Snoring is a serious pathology that interferes not only with the patient himself, but also with his relatives. If you neglect the problem, over time there will be deviations in the work of all vital systems of the body. Intermittent breathing in a dream leads to oxygen starvation. When the first symptoms of pathology appear, you should seek help from a specialist who will offer one of the modern methods for solving the problem. Laser snoring treatment is very popular today. Patient reviews show that in order to establish a normal sleep, only one surgical intervention is enough.
Why does snoring occur?
Sound familiar to many arises as a result of the passage of air flow through the narrowed airways. The walls of the pharynx touch and rattle. In some patients, snoring occurs only with a certain position of the body. In the most advanced cases, shortness of breath is observed in a dream constantly. Most often, people who have enlarged tonsils or polyps in their nose face troubles. Overweight people are also at risk. If there is a curvature of the nasal septum, laser treatment of snoring can also be carried out. The reviews of specialists show that changes resulting from injuries are not a contraindication to surgical intervention.
Congenital pathologies can also lead to the appearance of an unpleasant sound in a dream. This may be the narrowness of the nasal passages, malocclusion, elongated palatine tongue. Improper functioning of the thyroid gland can also refuse to affect the tone of the muscles of the pharynx. Of great importance are age-related changes. The older a person becomes, the more prone he is to snoring. Smokers are also at risk.
What is the danger of snoring?
There is absolutely no need to worry if breathing disorders in a dream are observed only during a cold. If a person does not receive enough oxygen, he will instinctively wake up. But if snoring is observed when there are no signs of deviation during wakefulness, you should seek the advice of a specialist. The first problem is that the person in the morning does not feel rested. Snoring interferes not only with others, but also with the patient himself. A person can wake up several times a night, and the brain does not have time to recover. This condition can soon lead to chronic fatigue.
The modern method of treating snoring with a laser should definitely be used by those people who experience
respiratory depression in sleep (apnea). In such patients, the level of oxygen in the blood is significantly reduced. It has been proven that nocturnal heart attacks and strokes are more likely to occur in people who suffer from apnea. There are even cases of death. Therefore, treatment of snoring (with a laser, for example) must be performed. The reviews of experts show that timely intervention has helped to save the lives of many patients.
Diagnostics
People who have a problem, first of all, need to visit an ENT doctor. The specialist will identify what structure the respiratory tract has, how vibration occurs in the nasopharynx. The physician will be able to determine the cause of the snoring and select the most optimal treatment. Unfortunately, not all pathologies can be corrected. In some cases, the patient may need to consult an endocrinologist, as well as a therapist.
The study of night sleep can be carried out using a modern technique - polysomnography. In this way, a specialist can find out if simple snoring is complicated by respiratory arrest. Special sensors are attached to the patient’s skin, which record ECG-indicators of respiration and brain activity. Sleep parameters are continuously recorded throughout the night.
What are the ways to get rid of snoring?
Laser treatment is a modern technique that allows you to quickly solve the problem. However, this option is expensive and not available to everyone. Begin with a simple one. Initially, try to develop a strategy for proper sleep. The most optimal for snoring people is the side position. High pillows should be discarded. It is advisable to sleep on an orthopedic mattress.
In the pharmacy you can buy special devices that are installed in the mouth at night. If snoring torments, how to get rid? Laser treatment of snoring, as already mentioned, is not available to everyone. And special oral devices allow you to fix the lower jaw. Due to this, the lumen of the pharynx increases. According to patients' reviews, it is not always possible to quickly get used to such devices. But they are highly efficient.
Laser Surgical Techniques
A special device that produces a concentrated light beam - this is the laser. The energy in such devices is obtained due to the degeneration of carbon dioxide. Small particles, making a quick movement, emit photons. They are reflected from the mirrors installed in the laser device. Due to this, a light beam arises. Thermal energy affects certain parts of the body.
Such surgical techniques are less traumatic and are characterized by small blood loss. It is no coincidence that laser snoring treatment is popular today. Patient reviews show that it is possible to recover after surgery in just a few days.
