Snoring
| Snoring | |
|---|---|
| The soft palate and the base of tongue obstruct the airway in a person sleeping on their back. Snoring is one of the major symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea, although it may occur without any sleep apnea or other medical conditions. | |
| Specialty | Otorhinolaryngology, sleep medicine |
Snoring is an abnormal breath sound caused by partially obstructed, turbulent airflow and vibration of tissues in the upper respiratory tract (e.g., uvula, soft palate, base of tongue) which occurs during sleep. It usually happens during inhalations (breathing in).
Primary snoring is snoring without any associated sleep disorders and usually without any serious health effects. It is usually defined as apnea–hypopnea index score or respiratory disturbance index score less than 5 events per hour (as diagnosed with polysomnography or home sleep apnea test) and lack of daytime sleepiness.
Snoring may also be a symptom of upper airway resistance syndrome or obstructive sleep apnea (apneic snoring). In obstructive sleep apnea, snoring occurs in combination with breath holding, gasping, or choking.