Snoring and Sleep Apnea

If you snore, you've probably heard the comments, the complaints and the jokes. But did you know that snoring can be a warning sign of a serious medical condition known as obstructive sleep apnea? It can affect your daytime performance, your job and your health!

Latest methods of laser treatment for snoring are available.

Dr. Serebrakian, based on his extensive experience performing thousands of laser procedures, has a special interest in the treatment of snoring and sleep apnea. By a simple method of laser treatment, using only local anesthetics, laser assisted Uvulopalatoplasty (removal of excessive tissue from the throat) can be performed in 10 - 15 minutes. This procedure can effectively decrease or eliminate snoring. In patients with suspicious sleep apnea, special home sleep study is available.

Snoring is the vibration of respiratory structures, usually the uvula and soft palate, and the resulting sound, due to obstructed air movement during breathing while sleeping. The irregular airflow is caused by a blockage and usually due to one of the following:

• - Throat musculature weakness, causing the throat to close during sleep
• - Mispositioned jaw, often caused by tension in the muscles
• - Fat gathering in and around the throat
• - Obstruction in the nasal passageway or lower airways

Impacts

Snoring is known to cause sleep deprivation to snorers and those around them, as well as daytime drowsiness, irritability, lack of focus and decreased libido. It has also been suggested that it can cause significant psychological and social damage to sufferers. Many studies also shown a correlation between loud snoring and risk of heart attack (approx. 34% chance) and stroke (approx. 67% chance).