SNORING: CAUSES & TREATMENTS

Food and plants: natural remedies to reduce snoring.

Although its effectiveness is not fully demonstrated, some foods help to improve breathing ability. Snoring is a problem that affects both those who suffer as the companion of bed. In the long list of products and gadgets antironquidos, highlighting popular nasal strips to open the airways, special pillows "encouraged" to change position if you snore too much, the aspirations of steam or nasal sprays and rinses with essential oils to decongest the airways and help to snore less. However, although scientific evidence is lacking, some foods and plants have proven to be effective against snoring, as they improve blood circulation and breathing capacity.

First step: lose weight

Snoring is caused when the soft palate and uvula (popular form known as "Bell") partially blocked the airways during sleep. The causes are many and so varied that only remedy of which can cause frustration, albeit temporary stop snoring snoring or less, over time the problem recurs. Experts say snoring is not a disease, although the lack of treatment, if accompanied by obstructive apnea (breathing stops for a few seconds), can cause serious long-term illness: increased cardiovascular risk (hypertension, arrhythmias) and high headaches, among others. The most common causes of snoring are responsible for nasal congestion from colds or allergies, enlarged tonsils, deformities in the nose, such as deviated septum, and consumption of alcohol.

Excess weight also contributes to snore more, to enter the air, the fat on the neck vibrate and generate noise. In Europe, according to the latest National Health Survey (ENS 2006), 37.8% of adults are overweight and 15.6% have problems with obesity rates similar to those recorded in the infant and juvenile stage (30% 13.9% of overweight and obesity). Many people have more weight considered healthy for his age and health condition. Similarly, many who snore: half of men and a quarter of women. For most, the problem of snoring (and even that of apnea) can be solved if they lose weight. The added value of not snoring is that the body relies more and this has implications for better health and quality of life during the day.

Eating well for a good rest. The popular tradition believes that milk, fried foods and chocolate are foods that should not be taken to dinner because digestion and accentuating worsen snoring. But there is no scientific proof linking specific food consumption to a worsening of snoring, although after a heavy meal falls asleep snoring worse and more, even those not used to it. The possibility of obtaining benefits through the use of plants has led to the invention of different remedies with no proven. People who snore affected-both as his companion will have to assess whether noticeable improvement or worsening by the type of dinner. Lighten the meal to improve digestion may help mitigate snoring. The type, amount of food chosen for dinner and how cooking affects digestion and the ability to sleep.

Should be restrained with the amounts, in order not to overload the stomach and lengthen the digestion, and preferably low-fat cooking, a simple way (steamed, boiled, grilled, oven.) Without frying, no abuse, spicy seasonings and avoid coffee. The effect of alcohol has been studied more. Alcohol intake, either acute or chronic, disrupts sleep and helps the insomnia, breathing problems worse, the incidence and duration of obstructive sleep apnea and even make them worse, which can be dangerous for those already suffering from the disorder. Studies reveal that alcohol induces oropharyngeal muscle hypotonia, which makes the tissue of the palate and the upper part of the pharynx are more soft and loose, breathing vibrate and generate noise. The results of a recent test conducted by the Städtische Kliniken Frankfurt (Germany), published this month in the Journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngologycal Societies (EUFOS) confirm this hypothesis and detail that alcohol intake affects nocturnal individuals greater than snorers who are not.
The role of essential oils

Sprays, rinses and infusions of essential oils are another alternative to help stop snoring.

In a double-blind placebo-controlled study, researchers at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, Shrewsbury (United Kingdom), evaluated the use of a mixture of essential oils extracted from different plant parts (leaves, petals, fruits, roots) slightly fragrant rich in volatiles. The plant selection was made for its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antiviral, as well as their possible effects to reduce stress and emotional arousal. The mixture, which they called "Helps Stop Snoring" (aid to stop snoring) contained "Mentha arvensis (mint)," Mentha piperita (peppermint), "Citrus limonum" (lemon balm), "Eugenia caryophyllus "(nail)," officianalis Melissa (lemon balm), "pumilio Pinus mugo (dwarf pine)," Foeniculum vulgare (Fennel), "Salvia officinalis (sage)," Thymus serpyllum (thyme), "Cymbopogon vinterianus "(citronella)," Eucalyptys globulus (eucalyptus), "Lavandula angustifolia (lavender)," Pistacia lentiscus (mastic) and "Pinus sylvestris (Scots pine).

