Service types: Sleep disorders | Sleep studies.

Click here to find out more about insomnia; symptoms, causes and treatments.

Snoring is the harsh rattling noise made by some people when they sleep. Snoring occurs when the flow of air through the back of the mouth and nose becomes partially blocked and structures such as the tongue, soft palate (the back part of the roof of the mouth) and uvula (the tag that hangs at the back of the mouth) strike each other and vibrate.

Causes of snoring include: nasal polyps; a bend in the nasal septum (the partition running down the middle of the nose), large tonsils or adenoids, obesity, smoking, excess alcohol.

Surgical treatment of snoring involves the removal of excess loose tissue in the throat or soft palate.

When snoring is interrupted by episodes of totally obstructed breathing, it is known as obstructive sleep apnoea. The obstruction is caused by the relaxation of muscles that support the soft tissues at the back of the throat such as the uvula, soft palate, tongue and tonsils. These tissues then collapse and momentarily block the airway.

Episodes may last 20 seconds or more and may occur hundreds of times per night. While you are not breathing, the levels of oxygen in your blood drop which causes your blood pressure to go up and adds strain to your cardiovascular system. In addition, you are likely to feel overly tired during the day and your work, driving and overall performance may be affected.

The usual treatment for OSA is to wear a nasal mask that delivers pressurised air to keep the airways open while you sleep. This treatment is known as Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP).

Service types: Sleep disorders | Sleep studies.

Click here to find out more about these conditions; what they are, how they are diagnosed and how they are treated.

Service types: Sleep disorders | Sleep studies.

Click here to find out more about sleep problems in children.

Service types: Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), Sleep disorders | Sleep studies, Snoring.

While still providing effective medical treatments like CPAP, MAD, and corrective surgeries, we also approach sleep disorders from multiple angles.

The cause of a sleep disorder could be physical, mental, social, or environmental. With a dedicated, multidisciplinary team, all working together, Auckland Sleep gives you the best chance of a successful outcome.

Learn about some of our treatment approaches here.

Your adenoids may be removed as part of a tonsillectomy. This operation is also performed through your mouth.

This term is used to describe lung disease where the breathing tubes become blocked and the surrounding tissue and air sacs inside the lungs become damaged. COPD includes conditions such as emphysema, chronic bronchitis and chronic asthma. COPD is a long term and sometimes fatal disease that can be managed and slowed down. Smoking is the main cause of emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

Chronic bronchitis is an inflammation of the main breathing tubes (bronchi) in the lungs, which results in the production of excess mucous (phlegm) and a reduction in the amount of airflow in and out of the lungs. In the early stages of chronic bronchitis, a cough usually occurs in the morning. As the disease progresses, coughing persists throughout the day. There is often associated shortness of breath and an increased rate of chest infections.

Emphysema is the gradual destruction of the air sacs (alveoli) in the lungs. The alveoli are unable to completely relax. As they become larger they are not as good at transporting oxygen to the blood. Emphysema cannot be cured, but can be managed through medication and lifestyle changes.

Investigations

You may have some of the following tests before or after your clinic appointment:

• chest X-ray
• spirometry
• lung function tests
• CT chest

The specialist will decide if you need any of these tests, depending on your symptoms and examination findings.

Treatment

There are ways to manage COPD. The first and most important is to stop smoking if this applies to you. There are exercises and dietary changes that can help maintain and improve fitness. Medications include inhalers, although they are not used for everyone. If you have COPD it is a good idea to have the flu vaccination every year.

Surgery can be carried out to improve the appearance of your nose e.g. straightening it if it’s crooked or increasing or decreasing its size.

Small cuts (incisions) are made either on the inside or outside (in the creases) of the nose. Excess bone and/or cartilage is removed and the nose reshaped. The surgery takes about 2 hours and is performed under general anaesthetic (you sleep through it). You may be able to go home the same day or, in some cases, you may have to stay in hospital overnight. You will need to arrange for another person to drive you home. Your nose will be covered with a splint that you will have to wear for about 1 week. It will take about six weeks for the worst of the swelling to disappear.

A tiny camera attached to a tube (endoscope) is inserted into your nose. Very small instruments can be passed through the endoscope and used to remove small pieces of bone and soft tissue. This opens up the ventilation and drainage pathways in the outer wall of your nose.

