SNORING…THE NOT SO SILENT KILLER!
19 Mar 2018
A bed without snoring, every once in a while, is hard to come by. Let’s just say… snoring is extremely irritating for both sides of the bed. But before you rule it out as just an annoying habit, consider this… There could be an underlining breathing disorder under those covers!
Snoring is caused by vibration of structures inside the throat/back of the roof of the mouth. At the most basic level, snoring occurs in some people because the muscles in the body relax during sleep, allowing these structures to vibrate as air flows by them. About half of patients with snoring will have obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder that is characterized by interruptions to breathing during sleep. Sleep apnea may limit the air supply so severely that blood oxygen levels drop; this causes the heart to work harder with worsening cardiovascular stress and disease.
Apnea is a risk factor for the development of high blood pressure, stroke, arrhythmia’s, cardiovascular disease and depression. The symptoms associated with apnea are: poor memory, morning headaches, dry mouth, pause in breathing, daytime fatigue.
Sleep apnea does more than interrupt your slumber. It could also threaten your heart health. Seek the help of your primary care physician to arrange for a sleep study to determine if you have Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
If you experience chest pain, palpitations, weakness, or symptoms the board-certified emergency room physicians at Memorial Village ER are here to help you with your medical emergency.