SECTION 1: THE CAUSES OF SNORING
So … Just What the Heck is Snoring, Anyway?
Technically, snoring is defined as any resonant noise from the respiratory tract that emerges during sleep. Biologically, snoring refers to a vibration in the airway connecting the nose and the mouth; a vibration that can emerge through the mouth, the nose, or( as some non-snorers are painfully aware), it can emerge through both!
Snoring is not a disease, rather a symptom of various clinical and pathological conditions, some minor, others more significant. When we breathe in, air enters through the nose and into the oropharynx, where it passes through a region of Iymphoid tissue in a ring around the back of the nose and throat.
During the day the oropharyngeal muscles work to hold open the airway, which allows air to travel through it easily, but during sleep our muscle tone is relaxed. The airway becomes narrower or partially obstructed, when breathing in, and the walls of the oropharynx( throat) begin to vibrate and produce the sound we know as snoring. The tissues of the oropharynx bring about the actual noise of snoring and in particular those of the soft palate( roof of the mouth) and the base of the tongue set into intermittent vibration. In fact, the tongue plays a far more important role in the incidence of snoring than was once thought.
Moderate or severe snoring can be associated with increased respiratory effort and hypertension.
As the throat( and its subsequent tissue) relaxes during sleep, the wind tunnel / airway becomes narrower and hence, snoring occurs. As you can sense, the more narrow the airway, generally speaking, the more intense the vibration; and ultimately, the louder the snore.
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