What Causes Snoring?
Snoring occurs due to the narrowing of the upper airway. When we are in deep sleep, the muscles in the oral cavity relax and sag, blocking the airway. In some cases, there may also be swelling of the tissues in the nasal cavity, making it difficult for air to pass smoothly to the trachea and lungs. When the airway is obstructed and the upper airway narrows, the snoring sound is caused by the vibration of soft tissues such as the soft palate, the walls of the throat, and the epiglottis.
What Type of Snoring is Harmful to Health?
Snoring can occur in anyone. For those who only snore without sleep apnea, the negative effects may be limited to causing annoyance to people nearby or embarrassment if teased.
However, if snoring is accompanied by sleep apnea, in addition to the above problems, it also negatively affects the health of the snorer. During episodes of sleep apnea, blood oxygen levels drop, a condition called Hypoxia or oxygen deficiency. This causes cells throughout the body to receive insufficient oxygen. People with this condition often feel they have not had enough sleep despite sleeping for many hours. They may also exhibit irritability and poor concentration.
Another major problem is that low blood oxygen levels cause a large number of free radicals to form in the cells, leading to oxidative stress. This results in inflammation of the walls of small blood vessels throughout the body and abnormal blood circulation in various organs, accelerating cellular degeneration and premature aging. Over time, degenerative diseases develop faster than in the general population, such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, memory loss or Alzheimer’s, osteoarthritis, glaucoma, cataracts, and many other diseases.
Therefore, anyone who snores and suspects they may have sleep apnea should promptly consult a doctor for examination, diagnosis, and appropriate treatment planning.
Treatment of Snoring and Sleep Apnea Caused by Soft Palate Relaxation
In fact, over 80% of snoring sounds are caused by the vibration of the soft palate. Soft palate relaxation is one of the causes of upper airway narrowing, which can lead to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
Traditional Surgical Treatment for Snoring
If the cause of snoring is due to a relaxed soft palate and elongated uvula, it can be treated surgically. Traditionally, this involved using a scalpel to cut and suture the soft palate directly, known as Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP). The disadvantages include:
- Long surgery time
- Significant blood loss during surgery, about 50-100 cc.
- Severe pain after surgery
- Hospital stay of 2-3 nights
- Long recovery time
- Unattractive surgical wounds in the throat
New Surgical Treatment for Snoring
Currently, a new and widely accepted technique called the Modified CAPSO technique (Modified cautery assisted palatal stiffening operation technique) combined with soft palate and uvula reconstruction called Modified CAPSO and Uvulopalatoplasty has been developed. Its advantages include:
- Shorter surgery time
- Minimal blood loss, not exceeding 1-2 cc.
- Less pain after surgery
- Hospital stay of only 1-2 nights
- Faster recovery time
- More aesthetically pleasing surgical wounds in the throat
This surgery is suitable for treating patients with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). When combined with other treatments such as laser surgery to reduce the size of the tonsil tissue along with tonsil repair (LASER Tonsilloplasty) and the insertion of a spring pillar implant, an innovation of the clinic called Modified CAPSO + spring pillar implant = Hybrid Modified CAPSO, it can also treat patients with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea (Moderate to Severe OSA).
