Dr. Lee's Sinus School: Stages of Snoring and The Key to Snoring Treatment

 

 

 

Treatment for Snoring

You can stop snoring through a non-surgical way.

<Dr. Lee's Sinus School Column # 102>

 

It is only natural to minimize the Bernoulli Effect by expanding the constricted area of the airway where it creates the frictional sound.  To treat this condition, ENT focuses on the uvula that hangs loose as the cause, performing staphyloplasty: a surgical removal of the uvula. 

 

First up though, please watch this video, which tells the stages of snoring and see where you are now.

 

 

 

 

The tongue also has been subjected for snoring reduction. In more serious snoring cases, following procedures are performed: genioglossurs advancement, hyoid myotomy suspension, thyrohyoidopexy, hyoid myotomy, submucosal minimal invasive lingual excision.

 

 

There is also a surgical operation called, maxillomandibular advancement, to widen the airway. Continuous positive airway pressure can also be implemented as a non-surgical treatment to breathe continuously during sleeping.

 

Inherently large uvula or sagging uvula caused by aging can be surgically treated; the name of the surgery has been changed from uvulectomy to staphylocplasty as the later excision retains the shape of the uvula, greatly reducing the risk of chocking. There are people who were born with broad soft palate and long uvula. In that case, it can be observed they began snoring at a very young age. A surgery may be recommended in such cases. However, there is a doubt whether repeating staphyloplasty is appropriate for recurred snoring.

 

Often patients who had a staphyolplasty for snoring visit to the clinic. Those are the ones who suffer a relapse. Majority of them become stunned at the result which was more effective than harsh staphyoplasty, after their ventilation was restored in the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. They became able to breathe clearly, indicating the sinuses and cavity free from any obstruction. This treatment eradicates snoring and ensures sound sleeping at night and clear breathing during the day.

 

I believe an appropriate snoring treatment should consist of restoring the ventilation in the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses; the same method of treatment applies as being done in treating the rhinitis and sinusitis.

 

The treatment consists of blood-pricking in the nasal mucosa to decongest the nasal cavity and use suction treatment to draw any trapped pus to clear the sinuses. Once the nasal cavity and sinuses are cleared, patients can instantly find their snoring has been reduced on the spot.

 

Try to mimic snoring sound while breathing through your mouth. You might find the uvula vibrates and makes snoring sound. In this case, removing the uvula would reduce the sound of snoring (however, this surgery may end the snoring, but not mouth breathing).

 

Now, try to do it with your mouth closed. The uvula does not vibrate, but the sound is generated from the palate. The sound can be regulated by narrowing the nasal cavity, through which controls the air intake to make the palate adhere to the uvula.

 

The origin of the snoring sound is not around the uvula that has been removed; it is around the soft palate, the roof of the mouth. The nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses which are located superior to the palate can be restored to their shapes, invigorating the sinus functions to clear the head and eyes, even brining relief to tensed neck and shoulders. --------> This is the key in treating snoring.

 

For more information please go to Dr. Lee's Sinus School Lectures on youtube

 

 

<The Society for Non-Invasive Snoring and Sleep Apnea Therapy>

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9VvbltqvyE

 

Buy a book that contains her 25years of experience in treatment of sinusitis and rhinitis.

 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Sinus-School-Woo-Jeong-Lee-ebook/dp/B019B9NVOM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1477027572&sr=8-1&keywords=sinus+school

 

 

About Dr. Lee

 

 

Dr. Woojeong, Lee (OMD) /CEO of Cosoom Oriental Medicine Network Clinics

& Founding President of the Society for Non-Invasive Snoring and Sleep Apnea Therapy

Her acupuncture therapy in the nasal mucosa is an innovative treatment that not only reduces the swelling to clear the nose but it also revitalizes the membranes to stand against sinus colds.

Why Do I Snore? Oriental Medicine Tell You Why

Why Do I Snore? Oriental Medicine Tell You Why

            
   < Dr. Lee's Sinus School Tells You Why>

The Causes of Snoring

 

 

The nose serves as a critical gateway in breathing. The causes that block the gateway include: acute rhinitis, allergic rhinitis, chronic rhinitis, deviated nasal septum, nasal polyps and sinusitis. 

 

 

 

The blocking by the soft palate is another common cause, since it is the most susceptible part to vibrate. When the uvula or other palate tissues hang lose, the respiratory way becomes easily narrowed. While this is more common to obese people, it can also happen to the slim-shaped with stretched palate tissues or have wide wrinkles in the back of the uvula.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On both sides of the palate, tonsils are located. Those were commonly known to degenerate as people pass their adolescence, however, not inconsiderable number of adults still have them. Since they are located on the lateral sides of the respiratory tract, large tonsils can easily block the respiratory tract. 

