SNORING AND OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP-APNEA - DOES HEAD POSTURE PLAY A ROLE

The aim of this article is to present scientific and clinical evidence to support the role of proper head and neck posture in the management of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea. Obstruction of the upper-airw ay during sleep is a serious medical condition often associated with s evere daytime somnolence, morning headache, and a host of cardiopulmon ary complications, including but not limited to systemic and pulmonary hypertension, nocturnal cardiac dysrhythmias, myocardial infarction, and stroke. Though anti-snoring pillows are occasionally mentioned in the literature, the role of proper head-neck support during sleep has been largely neglected. In this article the effect of head-neck positi on on upper-airway obstruction during sleep is discussed from the pers pective of both causation and treatment. Based on the evidence present ed by the author, it is recommended that the use of cervical-support p illows be considered as an adjunctive treatment modality in patients s uffering from snoring and obstructive sleep apnea.