Snoring and Sleep Apnea

Snoring as a physiological sound phenomenon during sleep is harmless and quite common especially in men and elderly. If, however, breathing difficulties during sleep arise due to collapses of upper airway structures, a sleep apnea syndrome can result. Apart from snoring and arousals in the night , the main symptoms are tiredness and a general energy loss during the day.

A careful history with a clinical evaluation and the nocturnal measurement of blood oxygen at home usually lead to a diagnosis. In some cases there is need for further clarification in a sleep laboratory with an interdisciplinary evaluation by other specialists such as pulmonary specialists, neurologists and psychiatrists.

Various nonsurgical and surgical treatment options are available for snoring and sleep apnea, different methods can be combined.

For selected patients with sleep apnea a new implant for neural stimulation of key muscles of the upper airway during nighttime is available (www.inspiresleep.com).