Understanding Snoring and Sleep Apnea

What Is Snoring?

Snoring is a common condition caused by the vibration of soft tissues in the throat when airflow becomes partially blocked during sleep. While often dismissed as harmless, chronic snoring can disrupt sleep quality and be a sign of a more serious underlying issue like sleep apnea. Contributing factors may include nasal congestion, obesity, alcohol use, poor muscle tone, or structural issues like a deviated septum or enlarged tonsils.

Snoring vs. Sleep Apnea

Primary Snoring is loud breathing during sleep without significant health risks. It’s often more of a nuisance to bed partners than a medical issue.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) occurs when the airway repeatedly collapses or becomes blocked, stopping airflow entirely for 10 seconds or more. This leads to disrupted sleep and low oxygen levels, which can contribute to serious health concerns, including high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.

How We Diagnose Sleep Disorders

Our approach begins with a comprehensive consultation to evaluate your symptoms and medical history. If sleep apnea or another sleep disorder is suspected, we may recommend a sleep study.

Sleep Studies: At Home or In-Lab

A sleep study, or polysomnography (PSG), helps us understand how you sleep by monitoring important details, such as:

• Breathing patterns and apneas
• Oxygen levels
• Heart rate
• Sleep stages
• Snoring volume

At Pasha Snoring & Sinus Center, we perform most of our sleep studies at home, making the process as comfortable and convenient as possible.

Home Sleep Studies

Designed for ease and accuracy, home sleep tests can be completed right from your own bed. They’re:

• Simple & Stress-Free: quick to set up with clear instructions and minimal equipment
• Fast & Effective: accurately detect sleep apnea and track post-therapy progress
• Comfortable & Private: let you rest in your own environment for more natural results

For certain cases, like hypersomnia or more complex sleep conditions, an in-lab sleep study may be recommended for a deeper look.

In-Lab Sleep Studies

These provide a higher level of detail and professional oversight, offering:

• Comprehensive Monitoring: advanced sensors and continuous observation by trained technicians
• Detailed Insights: deal for identifying multiple or less common sleep disorders

If you’ve already completed a sleep study, we encourage you to share your results with us by sending a copy in advance or bringing it to your visit.

We’ll Help You Understand Your Results

At your follow-up appointment, Dr. Pasha will review your results with you in detail. One important measurement is the Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI), which indicates how many times your breathing is disrupted per hour of sleep:

• 5–15: Mild sleep apnea
• 16–30: Moderate sleep apnea
• 31+: Severe sleep apnea

In some cases, what appears to be sleep apnea might actually be primary snoring or upper airway resistance syndrome, or conditions that require different approaches. Our goal is to ensure your diagnosis is precise so your treatment is effective.

In-Office Diagnostics

To further assess your condition, Dr. Pasha may perform endoscopic examinations of your nasal passages and throat. This helps identify physical causes such as nasal polyps, deviated septum, or enlarged tonsils. These insights are crucial in crafting a targeted treatment plan, especially for patients who haven’t responded well to CPAP or want a non-CPAP solution.