Spirometry is a tool that measures how effectively your lungs are working. It can show how much air lungs are able to hold (their volume) and how much air can be breathed in and out (inhaled and exhaled) which is called flow. It can be used to diagnose problems of breathing and monitor the usefulness of treatment. The test involves taking a deep breath in and blowing out as hard as you can into a hollow tube attached to a spirometer machine. You will be asked to do the test several times. The whole process takes 15 - 30 minutes depending on whether you are given some inhaled medicine and asked to do it again to monitor if there is an improvement. Read more about Spirometry on the Healthify website

Peak flow meter This is a small hand-held tube that can measure what is happening in your breathing tubes. You can have one at home and measure your peak flow by blowing into it as hard and fast as possible. You will be shown how to measure it and compare it with what you can blow when you are well as part of your asthma management plan if you think you are having an asthma attack. For more information view on the Healthify website

Nose surgery includes a range of procedures to change the shape, improve the function, or treat medical conditions of the nose. Common types include:

• Rhinoplasty – reshapes the nose for cosmetic or functional reasons.
• Septoplasty – straightens a deviated nasal septum (the thin wall between the nostrils) to improve breathing.
• Turbinoplasty – reduces swollen nasal tissues to ease airflow.
• Sinus surgery – treats chronic sinus infections or blockages.

Rhinitis is the inflammation of the lining of the nose (nasal mucosa). The most common symptoms are a blocked, runny and itchy nose.

Rhinitis can be:

• Allergic – either seasonal (hay fever) caused by pollen allergies or perennial caused by e.g. house dust mite, pets.
• Infectious – e.g. the common cold
• Non-allergic, non-infectious – caused by irritants such as smoke, fumes, food additives

In the case of allergic rhinitis, the specific allergen (the thing that you are allergic to) may be identified by skin prick tests. This involves placing a drop of the allergen on your skin and then scratching your skin through the drop. If you are allergic, your skin will become red and swollen at the site.

Treatment of allergic rhinitis involves avoiding the allergen if possible, but if not possible then corticosteroid nasal sprays and antihistamines are the usual medications prescribed.

This operation repositions the nasal septum and is performed entirely within your nose so that there are no external cuts made on your face.

In the facial bones surrounding your nose, there are four pairs of hollow air spaces known as sinuses or sinus cavities. These sinuses all open into your nose, allowing air to move into and out of the sinus and mucous to drain into the nose and the back of your throat. If the passage between the nose and sinus becomes swollen and blocked, then air and mucous can become trapped in the sinus cavity causing inflammation of the sinus membranes or linings. This is known as sinusitis.

Sinusitis can be:

• acute - usually a bacterial (or sometimes viral) infection in the sinuses that follows a cold, or an allergic reaction.
• chronic - a long term condition that lasts for more than 3 weeks and may or may not be caused by an infection.

Sinusitis can be a recurrent condition which means it may occur every time you get a cold.

Symptoms of sinusitis include:

• facial pain or pressure
• nasal congestion (blocking)
• nasal discharge
• headaches
• fever.

Treatment for bacterial sinusitis is antibiotics and for non-infective sinusitis may include steroid nasal sprays and nasal washes.

If this treatment is unsuccessful, surgery may be considered. This is usually performed endoscopically; a tiny camera attached to a tube (endoscope) is inserted into your nose. Very small instruments can be passed through the endoscope and used to remove abnormal or obstructive tissue thus restoring movement of air and mucous between the nose and the sinus.

Sleep disorders are conditions that affect the quality, timing, and amount of sleep a person gets. Common types include insomnia (trouble falling or staying asleep), sleep apnoea (breathing pauses during sleep), restless legs syndrome, and narcolepsy (sudden sleep attacks during the day). These disorders can lead to daytime tiredness, poor concentration, mood changes, and long-term health problems.

To help diagnose these problems, doctors may recommend a sleep study (polysomnography). This test usually takes place overnight in a sleep clinic or sometimes at home. It monitors brain activity, breathing, heart rate, oxygen levels, and movements during sleep to understand what might be going wrong.

A sleep study helps guide treatment, which may include lifestyle changes, devices like CPAP machines (for sleep apnoea), or medications.

Your tonsils are the oval-shaped lumps of tissue that lie on both sides of the back of the throat. Sometimes tonsils can become inflamed (red and swollen with white patches on them) as the result of a bacterial or viral infection; this is known as tonsillitis. If you have tonsillitis, you will have a very sore throat and maybe swollen glands on the side of your neck, a fever, headache or changes to your voice. In some cases, pus can be seen on the tonsils. Tonsillitis mostly occurs in young children and can be a recurrent condition (it keeps coming back).

If the tonsillitis is caused by bacteria, antibiotics will be prescribed. If the tonsillitis is caused by a virus, treatment will usually consist of medications to relieve symptoms such as a pain killer. If tonsillitis occurs often over a period of two or more years, then surgical removal of the tonsils (tonsillectomy) may be considered.

Tonsils are removed in an operation performed through your mouth. The tissue between your tonsils and throat is cut and your tonsils removed.

Transoral Robotic Surgery (TORS) is a minimally invasive surgical technique used to remove tumours from the mouth, throat, and voice box using a robot-assisted system. The surgeon controls robotic instruments through a console, allowing for precise movements in hard-to-reach areas of the head and neck. Surgeons carry out this procedure through the person’s mouth, without the need for external incisions.

• Sleep Strong Information Sheet (PDF, 520.2 KB)

Note: PDF downloads require the free Adobe Reader application to view.