Snoring treatment has helped countless people in Des Moines, IA, get the sleep they need. Dr. Douglas Pick and his team at Iowa Sleep & TMJ have been successfully treating snoring since 1996. While home remedies may work for some, other snoring might be too severe. Or, you may be part of the 75% of people who snore that have obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep soundlessly with treatment. Make an appointment today, call (515) 222-0505.

What is Snoring?

When you sleep, the muscles in your airway relax. Usually, there is plenty of room for air to pass through, even though your muscles aren’t contracted. However, that’s not always the case. The soft tissues in your airway can sag and cause a partial block. These tissues vibrate as air rushes past them, and the resulting sound is a harsh snore.

All kinds of things can cause snoring. Sometimes, being overweight can place excess pressure on your airway and cause a partial blockage. A naturally bulky throat or a long soft palate can have the same effect. Other times, you may snore situationally. Snoring is common after taking alcohol, drugs, or sleeping medication. It’s also common in those who smoke cigarettes and when you’re ill. Snoring is more common in overweight men over 50, but anyone can snore regardless of gender, age, or weight. Women and even children have been known to snore.

In almost all cases, snoring keeps you and your partner from restful sleep. If you are tired, we have a solution for you. Many people in Des Moines are seeking treatment from Dr. Pick at Iowa Sleep & TMJ. Call (515) 222-0505 or make an appointment online to learn how we can improve your sleep through snoring treatment.

Take Snoring Seriously

You need to take snoring seriously. Some snoring is practically harmless, but other snoring is a sign of a serious sleep-breathing disorder called obstructive sleep apnea. It’s a condition in which you stop breathing multiple, sometimes hundreds of times throughout the night. These pauses disrupt your sleep cycle and don’t allow your body to get the restorative rest to function. Sleep apnea puts you at risk for severe conditions such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, depression and anxiety, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease. If you’ve been told that you snore and it’s loud enough to cause a disruption to your sleeping partner or anyone else in the house, get tested for obstructive sleep apnea. While not all snorers have sleep apnea, it is one of the most common symptoms.

If you aren’t sure, monitor yourself for other symptoms such as daytime sleepiness, morning headaches, irritability, difficulty concentrating, frequent nighttime urination, choking, coughing, or gasping for air during the night. If you have multiple symptoms, you might have obstructive sleep apnea, but the only way to know for sure is to get a sleep test. Your sleep test will monitor your brain waves, blood oxygen levels, heart rate, eye and leg movements, and breathing. Your sleep doctor can determine if you have obstructive sleep apnea with this data. If you do, we can help you find the treatment option that fits your lifestyle.

To be classified as sleep apnea, your AHI must be 5 or greater (5 episodes per hour), and an episode is any breathing that stops for at least 10 seconds. Even if you don’t have sleep apnea, snoring is still disruptive to everyone’s sleep, and we can provide snoring treatment that works.

woman covering her ears due to her partners snoring

Snoring Treatment in Des Moines That Works

Each person’s snoring is unique to them. That’s why over-the-counter snoring remedies don’t usually work. Many people try the nasal strips to find that they don’t do anything to combat their snoring. That’s because not all snoring comes from the nose. It can come from anywhere in your airway, including your nose and throat. Custom treatment designed with your anatomy in mind is best to combat your snoring. We recommend oral appliance therapy.

Oral appliance therapy is an effective and comfortable snoring treatment. It’s a small, sleek apparatus that fits in your mouth. It holds your airway open while you sleep so that you won’t snore. It’s different from your run-of-the-mill mouthguard because it’s designed specifically for your mouth, jaw, and airway. Normal mouthguards provide the function of protecting your teeth. An oral appliance is shaped differently and keeps your airway unobstructed. Since it’s custom-made for you, you don’t need to worry about your teeth moving because of it.

Your oral appliance is comfortable, and it’s easy to take care of. Simply soak it in the morning as you get ready for your day and pop it in your mouth whenever you sleep. Store it in its case at your bedside, and it’ll never get lost!

Supplemental Habit Changes

In addition to using oral appliance therapy to treat snoring, you could make some habit changes to supplement your snoring treatment.

  • Quit smoking and drugs
  • Avoid alcohol before bed
  • Don’t take medication to help you sleep
  • Lose weight if applicable
  • Sleep on your side
  • Raise your pillow
  • Treat your allergies
  • Get enough sleep

Sleep Soundlessly in Des Moines

Do you want snoring treatment in Des Moines, IA? Look no further than Dr. Douglas Pick and the Iowa Sleep & TMJ team. With his post-doctoral training and years of experience, you’ll get the best snoring treatment made specifically for you. Call (515) 222-0505 or make an appointment online today.