I snore — loudly, apparently — but it’s not sleep apnea. , snoring recurred.
I was offered another surgery, but was told it would be painful and might not work. Has anything changed in the snoring department since then?I think he’s 58, 5’8″, 11 and very fit. I ride my bike 15 miles a day.
Grog Fuchs, Woking, Surrey.
Snoring is often caused by obstructive sleep apnea, a temporary breakdown of throat tissue during sleep.
One of the main risk factors is weight gain, but at 11 years of age this is not the case. In fact, sleep apnea is ruled out (which is good news, as it’s associated with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke).
Smoking and drinking too much alcohol are also known to increase the chances of snoring. Smoking causes nasal passages to become clogged, and alcohol relaxes the muscles in the throat.
Snoring is often caused by obstructive sleep apnea, a temporary breakdown of throat tissue during sleep.
Sleeping on your side may be beneficial because it reduces the tendency of the soft palate, the tissue at the back of your palate, to collapse and cause intermittent blockage. .
Surgery you had years ago involves straightening the nasal septum, the bony cartilage that separates the nostrils. ). While this surgery isn’t as well-supported anymore (there’s no evidence that improving the airways in both nostrils can improve snoring), the fact that this originally worked for you is a testament to the inside of your nose. It suggests that structure may be a factor.
I believe the second surgery you suggested is the uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) surgery, where tissue in the back of the throat is often removed, including part of the soft palate.
Studies have shown that this reduces the intensity of snoring, but no long-term studies have proven this. The results do not appear to be permanent.
Bearing in mind that snoring is common and afflicts over 40% of men and nearly 30% of women between the ages of 30 and 60, is it imperative to seek a solution?
Potential complications and the legendary post-operative pain also forbid you from having this surgery, so I feel you were right to avoid it.
There are newer procedures, such as radiofrequency ablation, that use heat rather than a scalpel to reduce the volume of the soft palate.
Although it has been shown to be a safe and effective method of reducing snoring (less postoperative pain than UPPP), it is not clear how long the effect lasts.
Palatal implants graft polyester fibers into the soft palate to stiffen it. This also reduces snoring, but the long-term results are less certain.
As you can see, there is nothing magical or new that can solve your symptoms instantly.
Bearing in mind that snoring is common and afflicts over 40% of men and nearly 30% of women between the ages of 30 and 60, is it imperative to seek a solution?
As long as sleep apnea is ruled out, we recommend accepting the situation.
A friend of mine recently hit his head in the bath and since then has had blurred vision, wobbly legs and is vomiting. He refuses to go to the hospital — what should I do?
Eloise Few, Notting Hill, London.
Your friend may need a CT scan of his head. The symptoms you describe, along with symptoms such as fatigue, dizziness, loss of balance, mood changes, and slurred speech, may indicate potential brain damage.
Even minor blows to the head can cause problems such as concussions, intracranial hematomas (when blood vessels burst and blood accumulates in the tissues), and brain contusions (localized bruises in the brain). .
Brain tissue in older people is more susceptible to damage from even the slightest impact.
Your friend may need a CT scan of his head.The symptoms you describe — fatigue, dizziness, loss of balance, mood changes, slurred speech — may indicate underlying brain damage.
If symptoms persist, especially if mood changes or unsteadiness on your feet, persuade them to seek medical advice.
I am nearly 80, in excellent health, and work in the laundry room of a nursing home. I’m 5’2″ and have always been very slim but now she’s around 7 and everyone thinks I’m sick and I’m afraid I’m too skinny .
Madeleine Kelly, East Sussex.
Your body mass index, which is the sum of your weight and height, is at the lower end of the healthy range, so you don’t have to worry about it.
But if you’re worried, there are things you can do.
In your long letter, you said you were always hungry and active.
In addition to this sarcopenia, muscle weighs three times as much as fat, so there is an inevitable and gradual loss of muscle over time (3-5% of muscle is lost every decade after age 30). ), inevitably causing weight loss.
Eating lots of protein such as meat, fish and eggs and exercising regularly can help minimize this muscle loss.Omega-3 fatty acids also stimulate muscle growth. Oily fish such as canned mackerel and sardines are good sources.
For exercise, try lifting 2-3kg weights for 30 minutes three times a week.
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In my opinion… reduce the fee for seeing a private GP
The Prime Minister was initially widely criticized for refusing to disclose whether he had a private practitioner.
He finally told the House of Commons that he actually has an NHS GP.Three days after dodging the question during an interview.I really understand his hesitation in revealing this. I have not.
We all have the right to pay for non-NHS health care, and many do. Cosmetic surgery is a prime example.
Margaret Thatcher, like the Pope when he visited England in 1982, had no reservations about using a private GP (that private doctor was me!). In my personal practice, I have also seen labor lawmakers and peers outside the NHS with no problem despite their declared ideology.
When I was a family surgeon at Westminster Hospital in 1972, Marcia Falkender, secretary to Labor leader Harold Wilson, was being treated in a private room in our ward.
Harold Wilson’s government later set out to abolish paid beds in NHS hospitals.
Whatever his own position, Rishi Sunak should allow tax breaks on the cost of personally seeing a GP to ease the pressure on the NHS.
