Ronchopathy (Snoring): Definition, Types of Ronchopathy and Treatment

Snoring can be particularly embarrassing for the patient and those around him. The sound can reach up to 100 decibels. After 40, snoring is very common. 60% of men suffer from it compared to 40% of women.

Ronchopathy or snoring defines the breathing noise emitted by a sleeper. The tissues of the sleeper's throat relax during sleep and cause snoring. There are different types of snoring. Snoring can be simple, moderate, severe or even chronic. In the most serious cases, snoring can be a sign of sleep apnea. In order to determine the importance of ronchopathy, examinations exist. This is the case for example of the polysomnography. Certain factors promote snoring. This is the case for alcohol, tobacco or even when very tired. A healthy lifestyle will be the first treatment to adopt. However, other treatments exist.

Article summaries:

• Ronchopathy (Snoring): Definition
• Ronchopathy (Snoring): Simple, moderate, severe, and chronic snoring.
• Ronchopathy (Snoring): Treatments & Solutions
• Back2Sleep - Sleep Repairer.

Ronchopathy - snoring: Definition

Snoring affects between 10 and 20 million French people. This impressive number raises two questions: What is snoring? and why do we snore?

Ronchopathy - snoring: mechanism and definition

In order to understand the mechanism of snoring, it is necessary to question the breathing itself. When the subject breathes, air is sent to the lungs. Before reaching the lungs, the air passes through the nasal cavities, the pharynx the larynx the trachea and finally the bronchi. As you will have understood, in order for the air to pass smoothly, the ducts mentioned must be wide open. The upper airways may be obstructed, and the lying position favors the crushing of the ducts. The passage of air will then be less obvious. As it tries to pass, the air vibrates the soft palate and the base of the tongue, hence snoring. Snoring will be considered pathological if the noise emitted exceeds 50 decibels. It should be noted that some snorers emit up to 90 decibels, i.e. the noise of a truck!

It is considered that 50% of snorers bother their partner. But do we snore all night? no, as a general rule an individual will only snore part of the night. Some people snore up to 40% of the night, while d 'others simply snore for 1% of the night.

Snoring can be accompanied by other symptoms, such as sore throats, headaches or hypertension.

Ronchopathy -Snoring: Causes and Risk Factors

Snoring can be promoted and aggravated by a number of factors.

The first aggravating factors are factors related to lifestyle. Excess weight, consumption of alcohol or sedatives, smoking or extreme fatigue promote snoring.

It should be noted that the position adopted during sleep has a strong influence on ronchopathy. Thus, a position lying on your back will have the effect of keeping the tongue back and blocking the passage of air.

L age also has its share of responsibility for snoring. because the tissues of the throat relax.

Finally, some factors are physiological. Note in this regard a nasal malformation, large tonsils or an infectious attack of the nasal mucous membranes.

Also note that snoring can be episodic. It will then be linked to a cold. The congestion will limit the passage of air through the nose, thus requiring the patient to breathe with the mouth, which promotes snoring.

Ronchopathy: simple, moderate, severe and chronic snoring and their diagnosis.

Not all snoring is equally loud and not all is equally regular. Medical documentation classifies snoring into different categories. Faced with ronchopathy, it is important to consult a doctor in order to be able to make an accurate diagnosis.

The different types of snoring.

Simple snoring will not exceed 50 decibels and will therefore not be considered pathological. This snoring remains annoying for the entourage of the subject but does not present a danger to the health of the snorer.

Moderate to severe snoring will induce more noise emitted as well as a longer duration of snoring per night.

Chronic snoring is permanent. It is therefore not occasional and is repeated every night.

It should be noted that these three types of snoring can be considered as not being a sign of sleep apnea, if there is no hypertension, if the sleepiness scale is less than 10 and if the pharynx is wide.

Snoring and sleep apnea: in this case, the patient will have other symptoms in addition to snoring. He will present with stops or a decrease in respiratory flow. The subject may experience headaches, hypertension and great fatigue.

Diagnosis of snoring.

Faced with ronchopathy, the patient is advised to consult a doctor specialized in ENT or a dental surgeon.

Why consult?

in order to check the tissues of the throat and realize whether or not it is real snoring. During this consultation the patient's state of health will be assessed. The doctor will assess whether additional examinations are necessary. These examinations can be the following: a polysomnography, an X-ray, a scanner, a fibroscopy etc…

When should you consult?

As we have seen previously, snoring can be accompanied by symptoms such as hypertension or headaches. These symptoms may indicate sleep apnea.

In case of sleep apnea: Snoring may therefore be an indicator of sleep apnea. Apnea is defined as a decrease or cessation of respiratory flow. Two examinations make it possible to make a diagnosis of this pathology: the ventilatory polygraphy and polysomnography. These two examinations make it possible to assess the severity of the apnea presented by taking into account a certain number of data: air flow, thoracic movements, oxygen level in the blood.

Ronchopathy - snoring: what treatments?

Not all snoring is the same severity. Also, their treatment may vary. From alternative medicine to surgery and orthotics, we will present the different solutions to alleviate snoring.

Ronchopathy: natural treatments.

The first piece of advice here is to give up bad habits! Some snoring is ultimately only the result of excesses such as alcohol, tobacco or the consumption of sedatives.

It is also possible to use alternative medicine. It is highlighted that the ' acupuncture or homeopathy are effective in the context of ronchopathy. essential oils are recommended because they effectively clear the airways.

In case of nasal congestion, it is possible to use a air humidifier. Nasal congestion that can cause snoring is worse in the presence of dry air.

Ronchopathy: orthoses and surgery

In the most important cases, other medical solutions exist to combat snoring.

Back2Sleep:

Back2Sleep is a medical device that is inserted into the nose. It is very effective in relieving snoring. This intranasal orthosis helps maintain regular breathing, thus preventing the obstruction of the airways that causes frequent awakenings and snoring.

The CPAP (continuous positive pressure) device which can be used with a medical prescription, allows provide the patient with continuous air. This device is particularly effective and will be offered to subjects with sleep apnea.

The mandibular advancement orthosis, is a dental device allowing the space of the pharynx to be widened which reduces snoring. This orthosis is custom made from impressions of the patient's teeth.

Radiofrequency, allows by introducing an electrode in the soft palate to pass a small electric current. The soft palate stiffens. Snoring is reduced or even stopped.

Finally, uvulo-palato-pharyngoplasty surgery consists of a resection of the uvula, tonsils and part of the soft palate thus allowing to widen the space of the throat. This operation is very effective but requires general anesthesia.