Do you snore or know someone who does? If you’re concerned about what snoring can do, you’ve come to the right place. Worried about how snoring can affect your ears? I’ve got the answers that you need.
So, can snoring cause ear infections? No, snoring does not cause ear infections, but it can potentially cause hearing loss or partial deafness if the snoring is loud and constant.
If you are snoring and have ear infections, you can expect that the infection is not caused by snoring.
Ear infections are usually caused by bacteria, germs, viruses or fungus. It can also happen to people with chronic skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis.
They are more prone to outer ear infection which means it will only affect the skin, not the inner area where the hearing is more at risk.
Cold, flu and certain allergies may also lead to middle ear infections but definitely not snoring.
If there is anything that snoring can do to your ears, it’s often related to your hearing abilities.
A human ear, if exposed to loud snoring at high decibel (around 70 – 80 dB above) continuously, can be damaged over time.
If you sleep with a snorer that snores so loud and continuously each night, your ear that is placed close to the sound of snoring is at risk of partial deafness.
For some cases, the internal vibration in the inner ear caused by snoring also makes the snorer prone to hearing loss.
Therefore, both the snorer and their bed partners are at risk.
Snoring can do other dangerous things to our health, but it hasn’t been shown to cause ear infections.
Usually, snoring would affect the heart and the brain because snoring typically happens when the person is having difficulty in breathing, not hearing.
If you are wondering what snoring is a sign of, it’s usually a sign of a condition called “sleep apnea” and it does not affect the ears at all, only your breathing.
So if you are snoring or you have ear infections or both, what can you do to avoid it? Don’t worry, you’ll find out as you read on.
How to stop snoring
Once again, snoring does not cause ear infections but it can affect your hearing so it’s still important that you do something about it.
Cure for snoring can be different depending on why a person is snoring in the first place.
Therefore, the following treatments in the list may include surgical operations for those who snore because of sleep apnea.
Most of it only involve using medical equipment and simple lifestyle changes that can help stop someone from snoring.
- 24 Ways How to Stop Snoring:
- Nasal Strips
- Nasal strips are one of the earliest tools used to treat conditions like sleep apnea and its symptoms such as snoring.
Nowadays, there are newly developed nasal strips that you can try.
- Nasal strips are one of the earliest tools used to treat conditions like sleep apnea and its symptoms such as snoring.
- Oral Appliance
- Oral pieces can help with sleep apnea and snoring, they are custom made to make sure it prevents the obstruction in the airways and counter sleep apnea and snoring.
- CPAP Treatment
- The CPAP or “Continuous Positive Airway Pressure” is a commonly used treatment and proven to be effective for sleep apnea patients and stopping snoring.
- Avoid sedatives before going to sleep
- Certain sedatives can cause sleep apnea. Consult a medical expert to determine what type of sedative may be the cause.
- Treat chronic allergies
- Some allergies can trigger obstruction in your body’s airways and may cause you to have sleep apnea and cause you to snore.
- Try to avoid overworking yourself.
- Sometimes, simply going to sleep while totally exhausted can make our muscles relax too much to the point that it can lead to sleep apnea and snoring.
- Avoid drinking liquor before bed.
- Excessive liquor can also relax the muscles that will lead to sleep apnea and snoring. Limit alcohol consumption or avoid drinking too much before going to sleep.
- Sleep with your head elevated.
- When
the head is not properly elevated, the tongue can fall back and block
the air passage, causing the tissues to vibrate and snore.
You can also use an anti-snore pillow which will keep your head in proper place that can help stop sleep apnea. Sleeping in a chair or a recliner chair is also an option.
- When
the head is not properly elevated, the tongue can fall back and block
the air passage, causing the tissues to vibrate and snore.
- Try to sleep on your sides.
- Sleeping
flat on our backs can cause the tongue to fall back and block the
airways. It can also make the muscles relax and cause sleep
apnea.
You can read about: “How to prevent sleeping on my back” to learn how you can keep sleeping on your sides.
- Sleeping
flat on our backs can cause the tongue to fall back and block the
airways. It can also make the muscles relax and cause sleep
apnea.
- Get plenty of exercises.
- Lack of physical activity can cause our body’s functionality to drop.
This means that we need the right amount of exercise to keep our body “awake” and functioning even as we sleep.
- Lack of physical activity can cause our body’s functionality to drop.
- Stop or limit smoking.
- If
your body inhales the smoke, it can cause the muscles inside to
swell or become irritated, potentially blocking the airways and
causing you to snore.
Those who are also exposed to secondhand smoke can be prone to sleep apnea, so avoid getting near smoke as much as possible.
- If
your body inhales the smoke, it can cause the muscles inside to
swell or become irritated, potentially blocking the airways and
causing you to snore.
- Drink enough water.
- When we are dehydrated, the throat becomes dry which makes the vibrating tissues sound louder and produces snoring or sleep apnea.
