Is snoring Harmful?

Is Snoring Harmful?

Snoring is a common problem that is often associated with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS).

Snoring can be symptom of underlying sleep-disordered breathing or can be harmless. Obstructive sleep apnea patients can develop serious cardiovascular consequences if not identified and treated. Patients with snoring require appropriate evaluation. Snorers can have nonrefreshing sleep, impaired cognitive function and obstructive sleep apnea with its consequences.

Because of snoring, the bed partner is unable to sleep because of the loud noise. Although majority of individuals, snore at some point during their lives one must seek consultation when they snore loudly and if it is associated with poor quality of sleep and with excessive day time sleepiness. Thorough ENT evaluation is must in those patients with loud snoring. Snoring may be harmless or harmful depending on the severity and its association with OSA.

Treatment of snoring depends on the precise localisation of anatomic irregularity implicated in snoring. Not everyone who snores has OSA and not everyone with OSA snores. So it is important to evaluate for OSA with sleep study in a patient with snoring before other treatments.

There is no single treatment that eliminates snoring in all the patients. The best modality of therapy that may be helpful in a patient with snoring should be ascertained before the start of treatment of snoring.