WHAT IS MOUTH BREATHING? In our natural state breathing should occur through the nose. The nose acts as a natural filter that removes toxins from the air we breathe, warming and humidifying the air before it hits the lungs and enhancing circulation. Mouth breathing occurs when someone takes in air through the mouth instead of […]
There are several reasons why a person may experience snoring or sleep apnea. The most common reason is restriction in the nose that reduces nasal airflow resulting in vibration of the tongue and soft palate. The second most common cause, however, is a tongue that is oversized or too wide for a person’s jaw. How […]
Sleep apps on your smart phone and on your smart watch have become very common place These programs make a lot of claims. Understanding what these smart devices are measuring and how they interpret this information is important when evaluating how they may improve your health. Phases of Sleep The physiology of sleep is such […]
Mouth taping is all the rage right now. Your partner snores… You heard they should tape their mouth. It’s better to breathe through my nose… I heard I should tape my mouth to make me breathe through my nose. But why? Why do you need to tape your mouth to choose nose breathing? That’s the […]
Spring is here, and as nature springs to life again you may start to notice those familiar signs that those annoying allergies are coming back. As if allergies aren’t bad enough to deal with during the day, they may also be causing you problems as you sleep, such as snoring and the even more serious […]
You may notice your partner complains of your snoring more when you’ve had a few alcoholic drinks. This happens due to the effects of alcohol on your muscles, blood supply, and respiratory drive. Alcohol is a depressant. This means that it slows down your brain and body because it acts mainly on the Central Nervous […]
Many patients who have sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) also have teeth grinding issues and TMJ issues. SDB can range from frequent loud snoring to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). They frequently report that they wear a mouth guard made by their dentist to reduce damage to their teeth. Why is managing snoring and sleep apnea critical to […]
With everything going on with COVID19 right now, we want you all to know that Dr. Slaughter and the Sinus & Snoring Specialists team are still here and available to see new and existing patients for all of your ENT needs. We are ensuring extra safeguards to keep our staff and our patients safe. If […]
What is the difference between snoring and Sleep Apnea First off, let’s define snoring and sleep apnea. Snoring is resistance to airflow through the upper airway creating vibration and noise production. Sleep apnea is the same condition except for the resistance to airflow is intermittently severe enough to create cessation of airflow (apnea). The obstructive […]
It seems we are bombarded by advertising for snoring solutions. The truth is that when there are 100 different ways to treat a problem, it usually means that none of them work. Some over-the-counter (OTC) snoring treatments may be of some benefit, depending on the particular cause(s) that are creating your snoring. We can break […]
