Snoring and Sleep Apnea
Snoring
During sleep, the throat muscles relax and as a result, the space within the throat is narrowed. When air flows through the narrowed throat while sleeping, the tissues of the throat can vibrate and create the sounds we recognize as snoring. Snoring is very common and occurs at least occasionally in almost half of all adults. Men are more likely to snore than women.
Snoring can be exacerbated by being overweight, nasal congestion, or alcohol consumption. Any narrowing of the nose or throat may lead to increased snoring. For example, if the tonsils are enlarged, the throat will be narrower and therefore vibrate more when air tries to flow through, thus creating louder snoring. In addition, being overweight can contribute to narrowing of the passages, which can lead to snoring or Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
People who snore may not be aware that they snore unless it is brought to their attention by someone else. Snoring may disrupt proper sleeping patterns as well as someone else's sleep. In addition, heavy snorers may suffer from sleep apnea, a condition in which snoring is frequently interrupted by periods of completely obstructed breathing.
Sleep Apnea
People with Sleep Apnea stop breathing while they sleep, sometimes hundreds of times per night, and occasionally for a minute or longer. Sleep Apnea affects about 18 million people of all ages in the U.S. and ninety percent of people who have Sleep Apnea don't know that they have it. Sleep Apnea takes three forms: obstructive, central and mixed.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), the most common form, occurs when the soft tissue at the back of the throat closes, and thus obstructs a person's airway. In Central Sleep Apnea, the airway remains open; however, the brain does not send signals to the muscles involved in breathing. Central Sleep Apnea is very rare. Mixed Sleep Apnea combines aspects of the obstructive and central types of Sleep Apnea. A common warning sign of Sleep Apnea is snoring, especially snoring combined with gasps or lack of breathing (Apnea). Sleep Apnea can be diagnosed with a sleep study.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea does not allow for adequate deep sleep, where the human body gets its true rest. During the Apnea episodes, breathing is obstructed and therefore the oxygen levels drop. The brain tries to correct this by bringing the patient to a lighter stage of sleep so that the muscles have more tone and open up the airway, thus increasing oxygenation. Sufferers of Obstructive Sleep Apnea cannot maintain deep sleep since they are awakened to a lighter stage of sleep throughout the night in order to resume proper breathing. Although most patients do not actually wake up during these Apnea episodes, less time is spent in deep sleep, thus disrupting and lowering the quality of a person's rest. Obstructive Sleep Apnea can lead to a number of problems since poor sleep and recurrent/chronic low oxygen levels can lead to permanent organ damage. If left untreated, Obstructive Sleep Apnea can cause significant health issues such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, stroke, memory problems, weight gain, impotency, headaches, and daytime fatigue leading to job impairment and motor vehicle crashes.
Treatment
Non-Surgical Treatment
There are a variety of treatments available for Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Weight loss helps in reducing snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. In addition, C-PAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) is an effective way to treat Sleep Apnea. CPAP entails wearing a mask-like device while you sleep, which pumps pressurized air into the throat in order to prevent the airway from collapsing. Other non-invasive options include oral appliances, mandibular repositioning and tongue-retaining devices and nasal sprays.
Office Procedures
Pillar Procedure
The Pillar procedure, or palatal implants, is a new and minimally invasive procedure for treatment of snoring. In this FDA approved procedure, 3 to 5 small implants, less than an inch-long in size, are inserted into the soft palate using a syringe-like instrument. The procedure is usually performed in the office under local anesthesia, with little discomfort. As scar tissue builds up around the implants, the tissue of the soft palate stiffens, which ceases the vibrations that cause snoring. This scarring process can take between 2- 4 months and therefore results are often not seen for that period of time. Please visit http://www.restoremedical.com for more information
Somnoplasty
Somnoplasty is an office procedure which can help eradicate sleepless nights caused by the noise from snoring. Somnoplasty is a minimally invasive procedure which is relatively painless. The operation uses low power and low temperature radio-frequency energy to treat the area of the soft palate and the uvula. Treatment of the soft palate with radio-frequency energy results in scar tissue formation in the ensuing four to six weeks. This stiffens the soft palate, which ceases the vibrations that cause snoring. The procedure usually takes less than twenty minutes and can be performed in the surgeon's office with minimal discomfort. Please visit http://www.somnus.com for more information.
Pictures from GYRUS-ENT
Surgical Treatment
Surgery can be performed to increase the size of the airway. Surgery may involve removing the tonsils, adenoids, uvula or excess tissue at the back of the throat. In addition, nasal surgery may be performed to correct a nasal septal deviation or to reduce the size of the nasal turbinates in order to allow for a more air to pass via the nasal cavity. Surgery may be an effective option for some, and can provide permanent relief from symptoms.
Dr. Zadeh has extensive experience and knowledge to formulate and execute the most appropriate surgical plan to successfully treat snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Surgery is reserved for patients where it is the most effective and appropriate treatment. He has extensive knowledge of the anatomy and function of the structures in this region, and utilizes state-of-the-art, minimally invasive surgical techniques.
Like us on Facebook: 
To schedule an appointment with Dr. Zadeh, please contact:
Mani H. Zadeh, M.D., F.A.C.S.
2080 Century Park East
Suite 1700
Los Angeles, CA 90067
Tel: (310) 201-0717
Fax: (310) 201-9665
Email: info@ZadehMD.com
If you have any questions or comments, or if you want to learn more about the services, please complete the form below.
Note: Do not use this form for an emergency!
Parking garage available on site with handicap access.