The authors of this preliminary project found a significant reduction of snoring only in the group of volunteers who used the aerosol (spray) of essential oils and applied in the oropharyngeal area, and among those who used the same formulation in liquid form (mouthwash ) gargle, compared with placebo. The hypothesis that point is that the formula "can have an antispasmodic action on the soft palate and the upper area of the pharynx, by altering the muscle tone and reduce the flapping of the tissues." The blend of essential oils may also increase blood flow to the palate, causing a moderate increase in "stiffness" and, thus, reduce the flapping of the tissues that causes snoring. Even if the duration of action of oils is short, may be sufficient to reconcile the companion sleep. Other studies have argued about positive results with different mixtures of plants, but the common denominator in all is the small sample size and short duration of treatment.

The possibility of obtaining benefits through the use of plants has led to the invention of remedies with different format (from sprays up sheets oropharyngeal, oral or nasal), containing variety of essential oils that emerge gradually. The effectiveness of using these preparations and mixtures are not sufficiently demonstrated, although the manufacturers to ensure their validity and confer on the composition of the preparation supposed to reduce snoring properties to "catch the tissues around the soft palate and uvula, "mucous congestion," "breathing easier" and / or eliminating mucus from the nose. "

Other alleged popular traditional remedies

Home remedies are in addition to products that are marketed with the aim of combating the annoying and irritating snoring. One trick, for which there is no scientific proof "that can be effective for some people, is to cut an onion into pieces, boil for 15 minutes, strain the preparation, sweeten with a little brown sugar and drink the tea about two hours before bedtime. The infusion of sage, ingested one hour before bedtime, is recommended for its positive effects. The steam pipes to decongest and improve breathing also help to snore less and sleep-sleep-over or leave.

Malignant snoring associated with sleep apnea, can cause nerve and respiratory diseases

Can you stop snoring? When to see a doctor? Is it a disease? In the world one out of two husky men, while in women the percentage is around 25%. Experts say snoring is not a disease, although the lack of treatment if the snoring is accompanied by respiratory arrest (apnea), can cause severe headaches, hypertension and arrhythmias. For this reason, they recommend wary of products that advertise the removal of snoring and consult a physician to perform an initial diagnosis. Medicine offers treatments for this problem, and while no guarantees the elimination of snoring, it does ensure better quality of life for those suffering from this disorder and those accompanying them on the dream.

Two types of snoring. Few people have escaped ever having to bear the characteristic and annoying noise produced by vibration of the tissues of the throat. Snoring is also a nuisance for the person sleeping next door, a warning sign that something is wrong in the throat of the snorer. The sound of snoring, whether wheezing, grunting or wheezing, occurs when there is an obstruction to airflow through the back of the mouth and nose. "The place where the acoustic phenomenon occurs is the palate. If the sound comes from that area is less problematic than if it occurs at the base of the tongue, producing apnea," says an otolaryngologist. Scholars distinguish between two types of snoring:

* The benign. Snoring is a more or less unpleasant that occurs during the night on a continuous basis, but that is not accompanied by sounds choppy or apneas.
* The evil. "It is that which is associated with apnea, that it carries many diseases,"

Apnea is total or partial obstruction of the throat, causing frequent episodes of respiratory arrest. "When a patient has apnea throat was closed, preventing the passage of air for several seconds, causing you to wake up in an unconscious way. At that time increases the tone of the muscles of the throat to open again. The problem that happens hundreds of times, up to 500 or 600 times a night, in the most serious cases. According to experts, snoring can not be considered a disease, although one major drawback, especially for those around the snorer. Only when accompanied by apnea snoring becomes a serious health problem because it may cause several cardiovascular problems. "Apnea is constantly interrupted sleep cycle and it prevents the snorer to achieve deep levels of sleep needed to rest and REM sleep, which serves to restore memory,".

When you should go to the specialist doctor?

Experts warn of the need to consult the different nature of the snoring to avoid greater evils. General practitioners are often those who are first of these "patients" and they do together with their families, who are really detail the type of snoring and of movement, so unconscious, suffering people who snore and have your companion. If snoring is mild and is discarded in a first diagnosis of apnea, the doctor examined the snoring habits, addictions, habits, types of sport you play, can suffer from stress, etc. Before taking any medicine or put a patch on the nose, doctors advise you to change certain lifestyle changes and check in a second consultation.

