Snoring can be a huge problem for the snorer and the spouse, partner or significant other. While the situation varies depending on your age and condition, many snoring conditions get to the point of frustration because the sounds that come from snoring during the night can wake you, or the other person, up from a restful sleep, disturbing your sleeping pattern. In many cases, whether or not the partner wears ear plugs doesn’t even matter and temporarily relief is just that, temporary.
Snoring occurs primarily because of an obstruction in the person’s airway, preventing the individual from getting full airflow. The vibration of respiratory structures is what inevitably makes the snoring sound, which can either be a soft sound or loud and unpleasant, depending on the specific person. Knowing the cause of snoring and how it happens can make it easier to find relief and a permanent way to cure snoring so that both you and your loved ones can get some much needed rest without being woken during the middle of the night.
Snoring Relief through Surgical Methods
Surgical methods are definitely an option in order to permanently cure snoring. Your doctor can present the risks and benefits of the surgeries to cure your snoring but there are actually several major surgical methods that can be used.
First, successive laser treatments can be used to trim excess tissue around the throat, making it lighter.
Second, your adenoids–which sit at the back of the nose–can be removed.
Other surgical methods involve shrinking the uvula or performing a tongue suspension procedure that prevents the tongue from falling back over the airway, thus permanently curing your snoring.
Surgical methods to get rid of snoring can be a good way to cure the problem. However, the major dilemma with these techniques is that many of them are deemed “cosmetic” by insurance companies, which ultimately means that you have to pay an out-of-pocket expense to have them performed.
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure
A permanent solution for snoring is the continuous positive airway pressure machine, or CPAP machine. The CPAP machine is actually prescribed for individuals who have been diagnosed with a condition called sleep apnea. Your doctor can tell you whether or not you need this machine. However, when wearing the mask that the machine requires, you don’t snore and actually achieve a restful night’s sleep. The CPAP machine forces continuous, pressurized air via the mask during the night while you wear it. Using this keeps your airway open and prevents snoring, which results from an obstruction of your airway. Most CPAP machines are covered by health insurance policies.
Bed Elevation
One permanent method to get rid of snoring involves elevating your bed or getting an entirely new mattress altogether. Beds that adjust to your comfort level often allow you to raise the head of the bed up or down. Raising the head of the bed–either through a special mattress or through blocks placed under the mattress or front bed posts–can prevent and effectively cure snoring. Elevating your head relieves pressure from the airway, thus making breathing easier and getting rid of snoring.
Mouth Guards
Depending on how you view these solutions, mouth guards can be considered either a temporary or a permanent fix. Either way, there are several types of mouth guards that can work to permanently cure snoring. Mouth guards can usually be obtained through your dentist, but can also be obtained over-the-counter at a pharmacy or retail store.
Generally, the main purpose of many anti-snore mouth guards is to correctly position the jaw and tongue. When you snore, your lower jaw tends to fall back, causing a reduction in airway space. Mouth guards, on the other hand, fit over your mouth and jaw in such a way that the guard brings the lower jaw forward, keeping your airway open. Instead of sleeping with an obstructed airway, the mouth guard prevents snoring from occurring. Of course, the only caveat to this permanent snoring solution is that you must remember to wear the mouth guard every night.
Weight Reduction
Weight loss has been shown to not only decrease snoring problems, but also improve sleep apnea problems as well. Excess weight can put pressure on the airway, especially if excess weight is around the neck and face area. This not only causes obstruction but also a partial collapse of the airway, thus causing snoring and developing into sleep apnea for many people. Losing weight, on the other hand, relieves pressure and can significantly improve snoring. In many cases, weight loss can improve sleep apnea and other conditions as well, such as blood pressure problems, heart disease, diabetes and arthritis. Of course, weight reduction requires a significant lifestyle change that should include exercise, a proper diet and much will-power. Achieving weight loss, however, is one sure-fire way to improve, if not entirely cure, snoring problems.
Anti-Snoring Exercises
There are several exercises you can perform on a daily basis to get rid of and improve snoring through the night. If you see a dentist on a regular basis, he or she may instruct you on how to perform these properly. A number of simple mouth and facial exercises that can help cure snoring and help you get relief. For example, one exercise simply requires you to slowly open and close your mouth to its fullest extent. You want to make sure your lips meet while closing.
Another exercise involves holding your lips in a “pucker” position for about ten seconds, and then slowly relaxing. Something else you can do to prevent snoring is to gargle loudly with warm water. Of course, there are lots of these anti-snoring exercises you can and should perform on a regular basis to get rid of the problem. In fact, practicing these exercises on a regular basis may help even more so, than any mouth guard or bed elevation technique.
As you can see, many different ways to permanently cure snoring exist. While one or more of them may not be appropriate in all situations for everyone, there are definitely some that you should be able to use to get your snoring under control and find relief. While surgical methods may be expensive and not the right way to go for many people, methods like mouth guards, anti-snoring exercises, the CPAP machine if you suffer from sleep apnea, and weight reduction are all ways that can permanently put a stop to snoring.