Snoring/Obstructive Sleep Apnoea

Snoring is a very common problem which causes marital disharmony. Most patients have simple snoring which obviously is a nuisance.

Obstructive Sleep Apnoea

On the other hand there is a condition called Obstructive Sleep Apnoea [OSA] which is a serious problem. Not all snorers have OSA. OSA often is characterized by loud snoring followed by periods of silence when breathing stops or nearly stops. Eventually, this reduction or pause in breathing may signal you to wake up, and you may awaken with a loud snort or gasping sound. You may sleep lightly due to disrupted sleep. This pattern of breathing pauses may be repeated many times during the night. People with obstructive sleep apnoea usually experience periods when breathing slows or stops at least five times during every hour of sleep.

Mr. Dhanasekar will see patients and get a good history of the snoring. Ideally the partner needs to be present during the initial consultation. He would do a complete ENT examination including flexible laryngoscopy in clinic. He would explain if there are any surgically treatable targets such as nasal septal deviation, nasal polyps or large tonsils. He would also organise special tests to rule out OSA. If OSA is diagnosed he will refer you to the specialists for treatment

If it is a case of simple snoring, then he will go through the treatment options with you.