In Australia many thousands of people are affected by snoring and most are laughed at by family members. For many, however, snoring is a major factor in the breakdown of personal relationships.

Snoring is also a well recognised medical problem which in its most severe form can cause loss of enjoyment of life and be life threatening. This is known as Obstructive Sleep Apnoea. When snoring causes problems, investigation and treatment are necessary.

What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea and how does it differ from simple snoring?

Sleep causes relaxation of all muscles, including those in the throat, which narrows the airway. Sleep Apnoea sufferers have an airway more narrow than usual, and their condition is made worse by obesity, nose and throat problems, smoking or taking drugs such as alcohol or sleeping tablets. In simple snoring, the narrowed airway vibrates but is not blocked.

In Obstructive Sleep Apnoea the narrowed upper airway blocks off completely and air no longer passes through either the nose or the mouth, despite normal or increased efforts to breathe.

The oxygen in the blood falls, and as the patient awakes, the relaxed throat muscles constrict, the airway unblocks and the patient immediately falls asleep again. This can occur several hundred times a night in advanced cases. Most sufferers do not usually wake up fully, so these events are rarely remembered the next day. However, if fully aroused, sufferers may wake with a start and a choking feeling in the throat.

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