that a nose bridge would actually work better - it's not uncomfortable," he said. "And it focuses on opening up your sinuses to help you breathe right instead of just closing your jaw, which doesn't solve the root problem." While two of our users felt that the product did not quite help them, this could be due to the fact that the strips might not have been suitable for those with sinuses and blocked noses, according to a spokesperson for the product. Also, the amount of time it takes to get used to the strips may vary from user to user. While it might not bother some, others might not like the sensation completely, said the spokesperson. As for Raju, our third user, he faced difficulty in applying the strip - he couldn't get it to stay taut against his lip. He also felt that his snoring actually became louder, although this could be because he was unable to apply the strip properly. The strips may be an alternative to snoring sprays, where chemicals are used to lubricate the throat to reduce the sound of snoring. So if the idea of a natural and non-invasive treatment appeals to you, pick up your packet of the Chin-Up Strip from any Unity pharmacy or Sa Sa store at $9.95 for a 10-day pack.