Snoring during pregnancy: causes and treatments. Snoring Remedies

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

60% of pregnant women experience such an unpleasant phenomenon as snoring. In the later stages, this is quite normal. Doctors do not recommend self-treatment of snoring during pregnancy, since medications and herbs often cause side effects. It is better to report the problem that worries you to the gynecologist. The doctor will select the best treatment method.

Features of breathing

During pregnancy, women experience major physiological and hormonal changes. The uterus increases daily in size and puts pressure on neighboring organs. At 30-32 weeks, the diaphragm shifts. And many women who have never snored begin to experience shortness of breath at night and during the day. Involuntary muscle relaxation during sleep causes severe snoring.

During pregnancy, among other things, the body produces special hormones that cause a decrease in muscle tone. As a result, the walls of the pharynx, uvula and palate close and block the access of air.

Development of violation

Let's take a closer look at this. Most often, snoring during pregnancy appears in the last trimester. The fetus and uterus at this stage reach a fairly large size, and muscle tone is significantly reduced. As a result, due to the complete relaxation of the muscles at night during sleep, breathing may be difficult.

Other causes of snoring during pregnancy include:

1. Weight gain.
2. Changes in hormonal levels.
3. Hormonal rhinitis.
4. Swelling of the nasopharynx.
5. Toxicosis in the later stages.
6. Allergy.
7. Respiratory diseases.
8. Nervous breakdowns.
9. Stress.
10. Smoking.

Also, snoring during pregnancy can cause tonsillitis and thyroid pathology. The influence of such unfavorable factors as an uncomfortable bed, a stuffy and dusty room, a hard pillow, and an incorrect position during sleep should not be excluded. Snoring can also be caused by eating a heavy meal and drinking too much liquid at night.

Who is at risk?

This aspect should be given special attention. Earlier we looked at what causes snoring during pregnancy. The reasons may be different, but there are certain factors that increase the risk of developing pathology. The risk group includes women who gained more than 15 kilograms while carrying a child. In addition, if a woman suffered from ronchopathy before pregnancy, then in the process of bearing a child, seizures may become stronger. Alsoincreased risk of sleep apnea. The causes of snoring during pregnancy can also be:

• tonsil hypertrophy;
• hearing apparatus pathologies;
• chronic diseases of the upper respiratory tract;
• pathology of the structure of the skull;
• prone to allergies;
• pathology of the kidneys, heart and liver.

If you have bad habits at the stage of pregnancy planning, you should get rid of them. Smoking while pregnant interferes with the normal supply of oxygen to the fetus.

How does breathing problems occur?

So what do you need to know about this? If you are interested in what causes snoring during pregnancy and how to get rid of this unpleasant phenomenon, then you should take a closer look at the mechanism for regulating breathing at night. The central nervous system is responsible for this process. On inhalation and exhalation, the soft palate, tongue and mucous membrane of the pharynx should close and open. Adults may begin to snore during their sleep due to airway constriction resulting from an acute respiratory illness or an allergy. Snoring can also occur when there is a foreign body in the nasal passage. Pregnant women in the later stages may develop toxicosis, which also causes swelling of the mucous membranes, arms and legs. Due to the increased production of progesterone and changes in the hormonal background, muscle tone decreases. If severe snoring occurs, the airway should be checked. In the case of prolonged closure of the walls of the larynx, completestop breathing. Such an attack can be very dangerous.

Other symptoms

What else is worth paying attention to? Snoring during pregnancy can also be accompanied by such unpleasant phenomena as shortness of breath and swelling. Usually these symptoms appear due to excess weight. If the disorder occurs against the background of hormonal rhinitis, it may be accompanied by symptoms such as runny nose, sore throat, tearing and sneezing. An accompanying symptom with severe snoring can also be blood pressure. If a pregnant woman has nosebleeds and dizziness in the morning, you should definitely seek medical help.

Ways to deal with snoring

Let's take a closer look at this. How to treat snoring during pregnancy? First of all, you should pay attention to the external factors causing the violation. Try to carry out wet cleaning daily and ventilate the room. In addition, the pillows should be cleaned. During pregnancy, it is not recommended to use aerosols and drops from snoring. The effect of such drugs can have a detrimental effect on the fetus.

