Jubilee Hospital, Trivandrum.
Snoring is the vibration of respiratory structures due to obstructed air movement during sleep.
Mechanism of snoring
It occurs because of the obstruction in the flow of air through the air passage in the back of the throat and nostril. Snoring occurs when tongue and upper throat strike with the soft palate and uvula and vibrate together.
Why one snore
and Poor muscle tone in the tongue and throat
and Excessive bulkiness of throat tissue
and Long soft palate and/or uvula
and Obstructed nasal airways. Chronic swelling of the tissues on the nose (turbinates) seems to progress with age and worsen the problem.
Habitual snoring may be more than just a nuisance. Depending on the cause of your snoring, it may result in:
and Daytime sleepiness
and Relationship problems
and Difficulty concentrating
and A greater risk of high blood pressure, heart failure and stroke
and An increased risk of behavior problems, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), in children with obstructive sleep apnea
and An increased risk of motor vehicle accidents due to lack of sleep
Not only snoring can cause marital and social problems, it can also be a sign of a serious medical problem that need to be addressed. Snoring not only deprives your partner of sleep, it also leaves the snorer without a good night\’s sleep leading to fatigue and tiredness throughout the next day.
Snoring can also lead to a potentially deadly condition known as sleep apnea.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a condition that characterized by loud snoring frequently intermitted by episodes of obstructed breathing.
It may even last for ten seconds and can occur more than seven times in an hour. Patients might experience up to 300-500 such events in a single night.
This condition can be fatal since the oxygen levels in the body fall, forcing the heart to pump harder to in order to meet the oxygen demands of his body. Sleep Apnea can lead to adverse medical complications including diabetes and heart diseases like high blood pressure and can even lead to a stroke or heart attack..
The patients don\’t get a good night sleep and this affects their job performance as they may be sleepy during their work hours. After many years with this elevated blood pressure and enlargement of heart occur.
Get a sleep Study- Polysomnogram
Sleep Study-Polysomnogram-PSG- is a procedure that records a variety of body functions during sleep, including eye movement, muscle activity, and electrical activity of the brain. Polysomnograms usually are done in a hospital sleep lab and are monitored by a trained sleep lab technician. Small metal discs called electrodes are attached to the person\’s head and body to record brain activity, eye movements, muscle movements, heart rhythm and rate, limb movements, and snoring.)
Home Sleep Study
Before the Home sleep study became popular, most patients with OSA needed to perform overnight sleep testing (polysomnogram) in a sleep Lab, which is very expensive, uncomfortable and also with unacceptably long patient waiting period.
At home sleep study using portable monitor testing can be used to diagnose and manage patients with OSA, and this is good alternative to expensive polysomnography done in a clinical setting like a sleep lab.
To get a sleep study done from the comfort of your own home, please contact ENT clinic at Jubilee Hospital, Trivandrum, kerala, India: Email drpaulose@yahoo.com
Cost of Home Sleep study: approx Rs 5000 in and around southern districts of Kerala.
More details about At home sleep study- homesleepstudy athomesleepstudy