Thanks for the D2D. Snoring is not just noise. Not all who snore have sleep apnea, but snoring is a sign that you may have sleep apnea. In Singapore, a recent study found that 90% of those with already moderate to severe sleep apnea did not know that they had sleep apnea!
Sleep apnea happens when there is a block in the airway that results in significant oxygen desaturation in the blood. To differentiate snoring from sleep apnea, a definitive sleep study is needed.
People who snore loudly, stop breathing during sleep, have sleepiness and fatigue in the day, and have structural obstructions in the nose and throat, low lying soft palate and large tonsils, less developed chin and prolapsed base of tongue will have increased risks of sleep apnea.
Compared to Malays and Indians, Chinese have the highest sleep apnea rates, despite them having the lowest obesity rates. This is likely due to their craniofacial proportions that predispose to a narrower airway.
Many of my patients seek treatment for sleep apnea late, when they already have hypertension, heart disease and diabetes that are hard to control despite medications and lifestyle changes, partly due to an undiagnosed sleep apnea.