However, experts clarify that people who snore occasionally should not worry too much, but those who do continuously and simultaneously suffer interruptions in breathing should undergo medical treatment. Then the doctor will recommend the patient visit a specialist. "First we must find the source of the apnea," said the  pulmonologist. In cases where the apnea is caused by risk factors can be very simple solution, he explains. "When the apnea is due to obesity, weight reduction can cure it in its entirety. The reality is that over 70% of the morbidly obese have sleep apnea, and only lose 10% of its weight and notice a significant improvement "he says. How do you know if you have apnea? One suffering from this disease, perfectly describes your symptoms. "My wife tells me every morning how hoarse breath do so every night. She stopped breathing notice how every now and notes that after making very strange noises I wake up and go back to normal breathing until I fall asleep and start the process repeated several times during the night. Also, I woke up very tired, dragging sleepy all day. "

It is clear that in addition to the snorers and their partners also suffer the problem. In fact, many spouses endure every night a noise level between 80 and 90 decibels, equivalent to causing a truck speeding along a highway, say the experts consulted. For this reason, experts advise that people who snore should see their doctor "without having to spend years of suffering, but to the repetition of a single box of sleep disturbance, because the benefits of treating time is extended also to family .When you go to the specialist

Experts warn of the need to consult the different nature of the snoring to avoid greater evils. General practitioners are often those who are first of these "patients" and they do together with their families, who are really detail the type of snoring and of movement, so unconscious, suffering people who snore and have your companion . If snoring is mild and is discarded in a first diagnosis of apnea, the doctor examined the snoring habits, addictions, habits, types of sport you play, can suffer from stress, etc. Before taking any medicine or put a patch on the nose, doctors advise you to change certain lifestyle changes and check in a second consultation.

Snoring with sleep apnea, cause of many traffic accidents

This disease impairs quality of life of people with osteoporosis, decreased performance at work, increased irritability and makes them more risk of accidents at home, work and especially traffic. Studies in Europe have shown that people with apnea are up to 7 times more likely to suffer a car accident. The most common causes of snoring are usually low muscle tone in the muscles of the throat or tongue, excessive development of the tissues of the throat, excessive soft palate length, obstruction of nasal airways (when it has a cold, swollen tonsils or stuffy nose) or deformation of the nasal septum. In the obese, snoring is caused by a fatty deposit in the throat that makes reducing the space through which air passes.

Many statistics confirm that half of men and one in four women snore. This problem affects the smallest, and that between 8% and 12% of children snore habitually. The number of sufferers grows into adolescence and the numbers continued to increase with age. As for the apnea, the doctor distinguishes apnea syndrome sleep apnea. "The syndrome occurs when the body has been damaged and complications are expected. This affects 4% of the population and is three times more common in men. The women suffer more after menopause," specified. In addition to all these problems, stop breathing many times during the night has other negative consequences, as explained by experts. "Every time you stop breathing is a loss of oxygen in the blood. The same action repeated hundreds of times every night ends up producing cardiovascular diseases as hypertension, arrhythmias, angina pectoris, myocardial infarction or cerebral thrombosis." However, not all are equally severe apnea. Experts believe that a snorer be alerted when they suffer more than ten apneas per hour.

Many cases of simple snoring, apnea, or are solvable. So the first thing recommended to the snorers is that they do a good sleep study. "In the sleep units will be a study to determine what causes the obstruction during sleep. Here we study whether it is a simple snoring or apneic because according to the type of apnea treatment varies. Almost all cases of simple snoring and some apnea can be corrected by following a few recommendations and avoiding the main risk factors:

* It should reduce weight
* Do not consume alcohol
* No smoking
* Do not sleep on their backs
* Do not eat near bedtime
* Avoid excessive tiredness
* Do not take sleeping pills or antihistamines before bedtime
* Place the head of the bed slightly higher

Beware of possible fraud miracle anti snoring products

We see every day advertise in the media "miraculous" products that promise to cure snoring, but often nothing more than fraudulent businesses to take advantage of the desperation of many snorers, and especially their partners. In the opinion of doctors, "these products are absolutely false. With snoring occurs as with obesity. To lose weight there is only one way to diet and exercise and to stop snoring and apnea the only solution is to reduce risk factors or apply the above treatments. " In fact, all studies that have been made for the nose strips that are advertised to reduce snoring prove not to have any effectiveness.

The same view is shared by other specialists. Its members believe that these products damages their image, because they almost always advertised as "sold in pharmacies." "The products that promise miraculous results for intractable conditions are misleading for customers and undesirable for the pharmacy. They try to take advantage of the prestige of pharmacists to sell a product without warranty, thanks to aggressive advertising campaigns," point. Therefore, schools and associations of pharmacists' advice to affected consumers be wary of such advertising and to act with common sense. "When in doubt, should trust your doctor, who will guide and inform them with full guarantees for health care," they conclude.