Snoring is a common problem, with about four of 10 adults known to snore occasionally. For a healthy adult, breathing is normally quiet. But if the airway is constricted, a variety of sound can erupt. There are many conditions that can cause this.
Sleeping on your back can put your throat passage at such an angle that snoring results as the air passes over the soft tissue at the back of your throat. Lying on your side can correct this cause for snoring.
An abnormality of your nasal or throat passage can cause snoring. An elongated uvula hanging from the back of your throat or deviated septum are a couple of conditions that could be corrected by minor surgery.
Constriction from obesity, or relaxed tissue due to alcohol use are two correctable causes for snoring. Losing weight and not using alcohol are the obvious corrections in these cases.
More severe health problems such as sleep apnea can also cause snoring. If the obvious possibilities listed don't respond to correction, study and diagnosis at a sleep clinic may offer an answer.
