Snoring

What is snoring?

Sleep related breathing disorders demonstrate, to varying degrees, the collapsibility of the pharyngeal airway, which characteristically occurs at the onset of sleep (Remmers et al., 1978). In patients with simple palatal snoring the problem is one of basic snoring, with no episodes of obstruction of the upper airway. The noise comes from vibration of the soft palate, velopharyngeal sphincter and upper oropharynx.

Prevalence of non-apnoeic snoring

Non-apnoeic snoring has been reported as being widely under-diagnosed in the United Kingdom (UK) adult population (Ohayon et al., 1997). It has been estimated to affect up to 45 per cent of the adult population (Rice and Perskey, 1986). However snoring also has profound effects on those in proximity to a snorer.