 

Adult obesity could be another cause. The tissues surrounding the respiratory tract can be filled with fats, narrowing the air way in the nasal cavity and sinuses, along with the pharynx, larynx which are also parts of the air way.

 

Another part that can cause obstruction is the back part of the tongue. People with normal respiratory tract does not experience obstructed airway when they lie on their back, however, people with larger tongues or pushed-back tongues might have constricted respiratory tract.

 

The facial skeleton could be one of the structural problems causing snoring. Narrow, recessed and protruding jaws belong to these structural problems. Narrow jawed people may suffer from restricted airway from having their relatively larger tongues being pushed back by the jaw.

 

As a part of normal aging process, muscle elasticity can diminish, inducing snoring. Also, chronic snoring can damage the uvula and palate tissues by its vibration (not just damaging the sensory cells, but elasticity in the muscles). This in turn, maintains the clear airway more difficult. 

 

 

 

 

           Why Do I Snore? Dr. Lee tells you why-> -> click

 

The Level of Snoring

 

Stage 0: Clear inhaling with no sound during a deep sleep - Healthy

Stage 1: Slight snoring at the beginning of a deep sleep - Good

Stage 2: Periodical snoring - Slightly blocked sinuses

Stage 3: Repeat loud and soft snoring – Heavily congested sinuses

Stage 4: No snoring, but breathing through the mouth - Worse than Stage 3

Stage 5: Sleeping with an open mouth

Stage 6: Possible sleep apnea syndrome

 

Stage 0 indicates healthy state of the sinuses. Stage 1, which exhibits slight snoring in the begging of sleep is considered to be in a good state. Stage 2 indicates a partial blockage somewhere in the paranasal sinuses. In stage 3, it exhibits the alternating pattern of loud and soft snoring, caused by more blocked sinuses.

 

People who belong to stage 4 may not have loud snoring, but mouth breathing is being carried out in a subtle manner. No one hardly recognizes the seriousness of the condition, but this could be more devastating than snoring. The sinuses are more blocked than the previous stage. If the sinuses become more obstructed than stage 3, nasal breathing becomes more difficult, leading the mouth to open. Breathing through both mouth and the nose does not vibrate the uvula. Subtle mouth breathing does not create enough negative pressure to move the uvula to generate sound. In some cases, people inhale through the nose and exhale through their mouth, making it difficult to define it as snoring, however, the blockage is more serious than the 3rd stage. Feeling dryness in the throat, lips, or mouth after waking up, or soreness in the throat, or drooling marks mouth breathing. People who frequently suffer from the following symptoms should look into this matter carefully: sore throat, tonsillitis, slight cough, bronchitis, laryngitis.

 

At stage 5, people, whose sinuses are almost completely blocked, complain fatigue after waking up. Their mouth is opened during their sleep and the uvula vibrates over night. At this stage, people begin to think the snoring could be the underlying reason for the tiredness.

 

Sleep apnea becomes apparent at stage 6, much of the ostiomeatal complex is constricted, inducing severe breathing difficulty. While this stage of sleep apnea is very critical, stage 4 requires the utmost attention to diagnose. Most patients do not snore at that stage, but they are unaware of mouth breathing without snoring is more critical than snoring with their mouth closed.

 

I can assure that restoring the ventilation in the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses can improve snoring as well as sleep apnea in every stage of snoring.

 

 

DRY EYE SYNDROME: It's a matter of your sinus, not your eyes (Sinus School by Dr. Lee)

DRY EYE SYNDROME & HOW TO TREAT DRY EYES

 

 

DES is a condition caused by a lack of moisture on the surface of the eye.

The cause of the dryness is the heat that dissipates moisture from the eye.

The heat evaporates the tear that lubricates the oscular surface.

When there are not enough tears, the eye becomes dry and cause redness and feeling gritty.

 

In worsened state, the eyestrain becomes constant whether the eyes are opened or closed. Sleep may bring temporary relief to the condition, but the eye fatigue returns soon.

 

 

 

The Signs of DES

 

At early stage, people are not aware of their bloodshot eyes. They only find out once they see themselves on the mirror. This, however, normally goes away after a night of sound sleep.

 

The body's anatomical structure is designed in such a way to effectively diffuse the heat generated from the eyes, in taking each breath. Therefore, frequent blood-shot eyes warrants attention. The increased frequency of bloodshot eyes may coincide with partially blocked paranasal sinuses. At this stage, the body can cope with it by inducing more fluid by blinking the eyes more often. Accordingly, frequent blinking can be a sign of early DES.

 

Here is the summary of how DES progresses.

