May 9, 2012. Paul Hixon
credit: Tambako the JaguarWhether you are sleeping alone or with someone else the problem of snoring can be significant. You can have breathing problems (like apnea), and in both cases it can bring you disturbances in sleep. You have the additional issue of disturbing someone else’s sleep in the latter case. So it is not a surprise that devices such as the snoring chin strap have been made to reduce this noisy problem.
But does it really work? Let us analyze it more closely to find out.
There are two common situations that cause snoring. Overly relaxed tissues and muscles around the throat and soft palate, and the dropping back of the tongue to partly cover the airway. There are many issues that create those conditions. But in both scenarios, the airway is made smaller, and the air is forced through this narrow opening thus creating the vibrating sound we are familiar with. Therefore, these two situations have to be addressed to eliminate snoring.
The snoring chin strap is an adhesive strap or elastic strap that wraps under the lower jaw, and either placed correctly at the top of the head or attaches itself to both cheeks. However, it serves two purposes regardless of the variations. It holds the jaw in a forward and upward position and also closes the mouth at the same time . It makes it harder for the tongue to drop back by holding the jaw upward and forward. Closing the mouth will force the patient to breathe through the nose, and this minimizes the vibrations and sounds even though it does not eliminate them.
Even though the snoring chin strap has been proven to be one of the effective snoring solutions, it cannot treat all causes of snoring. This is very true when there is also a block in the nasal passages, as well as issues like when a mass is growing in the throat. It may be time to consult a good physician for a more thorough diagnosis if you have tried it and it does not solve the problem.
Updated May 9, 2012. Published April 22, 2011. Paul Hixon
