Nasal congestion is one of the most common symptoms of medical complaints. Snoring is caused by vibration of the uvula and the soft palate. Nasal obstruction may contribute not only to snoring and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) but also impair application of continuous nasal positive airway pressure (CPAP), which is the most widely employed treatment for OSA. Total or near-total nasal obstruction leads to mouth breathing and has been shown to cause increased airway resistance. However, the exact role of the nasal airway in the pathogenesis of OSA is not clear and there is no consensus about the role of nasal obstruction in snoring and sleep apnea. Some reports have failed to demonstrate any correlation between snoring and nasal obstruction. On the other hand, opposing reports suggest that nasal disease may cause sleep disorders and that snoring can be improved after nasoseptal surgery. Reduced cross-sectional area causes increased nasal resistance and predisposes the patient to inspiratory collapse of the oropharynx, hypopharynx, or both. Discrete abnormalities of the nasal airway, such as septal deformities, nasal polyps, and choanal atresia and with certain mucosal conditions such as sinusitis, allergic rhinitis and inferior turbinate hypertrophy can cause snoring or OSA. Thus, these sources of nasal obstruction should be corrected medically or surgically for the effective management of OSA and adjunctive for CPAP.
Airway Resistance ; Choanal Atresia ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Consensus ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Hand ; Humans ; Hypertrophy ; Hypopharynx ; Mouth Breathing ; Nasal Obstruction ; Nasal Polyps ; Nose ; Nose Diseases* ; Oropharynx ; Palate, Soft ; Rhinitis ; Sinusitis ; Sleep Apnea Syndromes* ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; Sleep Wake Disorders ; Snoring* ; Turbinates ; Uvula ; Vibration

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Humans ; Sinusitis*

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Immunotherapy* ; Rhinitis*

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Nose* ; Papilloma, Inverted* ; Paranasal Sinuses*

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Sleep Apnea Syndromes

OBJECTIVES: OSAS (obstructive sleep apnea syndrome) is a common disorder and its consequences are often serious. It is important to detect the disorder early in the course for proper treatment. This study is to grasp the snoring clinic visitors' knowledge level of OSAS. METHODS: One hundred and seventy-nine visitors at the of snoring clinic of Seoul National University Hospital were surveyed by questionnaire about reasons of visit and knowledge of treatment methods of snoring and OSAS, diagnostic method, OSAS-related symptoms, and complications. RESULTS: Most of the respondents (89.4%) "have already heard about OSAS" and the major sources of information was the mass media (58.1%) such as television and radio. More than half (60.3%) were aware that snoring is closely related to OSAS. More than half (59.8%) recognized that a nocturnal polysomnograpy was necessary for proper diagnosis. Two thirds (67%) of the respondents noted surgery as a treatment for snoring. More than half (55.9%) answered that they would follow the doctor's advice on the treatment choice. Only 12.3% of respondents "have heard about nCPAP". No one chose nCPAP (nasal continuous positive airway pressure) as a treatment for either snoring or OSAS. About one third (34.6%) of the respondents were aware that OSAS is related to hypertension. Only 12.8% noted that OSAS is related to diabetes mellitus. CONCLUSION: Visitors at the snoring clinic were found to have substantially limited knowledge of health risks and proper treatments of OSAS. We suggest that it is crucially important to educate patients and offer easy-to-understand information on snoring and OSAS. We predict that provision of educaiton and information to patients and general public will faciliate the diagnosis and treatment of snoring and OSAS and reduce the related disorders such as hypertension, stroke, and diabetes mellitus.
Diabetes Mellitus ; Hand Strength ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Mass Media ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Sleep Apnea Syndromes ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; Snoring ; Stroke ; Television

The mucociliary system of the airway is composed of cilia, mucus and periciliary fluid, and plays an important role in airway defense by eliminating inhaled particles. Efficient mucociliary activity is essential for maintaining the normal physiologic functions of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. The overall propulsive effect of the mucus blanket depends upon the arrangement of cilia, the ciliary beat frequency (CBF), and their metachronal relationships (or ciliary wave disorder [CWD]). This article reviews the mechanism of CBF.
Cilia ; Epithelial Cells* ; Mucociliary Clearance ; Mucus ; Nasal Cavity ; Paranasal Sinuses