WHAT IS SNORING? HOW TO GET RID OF IT? WWW.ENTACHOUSTON.COM Living in a world where everything has steadily become fast-paced, thriving among our peers and colleagues, leaves little to no room for falling behind. We all experience a certain degree of fatigue from time to time; however, habitually not getting an adequate amount of restful sleep can significantly deteriorate our quality of life. Although there are several culprits for interrupting our slumber every night, snoring is definitely among the most common. Snoring every so often isn’t necessarily something to be concerned about. It is when it becomes a nightly routine that it starts to disrupt our much needed time of repose. Around 50 percent of all adult’s snore occasionally, while 25 percent snore regularly. This large number means that if you don’t snore yourself, there is a high probability that you know or even live with someone who does. We’re all familiar with the unpleasant noise, but how is it produced exactly? Simply put, snoring occurs when soft tissue of the nose, mouth, and throat vibrate because of a blockage in the airway. Being that it involves several parts of the upper respiratory tract, there are a number of causes to why people snore. Temporary snoring is often associated with a cold, the flu, fever, alcohol consumption and certain medicines; whereas more frequent snoring is linked to large tonsils, deviated nasal septum, swelling (polyps) in the nose and unusually shaped nose, mouth and/or jaw. Furthermore, snoring doesn’t solely affect your quality of life. Those sleeping near you probably suffer just as much as you do (if not more) to get proper rest at night. It is always a good idea to achieve a healthy lifestyle and avoid weight gain, alcohol, and dehydration. However, if you continue to snore habitually, finding yourself excessively fatigued during the day, you may want to schedule an appointment with an (ENT). Please feel free to contact ENTAC Clinic in Houston, TX at 713–621–2556 to get a proper diagnosis. After thoroughly checking for any deformations or blockages in the airway, the specialist will discuss your options with you. In most cases, a surgery is not required, but there are many cases where a simple procedure such as a tonsillectomy, removing polyps, or straightening the nasal septum, may be done to rid the snorer and their loved ones of such nuisance. Getting proper sleep at night positively correlates with a more productive lifestyle; so be proactive and don’t let snoring hold you back from living your life to the fullest!