Who needs laser surgery?
The technique is applicable for people who do not know how to get rid of snoring. Snoring can be treated with more conservative methods. But if they do not help, a laser will come to the rescue. As with any other surgical procedure, the patient must undergo a medical examination. First of all, the specialist conducts a study of the nature of the patient's sleep. In addition, the doctor must be informed about the patient’s previous illnesses. If there have been operations on the nasopharynx, this should be reported first.
A serious step is laser treatment for snoring. The risks and benefits of this method are interrelated. As a rule, patients get rid of snoring within a few days after surgery. However, there are also known cases where the problem after the procedure only worsened. Before the operation, the specialist must carefully prepare the patient. Once again conservative treatment methods are used. This includes lifestyle changes, treatment for nasal congestion, and the selection of a special orthopedic mattress. Laser treatment is definitely indicated for patients who have sagging pharyngeal tissues. People with apnea are also at risk. Sleep apnea is a serious, life-threatening problem.
Who is not eligible for laser snoring?
Laser plastics initially aims to eliminate excess soft palate tissue, as well as strengthen them. Surgical intervention will not help people whose respiratory delays in a dream arise due to obstruction of the nasal passages. The laser can only be used to remove swollen nasal tissues, in situations where treatment with vasoconstrictive medications is not possible.
Do not perform operations on the soft palate in patients who have a thickened tongue or enlarged tonsils. This is due to the fact that the area of access to the surface on which surgery should be performed is significantly narrowed. Treatment of tonsils using a laser can be carried out according to the method of coagulation in several stages under local anesthesia. Palatine tonsils gradually decrease, which can already have a positive effect on breathing in a dream. Sometimes a few tricks are enough to completely stop snoring.
Laser surgery of the pharynx is poorly tolerated by people with an uncontrolled gag reflex. In some cases, even local anesthesia does not help. Under general anesthesia, such operations are not performed.
How is surgery performed?
Surgical intervention can be performed both on an outpatient basis and in a clinical setting. On the day of surgery, the patient is recommended not to eat or drink anything. In most cases, the procedure is planned for the morning. Laser treatment for snoring is performed under local anesthesia. Testimonials from patients show that the intervention is completely painless. Many compare the operation with a visit to the dentist. The patient sits in a special chair, the doctor freezes the larynx with an aerosol. According to safety requirements, the doctor works with the patient in special goggles and gloves. This is a must when using a laser.
Snoring is eliminated by correcting the shape of the palatine tongue. The doctor works very carefully with the laser device. In no case can you touch other tissues of the larynx, otherwise the patient will get a serious burn. Such operations are performed only by highly qualified doctors. Laser treatment of snoring can be done only in specialized clinics. The cost (reviews confirm this information) of the procedure is very high. In some medical institutions will have to pay at least 50 thousand rubles.
Is it necessary to perform the operation again?
It all depends on the complexity of the clinical case. If the patient suffers from not too intense snoring, just one surgical intervention is enough. If we are talking about apnea or other serious pathologies, you may have to carry out the procedure in several stages. The problem is that a strong sag of the palatine tongue cannot always be corrected at a time. In addition, carrying out surgical intervention in several doses helps the patient to go through adaptation more easily.
Single-stage laser correction of the soft palate is a traumatic operation that can be characterized by significant blood loss. Domestic experts try not to use such techniques.
What are the reviews talking about?
Laser snoring treatment is widely used in Minsk today. Patient reviews show that most people managed to get rid of the problem. There are official statistics that say that 85% of patients who underwent surgery have permanently stopped snoring. In 6%, only a slight improvement was observed. But 9% of citizens did not notice the changes at all. Perhaps this is due to poor-quality procedure.
Summarize
Snoring is a problem that should not be ignored. Conservative therapy will help if you start it in a timely manner. And in advanced cases, laser snoring treatment will come to the rescue. Reviews of experts about the technique can be heard for the most part positive.