 

Stage 1. More frequent blinking

 

Stage 2. More forceful blinking, involving the eyelid muscles

 

Stage 3. Frequent bloodshot eyes

 

Stage 4. Frequent eyestrain and display eye discharge more than others

 

Stage 5. Increased light sensitivity and soreness in the eyes  

 

Stage 6. Feeling burning sensation in the eyes when exposed to dry or polluted air

 

Stage 7. Eye sight becomes blear and deteriorate

 

Stage 8. Eye sight becomes foggy and feeling pain

 

Stage 9. Frequent infection in the eyelids

 

Stage 10. When woke up in the morning, the eyes are dry and red

 

Stage 11. Regardless the eyes closed or opened, the eyestrain remains

 

 

 

The number of patients who suffer from DES is rapidly growing. Several decades ago, when I was in college, the name DES was even unheard of, showing how rare this condition was. But in recent years, people who had no previous visits to an eye doctor, seeking medical help for DES.

 

As mentioned previously, DES is not an opthalmologic disorder, but an ENT disorder. While the growth of rhinitis and sinusitis make a steep angled increase lately, the growth of DES patients represents similar trend. The sales of artificial tears have risen sharply, depicting the increase in the number of DES patizzaents.

 

One thing I repeatedly learn from treating DES is that we are all victims of air pollution. Our reluctant generation has lost the privilege of enjoying the clean, fresh air. It is truly saddening to watch well treated patients can succumb to air pollution; air pollution can wear out the nose, and in turn, it undermines the function of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses.

 

DES was named, because people thought the problem was caused by lack of tears that keeps the cornea moist. But the treatment has been centered around treating the dried cornea. To say differently, DES is a disorder caused by lack of sufficient airflow in the paranasal sinuses that cools the heat in the cornea. Subsequently, the untreated heat dries up the tears and strains the surrounding muscles, causing the entire eye to be tired.

 

Some DES patients apply hot packs on their eyes to increase the blood flow in the region, but this must be discouraged. The tiredness in the eyes is caused by the heat. For the sake of the eyes, heat must not be used to treat the eyes. The heat that circulating blood can carry away is much smaller than the amount of heat applied by a hot pack, bringing no benefit to the eyes at the end. Staying long in a sauna not only fails to offer help, but it aggravates the condition. Applying a cold-pack, therefore, is much more preferable. The heat has been captured in the eyes for a prolonged period, which is a condition induced by blocked sinuses. One of the best self-remedies to cool off the heat is applying a cold-pack. 

 

If you wish to know more about your symptoms and methods to cure, please go to 

www.amazon.com and find "Sinus School" =) You will receive information on variety of symptoms and results of rhinitis and sinusitis.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Neck or Shoulder Pain Have Something to Do with Paranasal Sinuses

Hello, I am a country doctor, Lee Woojeong.

Some suffer from chronic neck or shoulder pain but cannot find the right answer, then please
check our if you habe sinus problems.


Neck or Shoulder Pain Have Something to Do with Paranasal Sinuses

Q. Does having a thick neck or having a shoulder pain have anything to do with the paranasal sinuses?

 

A. There are people who have thick neck. According to statistics, snorers tend to have thicker necks than most people. There is also study suggesting clear difference in the level of cholesterol and blood sugar between the people with different neck thickness.

 

Thick neck does not necessarily depend on weight gain. The skin on the neck does not have much fatty layer as in the abdomen area, but rather it consists of a thin layer of skin. Therefore, its unique feature does not allow you to store fat. In the neck, functional tissues, such as the ones who responsible for immune system: the lymph gland, tonsil and the ones responsible for secretion: hormone secreting thyroid, the parotid and submaxillary gland. Those are secreting tissues, similar to the nasal mucosa. In unfavorable environment, those secreting tissues swell up and carry out their functions. If this prolongs, the neck thickens gradually.

 

If you feel your neck has thickened over time, this could indicate your head is not clear. Treatments to vitalize the functions of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses, which functions as the anti-overheating device for the brain, refreshes the head and enhances the blood circulation to the secreting tissues responsible for the immune system, in turn, overall improvement made to these tissues slim the neck down.

 

Observing hypertension patients, they tend to have thick flesh in the central part of their necks. They suffer from neck and shoulder stiffness and feel dull pain in the areas constantly, and over time those become hard and thick. Until the paranasal sinuses treatment came along, I employed cupping therapy. It relieved the tension but there was a rebound after several days.

 

But when the paranasal sinuses are restored to normal, especially the sphenoid sinuses that is located at the farthest backside, the stiffness in the neck goes away without treating the neck itself. Through clinical experience, many patients have experienced their flesh in the back of the neck reduced in size.

 

Many find the cause of the stiffness in the neck from having a wrong posture, but this new finding of obstructed sphenoid sinuses causing the stiffness open the new perspectives to assure direct and effective treatment.

 

 

 

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