Chronic sinus problems are one reason that people may begin snoring. | Pexels/Andrea Piacquadio
Chronic sinus problems are one reason that people may begin snoring. | Pexels/Andrea Piacquadio
• Chronic sinusitis can lead to snoring.
• Snoring can cause other medical issues, including higher risk for heart attacks and strokes.
• A balloon sinuplasty can fix chronic sinus problems.
If your partner snores, don’t get mad at the offender. He or she might have a sinus problem that’s contributing to your misery.
Snoring can be a problem, not only because it keeps others awake, but because it can lead to daytime fatigue, headaches, nighttime chest pain and morning sore throats, according to Kaplan Sinus Relief.
Balloon sinuplasty could be one way to end the suffering.
"When you breathe through your mouth instead of your nose and your mouth is open, you have a higher likelihood of snoring based on how everything is placed anatomically,” Dr. Cody Aull of West Palm Beach Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers told North Palm Beach Today. “If you're breathing through your nose like you're supposed to do at night, you're less likely to snore."
Snoring is the body’s answer when you’re unable to breathe properly through your nose while sleeping. Breathing through the mouth while sleeping causes the airways to narrow and the soft tissue in the throat to vibrate, causing the snoring sound.
Snoring can result from inflamed or infected sinuses. The Cleveland Clinic says other things that might cause people to snore include drinking alcohol, taking muscle-relaxing sedatives, certain hormones caused by pregnancy or being overweight. Snoring once in a while isn’t necessarily a problem, but if it continues over a long period of time, it can lead to health problems, such as a lower blood oxygen level, high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, and a higher risk for heart attacks and strokes.
Balloon sinuplasty can have lasting effects on snoring if the condition is caused by chronic sinus problems. The procedure typically lasts approximately 20 minutes, during which an ear, nose and throat (ENT) physician inserts a tiny balloon into your nasal sinuses and inflates it. This opens the sinuses, allowing you breathe more easily. The procedure is minimally invasive, pain-free and done in the office.
In the short term, recommended at-home remedies are sleeping on your side, sleeping with your head elevated or using nasal strips.
If you're interested in learning more about allergy and sinusitis symptoms, take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.
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