in your own words , you will summarize the article. The summary should be factua
ID: 3502579 • Letter: I
Question
in your own words, you will summarize the article. The summary should be factual, do not include your opinions. After the summary, you will include a personal response. The personal response is your opinions. You may use facts from the article to support your opinions, but don't use whole blocks of quotes. In this section I want your thoughts.
Article Review will be about 1 page long.
Snoring
Definition
Snoring is a sound generated during sleep by vibration of loose tissue in the upper airway.
Description
Snoring is one symptom of a group of disorders known as sleep disordered breathing. It occurs when the soft palate, uvula, tongue, tonsils, and/or muscles in the back of the throat rub against each other and generate a vibrating sound during sleep. 20% of all adults are chronic snorers and 45% of normal adults snore occasionally. As people grow older, their chance of snoring increases. Approximately half of all individuals over 60 snore regularly.
In some cases, snoring is a symptom of a more serious disorder called obstructed sleep apnea (OSA). OSA occurs when part of the airway is closed off (usually at the back of the throat) while a person is trying to inhale during sleep, and breathing stops for more than ten seconds before resuming again. These breathless episodes can occur as many as several hundred times a night.
People with OSA almost always snore heavily because the same narrowing of the airway that causes snoring can also cause OSA. Snoring may actually attribute to OSA as well, because the vibration of the throat tissues that occurs in snoring can cause the tissue to swell.
Snoring is associated with physical problems as well as social stress. People who do not suffer from OSA may be diagnosed with socially unacceptable snoring (SUS), which refers to snoring that is loud enough to prevent the sleeper's bed partner or roommate from sleeping. SUS is a factor in the breakup of some marriages and other longterm relationships. Moreover, a study published in 2002 indicates that people who snore are at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Snoring appears to be a risk factor that is independent of body weight or a family history of diabetes.
Causes and symptoms
There are several major causes of snoring, including:
Excessively relaxed throat muscles. Alcohol, drugs, and sedatives can cause the throat muscles to become lax, and/or the tongue to pull back into the airway.
Large uvula. The piece of tissue that hangs from the back of the throat is called the uvula. Individuals with a large or longer than average uvula can suffer from snoring when the uvula vibrates in the airway.
Large tonsils and/or adenoids. The tonsils (tissue at the back of either side of the throat) can also vibrate if they are larger than normal, as can the adenoids.
Excessive weight. Overweight people are more likely to snore. This is frequently caused by the extra throat and neck tissue they are carrying around.
Nasal congestion. Colds and allergies can plug the nose, creating a vacuum in the throat that results in snoring as airflow increases.
Cysts and tumors. Cysts and/or tumors of the throat can trigger snoring.
Structural problems of the nose. A deviated septum or other nasal problems can also cause snoring.
Diagnosis
A patient interview, and possibly an interview with the patient's spouse or anyone else in the household who has witnessed the snoring, is usually enough for a diagnosis of snoring. A medical history that includes questions about alcohol or tranquilizer use; past ear, nose, and throat problems; and the pattern and degree of snoring will be completed, and a physical exam will be performed to determine the cause of the problem. This will typically include examination of the throat to look for narrowing, obstruction, or malformations. If the snoring is suspected to be a symptom of a more serious disorder such as obstructive sleep apnea, the patient will require further testing. This testing is called a polysomnography study, and is conducted during an overnight stay in a specialized sleep laboratory. The polysomnography study include measurements of heart rate, airflow at the mouth and nose, respiratory effort, sleep stage (e.g., light sleep, deep sleep, dream sleep), and oxygen level in the blood.
In some cases the patient may be referred to a dentist or orthodontist for evaluation of the jaw structure and dentition.
In addition, the patient may be examined by sleep endoscopy. In this procedure, the patient is given a medication (midazolam) to induce sleep. His or her throat and nasal passages are then examined with a flexible laryngoscope. In many cases, sleep endoscopy reveals obstructions that are not apparent during a standard physical examination of the throat. Many patients are found to have obstructions at more than one level in their breathing passages.
Treatment
Several surgical procedures are available for treating chronic snoring, including:
Uvulopalathopharyngoplasty (UPPP), a surgical procedure which involves removing excess throat tissues (e.g., tonsils, parts of the soft palate) to expand the airway.
Laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP) uses a surgical laser to remove part of the uvula and palate.
Palatal stiffening is a minimally invasive surgical technique where a laser or a cauterizer is used to produce scar tissue in the soft palate in order to stop the vibrations that produce snoring.
Radiofrequency ablation is another technique that uses scarring to shrink the uvula and/or soft palate. A needle electrode is used to shrink and scar the mouth and throat tissues
Explanation / Answer
Note: This response is in UK English, please paste the response to MS Word and you should be able to spot discrepancies easily. You may elaborate the answer based on personal views or your classwork if necessary.
(Answer) The purpose of this article is to edify the reader about the causes, the variations and the dynamics of the sleep disorder known as snoring. Snoring is something that is generally caused by the movement of organs like the tongue, the uvula, tonsils muscles etc at the back of the throat. The author says that although a portion of adults suffer from it, snoring can increase or begin as people might get older.
Furthermore, snoring, if not normal, can be an indicator or symptom of a greater problem like obstructed sleep apnea. This is a kind of problem where the person with the disease might suffer a cardiac arrest in their sleep. Socially unacceptable snoring is also a type of snoring that might not be fatal but, is a great source of annoyance to one’s bed partner or roommate.
Premature snoring or snoring caused by other factors can be smoking, alcohol, stress, drugs, stimulants, sedatives etc. The author also discusses other problems like when the muscles in the back of the throat might become lax or people with larger than average uvulas, tonsils, nasal congestions, excessive weight, blocked airways, tumours etc can also cause snoring.
The author discusses the treatment for this issue and how a patient can undergo surgery like, Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty and Laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty to remove the obtrusive organs that cause the problem. These surgeries are mostly not harmful and can relieve the patient of the problem of snoring.
Personal response – This article might enlighten one about the issues of snoring. Surely it is an indicator of what is going on inside the human body and hence should be given its due attention. For instance, if a new smoker has suddenly started snoring, he might know that it is the smoking that has caused the problem. However, if a healthy young individual might suddenly start snoring without blocked airways, they might just have to get themselves checked.
Such a simple involuntary muscle movement could help diagnose a problem in the early stages, help us know more about the dynamics of our internal organs. Even though snoring might be a seemingly simple or even at times a comical action, its implications might be that it indicates problems like sleep apnea, obesity, tumours, cysts etc.
An insight like that goes to show how essential it is for us to notice the minor nuances like brittle nails, skin patches, lumps, snoring etc can help save a life before the progression of a disease is irreversible.
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