Now, there is no need to lose sleep over snoring

Govt. Stanley Hospital’s lab is helping patients deal with sleep apnea

Seven months after the newest sleep lab in the city’s government sector was set up, it has already saved a marriage.

When a patient, a schoolteacher, came in earlier this year, he was deeply depressed. He told doctors his wife was threatening to leave him because of his loud snoring.

“We did a complete work-up on him and he spent a night in the sleep lab. We found that he had obstructive sleep apnea due to a large soft palate. He was operated on, and the snoring reduced significantly. He came a few weeks later to thank us with sweets, telling us that his marriage had been saved,” said M.N. Shankar, head of the ENT department at Government Stanley Hospital.

The 39-year-old patient said he had been given a new lease of life.

‘“We were nearly at the divorce stage before my surgery. But now, my marriage is back on track ,” he said.

The lab sees three to five patients every day, mostly for cases of obstructive sleep apnea — which can cause loud snoring.

Persistent myths

Snoring may seem like a minor problem and myths about it — such as that it means a person’s sleep is good — persist.

Dr. Shankar said that while men are more prone to sleep apnea, it also affects women and children.

The condition occurs when the throat muscles relax and block the airway during sleep.

Not all snoring is due to sleep apnea, however.

“What is dangerous is the cessation of breath. In some cases, it can even lead to death,” he said.

At the sleep lab, investigations include a polysomnography (sleep study) and a drug-induced sleep endoscopy.

It’s not just marriages — jobs and livelihoods too can be affected.

On Monday, a 33-year-old man came in for treatment after years of loud snoring.

“I worked as a waiter at a restaurant. While we staff slept, some would complain that my snoring was disturbing them and that they couldn’t sleep at all. They would not speak very nicely to me. At one point, I was asked to get my health checked. I stopped working at the restaurant and went back to my native village to get into farming,” he said. The patient had stopped spending the night outside his home, fearing his snoring would disturb others. From time to time, while talking to someone even during the day, he would fall asleep, and also wake up frequently at night, he said.

Serious implications

“Sleep apnea can have huge implications,” said Dr. Shankar. There are a number of causes of sleep apnea — obesity is a major cause, he added. Hormonal imbalances or infections and problems in the nose, oral cavity or inside the throat are also causes. Neurological issues or lung problems are other factors that can cause the condition.

While surgery is performed in some cases, in others, doctors recommend lifestyle modifications.