ffi Michigan Surgical Associates, P.C. Specializing in General and Laparoscopic Surgery • Breast and Colon Cancer Screening •Conveniently Located •Variety of Office Hours WEST BLOOMFIELD In The Beaumont Building 6900 Orchard Lake Road Suite 211 West Bloomfield, MI 48322 (248) 539-3027 Fax: (248) 539-9267 TROY At Beaumont Hospital 44199 Dequindre Road Suite 615 Troy, MI 48098 (248) 879-3208 Fax: (248) 828-8482 CLINTON TOWNSHIP 39200 Garfield Road Suite C Clinton Twp., MI 48038 (810) 228-9191 Fax: (810) 228-3990 ST. (LAIR SHORES 5/15 1998 140 21000 Twelve Mile Road Suite 112 St. Clair Shores, MI 48081 (810) 771-8900 Fax: (810) 771-8901 Standing left to right Michael G. Taylor, M.D., F.A.C.S., Akash R. Sheth, M.D. Seated left to right William L. Kestenberg, M.D., F.A.C.S., Joseph V. Rim, M.D., F.A.C.S., Eric A. Brown, M.D., F.A.C.S. Affiliated With Many Local Hospitals: • Huron Valley-Sinai • Sinai • Troy Beaumont • St. John Hospital And Medical Center • St. John Macomb • Bon Secours • Providence • Macomb Hospital Center • St. John Oakland Hospital Most Major Insurance Plans Accepted: • Medicaid/Medicare • Blue Cross/Blue Shield • Blue Care Network • Omnicare • HAP • Selectcare • M Care • PPOM • Wellness Plan • Aetna • Blue Cross PPO • Smart Care • First Care • Cigna • PHCS • Plus Many Others. Call For Details. Night Noise from page 138 the tongue falls backward into the airway or the throat muscles draw in from the sides into the airway. It can also be a side effect from medications. "Children with large tonsils and adenoids often snore, as do over- weight people with bulky neck tis- sue," says Dr. Rontal. "Patients with a long palate that narrows the opening from the nose into the throat also are likely to have a snoring problem because as the palate dangles, it acts as a noisy flutter valve during relaxed breathing. A long uvula makes snor- ing even worse. "And there's always the time some- one has a cold and stuffy nose and it's harder to breath. The extra effort to pull air through a blocked nose cre- ates an exaggerated vacuum in the throat and pulls together the floppy tissues of the throat which results in snoring. That's why you're more likely to hear snoring during allergy and flu seasons." According to Suzanne Mazur, when husband Michael starts snoring everyone in the house knows. "When Michael snores it means he's exhaust- ed," explains Suzanne. "Sometimes it's not too bad if I can get him to shift from his back to his side. "Some nights nothing works. I bought these earplugs for me and they do block out his snoring. The trouble is I can't hear the phone or the kids either. It's something we keep trying to manage." Snoring is serious when it causes others to lose sleep. It also can be medically serious when it disturbs sleeping patterns and deprives some- one of rest. Dr. Rontal says treatment for heavy snoring depends on the diagno- sis. "I examine a patient to see if the snoring is caused by nasal allergy, an infection, deformity, or problem with tonsils or adenoids." When it is very severe, snoring can cause serious health problems and may indicate a problem such as obstructive sleep apnea. It is estimat- ed that about 28 million people suffer from the more serious but related sleep apnea, which is often linked to memory loss, high blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes. Sleep apnea takes place when loud snoring is interrupted by frequent episodes of totally obstructed breath- ing. Serious episodes last more than 10 seconds each and may occur more than seven times in an hour. Apnea patients may experience 30 to 300 such episodes per night, which reduces blood oxygen levels and caus- es the heart to pump harder. For some patients, it's possible to provide continuous positive airway pressure therapy from a fan pump delivered by a nasal mask worn every night. This pump literally blows open the pharynx to allow unobstructed breathing. Jerry Starler of Oak Park has seri- ous snoring problems. "My wife would tell me not only did my snor- ing keep her awake but I would stop breathing four or five times during the night and gasp for air. "I've lost 25-30 pounds since I started treatment and that's helped a lot. I also wear one of those masks in which the air is pushed through by a machine. The gizmo is wonderful and, although it doesn't cure my snor- ing, I don't snore very much at night anymore. I must admit, though, being attached to a machine isn't wonderful for love-making." Other people find the mandibular advancement device helps stop snor- ing by moving the jaw forward and enlarging the airspace. It is a simple oral appliance constructed from two custom-made gum shields. Sometimes snoring may respond to surgery such as uvulopalotopharyn- goplasty (UPPP), removal and reshap- ing of the soft palate and pharynx that tightens flabby tissues and Self-Help For Snoring Adults who occasionally snore may want to try the following remedies; • Adopt a healthy lifestyle by exercising and eating healthfully so that you remain active and aren't overweight. • Avoid sleeping pills, tranquiliz- ers, antihistamines and alcohol before bedtime. • Avoid heavy meals or snacking just before bed. • Sleep on your side rather than your back • Keep your head elevated about four inches on one or more pil- lows. • Avoid getting overtired and establish regular sleeping patterns. • Add some humidity to the bed- room. A dry throat tends to vibrate more.