Understand All About Snoring, Causes & Diagnosis

Are you tired of waking up to complaints from your family about your loud snoring? Or waking up feeling tired, despite getting a full night’s rest? Well, you are not alone. Snoring is a common culprit of the problem common in everyone, irrespective of their gender & age. It can be caused due to varied factors. Yes, snoring!!! You must have heard people complaining about snoring. But what exactly is it, what causes it, and what preventive measures can be taken to manage them? In this blog, we’ll explore all about snoring. So, let’s get started.

What Is Snoring?

Snoring is simply the noisy breathing that occurs when the flow of air through the mouth & nose is blocked, causing airway tissues to vibrate during sleep. Snoring can be frustrating for you and others around you too. It can range from mild to severe, depending on your age, gender, health condition, and various other factors. While normal snoring is not harmful, chronic snoring with an extremely loud voice can disrupt your sleep and be a sign of underlying medical conditions.

But have you ever wondered what the primary cause of this noisy breathing problem called snoring is? The reason is not one or two, but many. Let’s delve into the points to know more.

Common Causes Of Snoring:

• Obstructed Airways: Being the most common cause of snoring, it occurs when airways are blocked due to congestion or other reasons, and the air is forced through a narrow passage, creating the sound of snoring.
• Obesity: Excess fat, especially around the neck and throat, might be the reason behind your loud snoring. The excess weight around the throat narrows the airway & causes snoring.
• Sleeping Position: The way you sleep could also be the reason behind your snoring problem. Most people sleeping on their backs snore louder than ones sleeping on their sides. It is because sleeping on the back can cause the tongue and other tissues in the throat to collapse, which disrupts normal breathing and leads to snoring.
• Drinking/Smoking: Your alcohol-drinking or smoking habit could also lead to snoring and other health problems.

Apart from these, some other common health conditions might cause snoring, particularly, if it is loud, persistent & accompanied by other symptoms.

Medical Conditions Responsible For Are:

• Nasal Congestion: In addition, conditions like allergies, colds, sinus infections, and nasal congestion could also make it harder to breathe through the nose & increase the likelihood of snoring.
• Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD): It is a common medical condition responsible for irritation & inflammation in the throat, leading to snoring.
• Enlarged Tonsils: Adenoids or Enlarged Tonsils may cause breathing problems during sleep and is the major cause of snoring in children.
• Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Being a serious medical condition, obstructive sleep apnea repeatedly interrupts your breathing, leading to gasping for air & loud snoring.
• Hypothyroidism: It is a thyroid disorder that disrupts thyroid glands' normal functioning, limiting hormone production, leading to weight gain and other symptoms, and contributes to loud snoring.

If you or anyone in your known is experiencing loud snoring or has symptoms such as sleepiness, morning headaches, difficulty concentrating, etc., it could be a sign of a medical condition. Hence, getting yourself tested in time is essential to confirm the cause of your loud snoring and take appropriate preventive measures and treatment to manage it well.

So, what if you are snoring? It doesn’t mean you have to live with it. Here are some proven approaches to help reduce snoring and improve health outcomes. So, check them out here.

Tips To Manage Snoring:

While not all cases of snoring can be prevented, here are some tips that may help reduce the likelihood of snoring:

• If you are obese, your healthcare professional may recommend losing the excess weight, as it helps control snoring and improve overall wellness.
• If you drink alcohol, it's better to stop it, but if you can't avoid it completely, drink responsibly and avoid drinking before bedtime. It may work wonderfully for your health and help reduce snoring problems to a possible extent.
• Being active and adopting a healthy lifestyle approach can also be beneficial, helping you control your snoring and improve wellness.

These are basic things that might make a difference in your snoring problem. It is important to understand that not all cases of snoring can be prevented, especially, if it is due to a medical condition. Hence, consulting your healthcare professional and getting diagnosed in time is essential to determine the underlying cause and the most appropriate treatment options.

Snoring Diagnosis For Screening & Managing The Condition In Time!

Occasional snoring is harmless and something you shouldn’t be worried about. However, if your snoring is louder than normal, persistent, and accompanied by other medical symptoms, your medical practitioner may review your signs & symptoms and suggest a diagnosis. Your doctor may recommend a test based on your age, gender, symptoms, medical history, and varied other factors. Getting screening done in time is essential to diagnose the problem and take charge of your health before it’s too late to act.

Redcliffe Labs is the diagnostic centre you can rely on for all types of preventive health checkups and prescription-based tests. We have the most advanced diagnostic resources and skilled team to ensure that you get exceptional diagnostic experience at the most competitive rates possible.