Exercise

How to choose the most effective? To eliminate snoring during pregnancy, you can try to perform a set of special exercises. You can even do this at home. They help to increase the muscle tone of the palate, tongue and larynx. A set of exercises should be performed before going to bed or immediately after waking up. They will help to avoid attacks of breath holding.

Firstexercise: hold a wooden stick or pencil with your teeth for several minutes. Light pressure should be applied first. By the end of the exercise, try to bite the object harder.

Second exercise: try to reach the tip of the nose with your tongue. Maintain this position for 10 seconds. After that, reach for the palatine uvula. This exercise should be done 10-15 times.

Third exercise: open your mouth wide and stay in this position for a few seconds. After that, close your lips and stretch them, as if trying to smile. At the end, pull your lips forward. The exercise should be repeated 10-15 times.

Fourth exercise: grab your chin with your hands and move your jaw back and forth. The exercise should be done 30 times.

These exercises have a fairly high efficiency. However, if the cause of snoring is swelling of the mucous membrane or a deviated septum, they will not work.

Approved drugs

Today, pharmacies offer a wide range of anti-snoring products, but not all of them can be used during pregnancy. For rhinitis, it is better to use safe remedies, such as saline solution. Snorex helps a lot. Reviews confirm that this remedy fights the main causes of snoring. The drug is of natural origin. The composition includes extracts of plants such as calendula, propolis and sage. They relieve swelling, have a bactericidal effect and help strengthenimmunity. The drug helps from the first days of use.

Folk methods

Folk methods also help to get rid of snoring during pregnancy. What are they and what can and can't be used?

First of all, when choosing a method of treatment, one should start from the cause that caused this problem. If snoring appeared due to irritated nasal mucosa, then sea buckthorn oil will help well. They should be instilled into the nose. A positive effect is observed after 2-3 weeks of use.

Many pregnant women are interested in how to sleep during pregnancy. If snoring occurs while resting on your back, you can try sewing a small soft ball to the back of your pajamas. You will simply be uncomfortable sleeping in this position, you will have to roll over on your side.

When snoring, rinsing with infusion of oak bark and calendula flowers also helps well. Gargle with this composition before going to bed and after eating.

Traditional treatments

There are other methods of traditional medicine that help to deal well with snoring during pregnancy. Nose clips with magnets are effective. They help widen the nasal passages. There are also special implants that help strengthen the soft palate. However, before using these methods, it is better to consult with your doctor.

Preventive methods

There are certain measures that can help minimize the risk of snoring whenpregnancy. You can try regularly cleaning your nose with a weak solution of sea s alt. Also, a pregnant woman should exclude foods high in fat from the diet. It is recommended to use drops to moisturize the nasal mucosa. You can also buy a special device - a humidifier. Qualified doctors also advise to stop drinking caffeine, as it can disrupt he althy sleep.

Recommendations

Doctors recommend not to delay the solution of the problem associated with the appearance of snoring during pregnancy. In advanced cases, this can cause complications. If the cause of snoring is high blood pressure, then the baby may be born with insufficient body weight. Negatively affects the development of the fetus and lack of sleep. If you neglect such problems, the baby may be born with disabilities. Most of the pathologies of fetal development are associated precisely with advanced forms of apnea in the mother.

At the first sign of difficulty breathing, you should consult a doctor. The specialist may recommend safe medications for treatment, such as Dr. Snore spray or alternative methods of treatment.

Conclusion

Many women during childbearing face such a problem as snoring. This sign may indicate the development of serious disorders. The expectant mother should definitely inform the doctor about the occurrence of this symptom. To eliminate snoring, experts advise using such simple and safe means, for example, as"Snorex". Reviews about this drug confirm that it is quite effective, and most importantly - safe. In addition to drug treatments, you can still try to do special exercises aimed at increasing muscle tone. Herbal infusions and natural oils help well. It is also important to remember the posture during sleep. Try to regularly wet clean the room and ventilate the bedroom more often.