- Eat a healthy diet.
- Our diet plays a huge part in our health! You should also avoid eating heavy before sleeping, if you go to sleep on a full stomach, your muscles may not work as it should.
- Sleep on time.
- Not getting the right amount of sleep and not sleeping early can cause the body to become dysfunctional and have sleep apnea.
- Lose weight.
- Being overweight or obesity will cause difficulty in breathing.
The excess fat will get in the way of the air passages, causing tissues to vibrate and cause sleep apnea.
- Being overweight or obesity will cause difficulty in breathing.
- Vocal exercise
- Pronouncing words loud and clearly can help strengthen your throat. Try to repeat the vowels (A, E, I, O and, U) and say it out loud for three minutes a few times a day.
- Tongue exercise
- Position the tip of your tongue behind your top front teeth then slide your tongue backwards for three minutes each day.
- Mouth exercise
- Close your mouth and purse your lips, like zipping your mouth. Hold on to that position for at least 30 seconds and repeat a few times a day.
- Jaw exercise
- Open your mouth then move your jaw to the right and hold for a few seconds, 30 seconds at least. After 30 seconds, move to the left side the same way you did to the right. Repeat a few times.
- Throat exercise
- Open your mouth and tighten the muscle at the back of your throat, do this in front of the mirror to see your uvula (or the hanging ball) moving up and down to see that it works.
- Singing exercise
- Singing casually can increase your muscle control in the throat and soft palate, reducing snoring caused by muscles that are relaxed.
- Rapid Maxillary Expansion
- For children with obstructive sleep apnea. This process places an expandable brace on the roof of the mouth that increases the width of the upper jaw (maxilla).
- Jaw Advancement Surgery
- For teenagers and adults. This process will surgically break the jaw bones, moved forward and then fixed properly with screws and plates and will change the person’s facial structure or profile.
- Surgical Airway Advancement
- Similar to the other example. Bones of the upper and lower jaw will be repositioned in a way that will relieve airway obstruction.
- Nasal Strips
How to avoid ear infections
In case you are a snorer but you have ear infections, let me provide some helpful tips that can prevent ear infections for you. Our ability to hear things is very important so take care of your ears.
- Clean your ears gently with cotton swabs
- Do it softly and it’s okay to do it moderately. Your ears have its own internal cleaning system so it can keep itself clean, so you can clean the inner area moderately.
- Wash your ear with soft, damp cloth
- The outer skin should be kept clean and you should use a small amount of soap or avoid using soap at all to avoid irritation. Just using water is enough.
- Only clean moderately, not too much
- Once again, you are not required to clean your ears everyday. It can clean itself, but may need using cotton swabs from time to time but not always.
Cleaning your ears too frequently can actually trigger an infection or affect your hearing.
- Once again, you are not required to clean your ears everyday. It can clean itself, but may need using cotton swabs from time to time but not always.
- Dry your ears properly after bathing
- After swimming or taking a shower, it’s important to make sure your ears are dry. If the water enters your inner ear and stays there, that’s the time it might cause an infection.
- Don’t smoke or avoid secondhand smoke
- Try to limit the smoke you take if you are a smoker. Smoke can affect the hearing as well as cause infections
- Treat chronic allergies or avoid them
- Allergies can trigger infections
- Keep your hands clean
- Sometimes we are not aware that we touch our ears without cleaning our hands first, this may cause germs to transfer to the ear and eventually cause infections.
- Avoid people with colds
- Colds or other upper respiratory problems can possibly cause infections in the ear, so it’s best to avoid them or getting infected
- Keep the environment clean
- Some people can catch infections out of nowhere, but it is usually because of a filthy environment. Keep your surroundings clean.
Change your pillow sheets or bed sheets properly, clean your earphones. Whatever gets close to your ears that isn’t clean can cause infections.
- Some people can catch infections out of nowhere, but it is usually because of a filthy environment. Keep your surroundings clean.
- Remove ear accessories if unneeded
- Take off your earrings and other accessories that can be removed if you don’t need to use it at all. Letting accessories like plastic earrings can trigger skin irritation in the ear.
It can also lead to infection if the accessory is unclean.
- Take off your earrings and other accessories that can be removed if you don’t need to use it at all. Letting accessories like plastic earrings can trigger skin irritation in the ear.
- Get vaccinated or stay updated
- Vaccines can help prevent infections and keep your health safe at all times, so make sure your vaccines are up to date.
Related Questions
What causes ear infections?
Ear infections can be caused by a bacteria or a virus in the middle ear. It also usually results from other illnesses like colds, flu or allergies.
These illnesses causes congestion and swelling of the nasal passages, throat and eustachian tubes. The eustachian tube is a part of your ears and when it swells, it can lead to infections.
Do ear infections go away on their own?
Yes, most ear infections or any other infections can go away on its own. Up to 80% of ear infections can go away without antibiotics.
If yours persist, our best advise is to see a doctor.
