Snoring and Sleep Apnea | Ask the Expert: Ear, Nose & Throat with Dr. Smedley at Utica Park Clinic

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Question:

If you snore, does it mean you have sleep apnea?

Answer:

Sleep apnea simply means a pause in breathing while sleeping. It can be central (the brain doesn’t send the message for the body to breath in) or obstructive (something is blocking the effort to breath in.) Obstructive sleep apnea is more common and is frequently associated with snoring.

The mechanics behind the obstruction help us understand what is happening. Snoring is typically caused by vibration of tissue in some part of the airway between the opening of the mouth or nose and the lungs. Nasal obstruction, such as that caused by a deviated septum or inferior turbinate hypertrophy, causes us to open our mouth to breathe. This allows the tongue and/or other tissues to fall back against the back of the throat, blocking the airway. The body must try harder to get the airway open and a loud gasp is frequently heard. Sometimes we wake up to these gasps, or apneic events. This is what happens with obstructive sleep apnea.

Snoring is frequently associated with these apneic events and can happen at any time during inhalation or exhalation (breathing in or breathing out) as the soft tissues of the nose, mouth and throat vibrate. However, it is important to note that you can have apnea without snoring (silent apnea) and you can snore without having apnea (primary snoring). The way to establish the diagnosis is to complete a sleep study, where your sleeping and breathing is monitored to provide valuable information of your sleep structure. This can be ordered by your primary care provider.

The key point to think about with snoring is this: when you are snoring, you are not sleeping well, and neither is your partner or other members of your household. This can lead to increased cardiovascular problems including high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke. It puts you at risk for falling asleep on the job or during important meetings. Motor vehicle accidents and death are also associated with untreated sleep apnea. Untreated sleep apnea causes you to feel like you are on the verge of falling asleep throughout the day. The energy that would be spent doing the things you need and like to do, is instead spent simply trying to stay awake.

If you snore, or suspect you are pausing while breathing at night, please speak about it with your primary care physician. A sleep study, followed by a complete nasal and oral airway evaluation (typically performed by an otolaryngologist – an ear, nose & throat doctor) will open opportunities for a whole new world of feeling well-rested. You just might regain the energy that you once had! Your partner and other family members may feel well rested again as well.