Rehabilitative Approaches: Myofunctional Therapy and Retropalatal Narrowing and Snoring
Condition: Snoring; Pharyngeal Collapse
MeSH terms: Snoring; Shock
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Sleep is an important activity and snoring is the most often reported complaint. Snoring is
      also very common in the general population. Moreover, snoring can negatively impact bed
      companions' quality of sleep, daytime sleepiness, strain of relationships, social
      embarrassment and disturb mental health that in the end will reduce quality of life.
      Anatomical risk factors are believed to be one of major contributors to upper airway
      constriction during sleep. Treatment for this condition include lifestyle modifications (such
      as quitting alcohol or losing weight), positional therapy, mandibular advancement devices,
      upper airway surgery, and nasal continuous positive airway pressure. Myofunctional therapy
      (MT) as an adjunctive or alternative therapy can lower Apnea-Hypopnea Index in obstructive
      sleep apnea patients with pharyngeal dilator muscle collapse. Although these may be
      beneficial, the impact of MT on retropalatal narrowing as one of the snoring causes needs to
      be better established. This study was done to find out the impact of MT in people with
      snoring who have a collapsed pharynx that is located by a Flexible nasolaryngoscopy.
    

Detailed description: 
      Sleep is an important activity; it makes up one-third of a person's life, and in sleep
      medicine clinics, snoring is the most often reported complaint. Snoring is also very common
      in the general population. Studies indicate that women have a higher incidence of this
      condition above 65 years, increasing after menopause, while men experience it between 45 and
      64 years of age. While snoring may be a predictor of the more serious condition of
      obstructive sleep apnea, primary snoring is common. Moreover, snoring can negatively impact
      bed companions' quality of sleep, daytime sleepiness, strain of relationships, social
      embarrassment and disturb mental health that in the end will reduce quality of life.
      Anatomical risk factors are believed to be one of major contributors to upper airway
      constriction during sleep. Pharyngeal narrowing can be facilitated by anatomic
      characteristics such as a large neck circumference, soft tissue, bone, or arteries. Flexible
      nasolaryngoscopy (FN) is an alternative diagnosis to direct viewing of the airway, from the
      nasal cavity to the larynx area. Aside from being easier to perform and more affordable, a
      complete examination of the airway can identify the location of the pharyngeal narrowing that
      causes obstruction more specifically. Treatment for this condition include lifestyle
      modifications (such as quitting alcohol or losing weight), positional therapy, mandibular
      advancement devices, upper airway surgery, and nasal continuous positive airway pressure are
      among the treatments for treating snoring. Myofunctional therapy (MT) as an adjunctive or
      alternative therapy can lower Apnea-Hypopnea Index in obstructive sleep apnea patients with
      pharyngeal dilator muscle collapse. The exercises are non-invasive, cost-effective, and have
      physiological characteristics. Improvement in upper airway obstruction is supported by
      improvements in upper airway muscle tone. Although these may be beneficial, the impact of MT
      on retropalatal narrowing as one of the snoring causes needs to be better established. This
      study was done to find out the impact of MT in people with snoring who have a collapsed
      pharynx that is located by a FN.
    

Intervention name(s): Myofunctional therapy exercise
Intervention type(s): Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Myofunctional therapy involves various exercises to train muscles in the soft palate, tongue, face, and pharynx. Vocal letters are used to train the palatopharyngeus, palatoglossus, uvula, tensor veli palatine, and levator veli palatine muscles. Tongue exercises involve sliding the tongue to the upper and side surfaces of the teeth, placing the tip in front of the palate, and pressing and sucking the tongue up to the palate. Face exercises involve inflating the cheeks, gargling, and sucking the cheeks to exercise the orbicularis oris muscle and the buccinator muscle. Icing stimulates the mouth, producing a cold, chilling, and numbing effect, causing reflexive contraction of the palate, tongue, and pharyngeal muscles.
Intervention model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: Myofunctional therapy exercise; pharyngeal area collapse; snoring