You have a general idea of what snoring is because it’s something that you’ve been doing for some time now. It may also be something that is driving other members of your household a bit mad because not only are you occasionally waking yourself up but you’re also making it hard for others to stay asleep. What you don’t know is what makes this happen, whether it’s something you should do something about, or if it’s not actually snoring but something called sleep apnea. Let us help you out! Our Auburn Hills, MI practice sees many patients with similar concerns and is here to treat you!
What’s Going On When I Snore?
You know that something is happening somewhere in the vicinity of your head and throat when you snore but you may not really know what’s going on. Patients often assume it’s all going on in their nose. The truth is: It’s happening in your throat. Here are the details you’ve got to understand in order to comprehend snoring (and to differentiate it from sleep apnea):
- Snoring happens when the tissues in your throat end up touching each other. This is due to the partial collapse of throat muscles. As they contact one another and you breathe, vibrations occur that create sounds. You call these sounds snoring.
- Sleep apnea happens when instead of partial contact, your muscles and tissues collapse. You stop breathing. You wake up choking and start to breathe again then go back to sleep. If you suffer from this issue, you may also suffer from snoring. However, just because you snore, it doesn’t mean you have sleep apnea.
Is This Really Something I Should Treat?
We encourage you to come in to learn more about your snoring and to treat it for many reasons. First, it’s good to learn more about whether you’re strictly snoring or if you are also suffering from sleep apnea because the latter of these issues can lead to serious health problems. As for snoring itself, it is annoying, can wake you up, can wake others, can irritate your throat, can disrupt sleep, and is worth addressing.
How Do You Help Me Treat It?
We offer oral appliances for snoring and sleep apnea that will promote air passages that remain wide open! See us soon to learn more.
Treat Snoring Concerns With Our Care
Whether you think you’re dealing with snoring or think sleep apnea may be negatively affecting your ability to sleep through the night, coming in to learn more and to talk with us about possible treatment is wise. To learn more, schedule an appointment or initial consultation by calling Advanced Dental Concepts in Auburn Hills, MI today at (248) 852-1820.
