Snoring

Sunit R Patel, M.D., F.C.C.P., D.A.B.S.M.

Pulmonary & Sleep Specialist located in Merced & Turlock, CA

If snoring disrupts your sleep or keeps the rest of your household awake at night, you can find solutions at the practice of Sunit R. Patel, MD, a leading pulmonology and sleep medicine specialist. At his offices in Merced and Turlock, California, Dr. Patel provides sleep studies, sleep disorder diagnosis, and effective treatments to help you rest without disruption. Call the office nearest you or click the online booking link for an appointment.

Snoring Q & A

When should I seek help for snoring?

If your snoring causes insomnia for you or anyone else in your household, it's time to find out the cause and seek treatment. Many people who snore don't realize that they're doing it, but you may wake up with problems like dry mouth, sore throat, or tiredness if you snore.

If you know or even just suspect that you're snoring frequently, call Sunit R. Patel, MD, as soon as possible to schedule a snoring evaluation.

What causes snoring?

Snoring happens when your esophagus muscles relax, your tongue falls back, and your airway becomes partially blocked. As you try to draw in air, the vibration of your throat's soft tissues creates the snoring sounds.

Many factors can contribute to snoring, but often it occurs because of obstructive sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder because you repeatedly stop breathing for short periods through the night. As you try to restart your breathing, it's common to snore loudly.

Not everyone who snores has obstructive sleep apnea, but virtually everyone with obstructive sleep apnea snores. Other causes of snoring include:

Sedatives, including alcohol and drugs
Cigarette smoking
Structural abnormalities (narrow windpipe, deviated septum, nasal polyps)
Allergies
Chronic nasal congestion
Asthma
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

You may be prone to snoring if you struggle with your weight. Men are twice as likely to snore as women, but even so, millions of women snore regularly.

How do you find the cause of snoring?

The team at Sunit R. Patel, MD, starts with a comprehensive examination and medical history. They also ask about your lifestyle and sleep habits.

There are a few tests to diagnose snoring, but the main one is a sleep study. In a sleep study, a machine tracks your oxygen levels, breathing, and airflow as you sleep. Sleep studies can help the team diagnose obstructive sleep apnea and other sleep disorders.

You may also need pulmonary function tests. These tests measure aspects of your respiration, like how much air you can inhale and exhale, to help diagnose conditions like asthma.

What is the treatment for snoring?

Snoring treatment resolves the underlying disorder or health issue first. For obstructive sleep apnea, you may need an oral appliance or continuous positive air pressure (CPAP) machine.

For asthma, COPD, or other respiratory conditions, you may need inhaled or oral medication. Lifestyle changes, like improved sleep hygiene, can make a big difference in snoring, as well.

Sunit R. Patel, MD, can help you sleep through the night without disruptions from snoring. Call the office nearest you or click the online scheduler to arrange a sleep evaluation.

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