SNORING AND OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNOEA
What causes snoring?
Snoring is caused by the vibration of tissue at a variety of levels in your nose and throat. It may be due to such problems at any one (or a combination of) the back of the nose, palate, back of the tongue or the side walls of the throat. Surgery to your nose or throat may be appropriate to help snoring, but it is vital to properly diagnose the level at which the snoring is occurring before considering this – there is no ‘one
size fits all’ surgical solution to snoring as the cause of each individual persons snoring is different! I will take great care to properly assess and diagnose what treatment is most appropriate for your snoring, and will only recommend surgery if I think it will help you.
This will be done via a combination of outpatient assessment and also a camera examination of your nose and throat.
What is Obstructive Sleep Apnoea?
Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome (OSAS) is a condition characterised by snoring and disrupted sleep caused by blockage in your airway whilst asleep.
Blockage in the airway causes dips in your oxygen level, and the body responds by waking you up in order to breathe more effectively. This causes poor sleep quality and leads to waking up in the morning unrefreshed and consequent daytime sleepiness. Patients with OSAS may be more prone to heart and lung problems if this problem is left unchecked, and the associated daytime sleepiness can cause significant problems at work and at home. Patients with suspected OSAS need careful assessment of their airways by me, and an overnight Sleep Study to assess night time oxygen levels. This can be arranged by me to see a Respiratory Physician colleague.
Treatment for OSAS once diagnosed may involve surgery to the nose and throat, but more usually involves a combination of weight loss, a Jaw Advancement Splint (worn in the mouth at night) which I can arrange through my Maxillofacial Colleagues, and a Continuous Positive Airways Pressure (CPAP) ventilation mask worn on the face at night.
Occasionally for patients with OSA who are unable to tolerate CPAP, i may offer specific tailored surgery to either improve or potentially cure the snoring and OSA.
Mr Repanos has expertise in this area and has been the subject of some media articles.
Portsmouth News
USEFUL INFORMATION RESOURCES ON SNORING AND OSAS
The British Sleep Apnoea and Snoring Association
www.britishsnoring.co.uk
The Sleep Apnoea Trust
www.sleep-apnoea-trust.org
The Sleep Council
www.sleepcouncil.com
