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 blocked and the upper airway narrows, snoring sounds are produced from the vibration of soft tissues such as the soft palate, the walls of the throat, and the epiglottis.
What type of snoring affects health?
Snoring can occur in anyone. In cases where there is only snoring without sleep apnea, the negative effects may be limited to causing annoyance to those nearby or embarrassment if teased.
However, if snoring is accompanied by sleep apnea, in addition to the above problems, it also negatively impacts the health of the snorer. During episodes of sleep apnea, blood oxygen levels drop, a condition called Hypoxia or oxygen deficiency, which 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 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 may 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 laxity
In fact, over 80% of snoring sounds are caused by vibration of the soft palate. Soft palate laxity 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 laxity of the 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), which has the following disadvantages:
- 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
- Unsightly throat wounds after surgery
New surgical treatment for snoring
Currently, a highly effective and globally accepted new technique called the Modified CAPSO technique (Modified cautery assisted palatal stiffening operation technique) combined with soft palate and uvula reconstruction, known as Modified CAPSO and Uvulopalatoplasty, has been developed. Its advantages include:
- Shorter surgery time
- Minimal blood loss during surgery, not exceeding 1-2 cc.
- Less pain after surgery
- Hospital stay of only 1-2 nights
- Faster recovery time
- More aesthetically pleasing throat wounds after surgery
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 spring pillar implants—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).
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Dr. Soranchai Kiatsurayanon
Specialist in Otolaryngology
and Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
For more information, please contactEar, Nose, and Throat Center
Phyathai 3 Hospital, 4th Floor
Tel. 02-467-1111 ext. 4416, 4417