North Palm Beach Today

• Up to 45 percent of American adults snore, according to the American Academy of Otolaryngology.

• One of the possible reasons for snoring is chronic sinusitis.

• A balloon sinuplasty can provide long-lasting effects, which can help end snoring. 

People struggling with sinusitis tend to breathe through their nose, which can lead to snoring. But a balloon sinuplasty procedure can help, according to Dr. Cody Aull of West Palm Beach Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers.

"People don't understand that we are obligate nose breathers," Aull told North Palm Beach Today. "Our body is designed to breathe through the nose. The nose is an organ that is built and formed perfectly. The mouth can also be breathed through, but it is not ideal in any way, shape or form. Inside the nose, there are structures that warm and humidify air so it can be presented to the lungs at the right temperature and the right humidity. It can be filtered. If you are breathing through your mouth, you've just lost all of those benefits. Now you're going to be drying out your mouth and throat, irritating your throat, making it more susceptible to infections."

In an international consensus statement on allergy and rhinology from Wiley, a multi-institutional case-control study was noted that focused on sleep patterns. This study showed that individuals who suffer from chronic sinusitis have an increased number of awakenings during a nights sleep, as well as spend a greater portion of the night snoring.

Other factors that might cause people to snore include drinking alcohol or taking other muscle-relaxing sedatives, certain hormones caused by pregnancy, or being overweight, according to Cleveland Clinic. Snoring over a long period of time can lead to health problems, including a lower blood oxygen level, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and higher risk for heart attack and stroke.

At-home remedies include sleeping on your side, sleeping with your head elevated or using nasal strips. If none of those methods help you stop snoring, a balloon sinuplasty procedure can clear your sinuses for long-lasting relief. The procedure typically takes approximately 20 minutes, during which an ENT physician inserts a tiny balloon into your nasal sinuses and inflates it, allowing the sinuses to open up and helping you to breathe more easily. The procedure is minimally invasive, pain-free and can be done in the provider's office.

To learn more about the symptoms of sinusitis and allergies, take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.