What are the causes of Snoring?

OSAS occurs when a structural problems in the upper airway blocks breathing during sleep.

• The area of this blocking occurs in sleep when the muscles of the throat, soft palate, tonsils, uvula (fleshy tissue that hangs from the back of the throat) and tongue relax and sag.
• This airway collapse may be complete or partial causing snoring and a decrease in blood oxygen level.
• Eventually, your brain senses this low oxygenation and partially wakes you unknowingly allowing you to open your airway.
• Your body, however, does not awake fully resulting in restless sleep and daytime tiredness.

For many people, the narrowest airway cross-section area occurs behind the palate and uvula. Dr. Pasha examines for the presence of a long and wide soft palate, a large edematous (swollen) uvula, large tonsils, and redundancy of pharyngeal walls (back of the throat). Dr. Pasha may also place a scope through the nose to evaluate the back of the throat and larynx (voice box) for other causes of airway obstruction.