Dr. Juliette Katung, a medical expert, said on Wednesday that alcohol consumption could cause snoring.
Katung told the News Agency of Nigeria in Jos, the Plateau State capital, that poor “muscle tone” in the throat and tongue could be one of the causes of snoring.
Muscle tone is a condition of weak muscles, especially when ageing, as a result of alcohol consumption.
“Poor muscle tone in the throat and mouth, which can result from alcohol consumption as well as sleeping pills, can cause snoring,” Katung said.
The medical doctor explained that bulky throat tissue, which could arise from fat deposits in overweight, large tonsils and adenoid enlargement, could also cause snoring.
According to Katung, tonsils and adenoids are small lymp-node like tissues at the back of the throat and adenoids behind the nose that fight germs or infections.
“The tonsils are tissues on both sides of the throat that help to fight infections while the adenoid is similar in nature, hidden behind the nose and above the root of the mouth and could be seen using medical devices,” she explained.
She said when these tissues are enlarged, they obstruct the free passage of air because of the difficulty in breathing, as breathing through a passage way is too small.
Katung further explained that obstructed nasal airways, which could be from an infection or tissue swelling from allergies, could cause snoring.
The medical doctor said snoring could be prevented through adopting healthy lifestyles, including proper dieting, exercise, avoiding alcohol and establishing a good sleep pattern.
Katung said the condition could also be treated surgically and non-surgically as the case might be.
NAN.