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Discover The Link Between Snoring And Smoking
Most people understand all the potential health hazards associated with smoking. But aside from the commonly known things like cancer, it can also contribute to a snoring problem.
Smokers have a high likelihood of being snorers as well. Smoking causes swelling in the tissue of the nose and throat, as well as damaging the lungs. Nicotine can also cause disruptions in sleep that can contribute to snoring.
A group of European researchers studied snoring in a group of smokers between 25 and 55 years old. They studied 15,000 people from five different countries to see if they could find a link between smoking and snoring.
Out of the study group, 24% of the people who currently smoked and 20% of the people who smoked in the past suffered from snoring problems. This was compared to 14% of the people who did not smoke. They found that the more a person smoked, the louder their snoring.
Second-hand smoke also created a higher likelihood of snoring. 20% of the people who lived with someone who smoked also snored.
Another interesting fact they uncovered was that more men smoked but the female smokers had a higher chance of snoring.
So just what is it about smoking that leads to snoring problems? They didn’t come up with a definitive answer to that question, but one of the theories is that the irritation to the airways caused by smoking leads to problem breathing, which in turn leads to snoring.
Another theory is that the body goes through nicotine withdrawal while asleep, which disturbs the sleeping pattern. This disturbance contributes to the snoring.
So you can add one more reason for quitting smoking. Not only does it damage your health and your body, it can lead to snoring problems which can ultimately lead to drowsiness, irritability and stress (in both you and your family).
A Look at Snoring Treatments
If your own efforts to stop snoring do not help, consult your physician or an otolaryngologist — or a doctor for the ear, nose, and throat. If you choose to try a dental appliance as a snoring treatment, you will need to see a dentist specializing in these devices. Some medical snoring treatments are continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), oral devices (including dental appliances and lower jaw positioners), and surgery.
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure consists of sleeping with an air mask to maintain continuous air pressure in the throat. CPAP is a treatment for sleep apnea, as well as for snoring.
A wide range of dental appliances, oral devices, and lower jaw adjusters are available to alleviate snoring. Some people experience significant improvement with these oral appliances, which bring the lower jaw forward during sleep. Most of the products fit inside the mouth, but some products on the market are worn around the head and chin to adjust the position of the lower jaw.
As far as surgery goes, Thermal Ablation Palatoplasty (TAP) treats snoring and various types of Obstructive Sleep Apnea. The types of TAP include: laser-assisted uvula palatoplasty (LAUP) and radiofrequency ablation (or ?somnoplasty?). Laser-assisted uvula palatoplasty (LAUP) vaporizes the uvula and a portion of the palate with a laser in the doctor’s office under local anesthesia. LAUP effectively removes obstructions to the airway, which may be causing snoring or sleep apnea.
Laser-Assisted Uvula Palatoplasty has a higher success rate than Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty for sleep apnea (UPPP), but it requires a surgeon with expertise in laser procedures. Radiofrequency ablation, or somnoplasty, shrinks excess tissue in the upper airway with a needle electrode. For snoring, the soft palate and uvula are reduced. For Obstructive Sleep Apnea, the base of the tongue is reduced. For chronic nasal obstruction, nasal turbinates are reduced. Somnoplasty does not require general anesthesia.
According to many experts, while other snoring treatments may help in cases of milder snoring problems, for heavy snoring, surgically correcting obstructive conditions in the nose, pharynx, or uvula may be the only solution.
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