Engorgement of the soft palate with exercise is a potentially life-threatening condition called exercise-induced anaphylaxis. This is a rare allergic reaction that causes rapid symptoms during or after exercising. Even if the soft-palate swelling...
Your hard palate is the roof of your mouth's hard part right behind your front teeth. Your soft palate -- the continuation of this muscle -- is the soft, fleshy part of the roof of your mouth just above the back of your tongue. You use your soft...
Adenoidectomy is a common surgical procedure for young children. It involves removal of the adenoids, small glands located at the back of the throat. Removal of the adenoids may result in the inability of the soft palate to adequately cover the...
Snoring is a common problem that can create a lot of complications, especially when sharing a room with someone or when it is a symptom of sleep apnea. Snoring occurs when tissues at the top of your airways vibrate and hit each other as your...
Your palate is comprised of several bones and muscles that travel along the top of your mouth. The posterior region, called the soft palate, separates the passage between your throat and nasal passage, and maintaining a strong soft palate can...
The uvula is a fleshy, hanging projection of the middle part of the soft palate. It is visible behind the tongue when a person looks into his mouth. The uvula functions with the back of the throat and soft palate to create the articulation of...
Sleep apnea is a disorder that is caused by the collapse of the airway while patients sleep. When the patient is awake, portions of the airway, including the soft palate, are held up by muscle tension. These muscles relax during sleep, causing the...
Snoring is the sound that is caused when breathing is hindered during sleep. Half of all adults snore occasionally, according to the Mayo Clinic. In these cases, snoring is not a serious problem and can be reduced by making lifestyle changes such...
Sleep apnea, a pause in breathing, is a common condition that affects millions of people. Symptoms in include snoring, gasping and sleepiness. According to a 2010 survey in "Sleep Medicine," this disorder affects 33 percent of the population....
Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines are designed to treat a condition known as obstructive sleep apnea. According to Medline Plus, obstructive sleep apnea is the result of a blocked airway. During sleep, the muscles in the throat...
Pierre Robin syndrome is a birth defect that affects as many as 1 in 8,500 newborns. The main characteristics of this condition are facial malformations. If your baby has Pierre Robin syndrome, he will have a small, underdeveloped jaw...
Sleep apnea can cause fatigue, confusion and death. This condition can be lessened or prevented with certain exercises. If you feel you are experiencing sleep apnea, seek medical attention immediately. Learning how to treat this condition can help...
As a baby develops, the lip and palate grow together and fuse in the middle. This fusion forms the roof of the mouth and the upper lip. When the area does not close correctly, a cleft lip or a cleft palate occurs. Some children have a cleft lip or...
TMJ is an abbreviation for the temporomandibular joint. The joint is located in the jaw and, along with the surrounding muscles and nerves, is directly involved in talking, chewing and other actions involving the mouth. TMJ syndrome is a pain or...
According to MayoClinic.com, snoring is a sound that results from obstructed breathing during sleep. In some cases, snoring may signify a serious health condition. Snoring results from vibrations in your throat as air flows through the relaxed...
Crohn's disease is a condition caused by inflammation of the digestive tract. Any part of the digestive tract, from the anus to the mouth, may be affected by Crohn's disease. While symptoms affecting the small intestine are most commonly reported,...
Snoring occurs when the airflow through the passages at the back of the mouth and nose is obstructed. The tongue, upper throat and soft palate come into contact with each other, causing a vibration that creates the loud snoring sounds, according...
Snoring is a the result of airflow through the mouth and nose becoming obstructed during sleep. This problem affects many people and there are a wide variety of products that are commercially available to stop snoring, although the effectiveness...
Body weight is one of the main causes of snoring. Being even 10 to 15 lbs. overweight can cause severe snoring. The problem also increases at an exponential rate the heavier you become. Doctors recommend losing at least 10 percent of your body...
Pierre Robin syndrome is a congenital birth defect with no known genetic component. Consequently, identifying the physical symptoms is the only way to diagnose the condition. This can be done during your fetal sonogram if the features are...
Snoring is a common problem that occurs when portions of the soft palate vibrate during inhalation and exhalation, while people sleep. This vibration results in a characteristic rumbling sound. In addition to being embarrassing and potentially...
Snoring is a sleeping problem that occurs in at least half of adults, according to the Mayo Clinic. It happens when your breathing is obstructed while sleeping---often due to the tissues in your throat and soft palate. These tissues vibrate at...
Often called obligate or preferential nasal breathers, infants show a propensity for breathing through their noses. Although typically infrequent, mouth breathing plays a key role in helping keep your infant alive and healthy. Learn the facts...
For many people, snoring is more than just a minor nuisance. Around 25 percent of people in the United States, more men than women, snore habitually enough to disturb their own rest and that of their partner, the American Academy of...
Snoring might not only irritate your spouse but might be related to chronic headaches, according to Dr. Dan Peterson of Family Gentle Dental Care. Half of the people 60 years of age and older snore, as do 30 percent of people younger than 40...
An estimated 45 percent of people snore at least once in awhile and 25 percent of adults are chronic snorers, according to the American Academy of Otolaryngology --Head and Neck Surgery (AAONS). Snoring may not only be disruptive to your sleep...
Sleep apnea is a serious medical problem that results when the soft palate or the tongue (or both) obstructs the airway. Besides causing snoring, sleep apnea causes patients to wake up during the night even if they aren't aware of it. The end...
A slipped disc in your jaw can cause painful temporomandibular joint (TMJ)-related problems, including a "popping" noise that originates inside the jaw joint. Surgery is often used to treat TMJ. Disc repositioning is a surgery sometimes...
Snoring occurs during sleep from an obstruction to the free flow of air through the passages at the back of the mouth and nose. The tongue and upper throat vibrate together with the soft palate and uvula, causing the air to sound noisy as it flows...
Working with vowel sounds is great for facial yoga exercises. Learn how to practice the "A" vowel sound in this free facial yoga video.