sleep disorders
brain, spinal cord, and nerve disorders
Snoring
Not all people who snore have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), but most people who have OSA snore. Warning signs, such as episodes of not breathing or of choking during sleep, daytime sleepiness, and obesity, help identify people at risk of OSA and thus in need of testing with polysomnography. General measures to manage snoring include avoiding alcohol and sedating drugs before bedtime, sleeping with the head elevated, losing weight, and, for the bed partner, using earplugs and having alternative sleeping arrangements. Specific treatments for snoring include devices to keep the airway open (such as a mandibular advancement splint) and surgery. Doctors also treat causes of snoring, such as chronic nasal obstruction and OSA, which may be treated with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). 