Procedures - Snoring and Sleep Apnea

Millions of Americans snore when they sleep. Snoring can be very disrupting to other family members when they are trying to sleep. The cause of snoring is due to the vibrating of the soft palate against the back of the throat. Every time the person takes a breath, the air attempts to pass in between the soft palate and the back of the throat. If the space is small, the result is a loud noise that is disruptive to all around. If you snore, please make an appointment and the surgeons at Utah Surgical Arts will discuss with you the many options available, surgical and non-surgical, to reduce or eliminate your snoring.

However, snoring may be a sign of something more serious called sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a condition where the muscles of the soft palate, uvula, and base of the tongue relax and obstruct the airway. This airway obstruction causes the levels of oxygen in the blood to fall, which causes increase stress on the heart, elevates blood pressure, and prevents the patient from entering REM sleep. Symptoms of sleep apnea are abnormal snoring with pauses and gasps, excessive daytime sleepiness, memory changes, depression, and irritability. If you think you may have sleep apnea you will need to undergo a sleep study to determine the severity of your condition. If you are diagnosed with sleep apnea, CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) is an effective treatment. However, if you are unable to tolerate CPAP please make an appointment to determine if you are a surgical candidate to decrease or eliminate your sleep apnea.