PHX Reporter

• Snoring can lead to issues in a relationship.

• One of the possible reasons for snoring is chronic sinusitis.

• A balloon sinuplasty can provide long-lasting effects, which can help end snoring.

If you're having breathing and snoring issues, it could be detrimental to your relationship. But that could be avoided by seeing an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist, according to Dr. John Stewart of Arizona Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers.

"There are ripple effects of not breathing well," Stewart told PHX Reporter. "It could mean that you're handed a pillow and told to go sleep on the couch, and that can be detrimental to your relationship."

It could also have medical effects as well, Stewart said.

"If it results in sleep apnea, that's very hard on your cardiovascular system in general. It's not just about snoring and how much noise you're making. It's about how you're sleeping and if you're getting proper rest," he said. "Those people end up going in and out of deep, restful sleep, and they never get the full sleep that they need. The body is crazy, right? And it's a strain on the heart. All of a sudden, they wind up with high blood pressure and lots of the disease processes that are certainly avoidable if they are sleeping and breathing well."

In an international consensus statement on allergy and rhinology from Wiley, a multi-institutional case-control study was noted that focused on sleep patterns. This study showed that individuals who suffer from chronic sinusitis have an increased number of awakenings during a nights sleep, as well as spend a greater portion of the night snoring.

Other factors that might cause people to snore include drinking alcohol or taking other muscle-relaxing sedatives, certain hormones caused by pregnancy, or being overweight, according to Cleveland Clinic. Snoring over a long period of time can lead to health problems, including a lower blood oxygen level, high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes and higher risk for heart attacks and strokes.

At-home remedies to try include sleeping on your side, sleeping with your head elevated or using nasal strips. If none of those methods help you stop snoring, a balloon sinuplasty procedure can clear your sinuses for long-lasting relief. The procedure typically lasts approximately 20 minutes, during which an ENT physician will insert a tiny balloon into your nasal sinuses and inflate it, allowing the sinuses to open up and helping you to breathe more easily. The procedure is minimally invasive, pain-free and done in the office.

To learn more about the symptoms of sinusitis and allergies, take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.