If the snoring is severe enough to disturb others or cause daytime sleepiness, the snorer should seek medical evaluation, suggests Dr. John Truelson, associate professor of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. Apnea is a serious condition that causes people to decrease or stop breathing until the amount of oxygen in their blood is lowered to a dangerous level. There are several ways to treat snoring or apnea. Patients with severe problems may need to use a type of ventilator applied with an external mask. For moderate cases, avoiding alcohol, sleeping pills, tranquilizers or antihistamines can ease snoring.
Weight loss is also helpful, and outpatient surgery can alleviate the problem for many patients.
In fact, they usually get worse with age, which is why it is so important to seek appropriate medical attention.