Snoring isn't just annoying to the person sharing your bed; it could indicate underlying medical problems. If your doctor finds you have severe sleep apnoea he may recommend you try a CPAP machine that uses the vibratory snore index.
Definition
Snoring is caused by vibrations of the soft palate, nose and throat as you breathe during sleep. The vibratory snore index measures the strength of the snoring vibrations.
Significance
Doctors will recommend CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machines for patients with severe sleep apnoea. The CPAP machines use snore index measurements to regulate the air pressure in your throat while you sleep. When the vibrations in a tube of air on the machine reach a certain level, the machine is cued to adjust the air pressure in the facial mask you wear during sleep.
Considerations
The vibratory snore index is typically only used for CPAP machine algorithms. Your doctor will be more concerned with your average hypopnea index (AHI) and your apnoea index (AI). This is the number of times you don't breathe or breathe shallowly each hour during sleep. Five to 20 times an hour is mild; over 51 times an hour is severe sleep apnoea.
- The vibratory snore index is typically only used for CPAP machine algorithms.
- Your doctor will be more concerned with your average hypopnea index (AHI) and your apnoea index (AI).