Snoring and sleep apnea (adult & pediatric)

Snoring and sleep apnea are treated according to their cause and their severity. The assessment begins with a full review of your symptoms, a look at your sleep study if you have already had one, and then a detailed examination of the upper airway.

Treatment options range from minimally invasive procedures done in the office to surgical techniques performed in hospital.

Sleep testing and follow-up

Home sleep testing and treatment follow-up (CPAP, mandibular advancement appliance) are provided by Dorma, a sleep clinic located in Longueuil.

Information and appointments: dormalab.com

Snoring is not always harmless

Simple snoring disturbs the people nearby without harming the person who snores. Obstructive sleep apnea is another matter: the airway closes repeatedly during the night, breathing stops for a few seconds at a time, and sleep is fragmented without the person being aware of it.

The warning signs are pauses in breathing witnessed by a partner, waking with a start or with a sense of choking, marked daytime sleepiness, morning headaches, difficulty concentrating, and blood pressure that is hard to control. In children the picture differs: mouth breathing, restless sleep, bed-wetting, irritability or difficulties at school.

The ENT assessment

The consultation first seeks to locate the obstruction. Examination of the nose, mouth and throat, completed as needed with flexible nasal endoscopy, assesses the nasal septum, the turbinates, the tonsils, the soft palate and the base of the tongue. Weight, neck circumference and jaw position also form part of the analysis.

The sleep study

A diagnosis of sleep apnea is confirmed with a sleep recording. The home test, carried out in your own bed with a portable device, measures breathing, oxygen levels and the number of events per hour. We work with Dorma Lab, whose services are available on site.

Treatment

Treatment depends on severity and cause. Weight loss, avoiding alcohol in the evening and changing sleep position are basic measures. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) remains the reference treatment for moderate to severe apnea. A mandibular advancement device suits some milder cases. Surgery — correction of the nasal septum, reduction of the turbinates, removal of the tonsils, palate surgery — is directed at situations where a specific anatomical obstruction has been identified. In children, removal of the tonsils and adenoids resolves the majority of cases.