How can you prevent snoring?

introduction

Snoring is a widespread, bothersome phenomenon that affects up to thirty percent of adults.

There are numerous factors that contribute to the development of snoring. During snoring, the throat muscles are slack and fluttering, vibrating movements of the soft palate and uvula cause the noise.

There are various ways to alleviate the symptoms.

What therapy options are there?

There are a few factors that make snoring more likely. This includes various anatomical changes that often hinder nasal breathing and accordingly promote snoring.

Depending on the type of change, surgical interventions can be considered that can correct possible bottlenecks.

There are also ways to reduce snoring by making lifestyle adjustments. It can help:

Obesity reduction
Refrain from drinking alcohol in the evening
Earlier consumption of dinner
Avoid sleeping on your back

For some sufferers, a snoring splint (palatal brace) can help alleviate the symptoms. The dentist is responsible for this and adapts the splint individually to the teeth. The purpose of a snoring device is to keep the airways open. There are also various nasal clips and nasal patches that are designed to facilitate nasal breathing while you sleep.

Another way to prevent mouth breathing while sleeping is with chin straps. Chin straps hold the jaw in place to keep the mouth closed. This should help people breathe through their noses and snore less.

For those who suffer from sleep apnea in addition to snoring, nasal breathing devices are an option. These serve to ensure that the person concerned has an adequate supply of oxygen throughout their sleep.

Nasal breathing devices work with the aid of positive pressure, "nasal continuous positive airways pressure, nCPAP". The pressure prevents the slack throat muscles from closing the upper airways during sleep. In very severe cases of sleep apnea syndrome, BIPAP treatment (Bi positive airway pressure) help.

As a result, there are a few possible treatment options for snoreers, depending on the cause of the snoring.

Read more about the treatment options for snoring under: Snoring - What to do?

Home remedies for snoring

There are several home remedies that can help with snoring. A cold is one of the most common causes of snoring. A steam bath can dissolve secretions in the nasopharynx and clear the airways.
The continuation of the topic can be found under: Inhalation - How is it done correctly?

Cold-related snoring can be relieved by using garlic, honey, peppermint, and olive oil. They have an anti-inflammatory and decongestant effect in the nasal mucous membranes. They help improve nasal breathing. The swelling of the airways is reduced and vibrations of the throat are reduced.

In addition to the home remedies mentioned, there are other options to prevent snoring. Weight loss can help if you are overweight. In the process, the fatty tissue in the neck area that narrows the airways also disappears.

You should also avoid alcoholic beverages about two hours before going to bed and have an early evening meal. If possible, you should avoid lying on your back while sleeping.

Depending on the individual cause of snoring, healthy sleep hygiene can help to significantly improve sleep and reduce annoying snoring.

Is the OP a solution?

In order to permanently prevent snoring, various surgical options can be considered. Snoring is often based on anatomical changes that can be surgically corrected by ENT specialists.

These include operations on the nasal septum in the case of a curvature of the nasal septum, an operative reduction in size of enlarged turbinates and sinus surgery, for example in the case of a chronic sinus infection or proliferating nasal polyps if there is a given indication.

In children, enlarged tonsils are a common cause of nighttime snoring. Under certain circumstances, tonsil surgery can be useful and eliminate the symptoms.

Other options are soft palate plastic surgery, stiffening of the soft palate and operations on the base of the tongue and hyoid bone.

General anesthesia is usually required for such operations. You can find out more about this under: Induction of anesthesia - The right preparation

These nasal patches and nose clips are there

Nasal patches are used to keep the upper airways open. A nasal patch consists of a strip of adhesive tape with rounded ends. It contains narrow plastic strips that give the plaster stability.
It is glued over the bridge of the nose and keeps the nostrils open. There are different colors of nasal patches, including clear patches.

In contrast to nasal plasters, nose clips can be used for a very long time. They can be cleaned and reused while nasal patches are changed every night. A nose clip is similar to a nose ring that you insert into your nostrils from below.

It spreads the nostrils from the inside and fixes them in this position so that more air can flow through the nose while sleeping. If you have poor nasal breathing, nasal patches and nasal clips can greatly reduce snoring.

Who will benefit from an overpressure mask?

Overpressure masks are used as part of a CPAP treatment (continuous positive airways pressure) used. CPAP therapy is suitable for snorers who also suffer from obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

The positive pressure mask is still considered the gold standard for severe sleep apnea. In the case of pure snoring, therapy with a positive pressure mask would be inappropriate.

In obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, the soft tissues collapse due to the negative pressure when you breathe in. Anatomical changes, obesity with fat deposits in the throat area and a deep, flabby soft palate favor the breathing pauses in sleep apnea and snoring.

The positive pressure mask creates positive pressure that prevents the collapse of the upper airways and the subsequent pauses in breathing. It is therefore a very suitable therapy for patients who suffer from severe sleep apnea.

The following topic could also be of interest to you: Therapy of sleep apnea syndrome

How can chin straps help?

Chin straps or chin straps are made of elastic bands that tie snorers around their heads. These anti-snoring agents stabilize your chin and mouth while you sleep.

Chin straps are designed to prevent air from flowing through the mouth, oral cavity with a soft palate and tongue into the windpipe. The anatomical structures that are responsible for snoring are bypassed. Accordingly, chinstraps and chinstraps are particularly suitable for mouth breathers.

You can combine chin straps with nose clips or nasal patches. Chin straps can usually be used for a long time and are easy to clean. They are already available very cheaply.

Can a nasal spray help against snoring?

Nasal sprays are one of the most popular medicines and can be found in almost every household. Decongestant nasal sprays contain vasoconstricting and secretion-inhibiting ingredients and are therefore particularly used for colds and a blocked nose.

A nasal congestion is a major obstacle to nasal breathing and can cause people to snore temporarily. In this case, nasal spray can be used to clear the nose and prevent snoring.

Nasal sprays should not be used for a maximum of five to seven days at a time, as they are addictive and cause chronic nasal spray-associated runny nose (Rhinitis medicamentosa) can cause.

In the next article we have prepared various types of sprays for you. If you are interested, read it below: Nasal spray

At this point, read our article on snoring during pregnancy and find out what effects snoring could have on your child. The nasal spray can also be helpful during pregnancy. Learn more at: Snoring During Pregnancy