Some Morphological Changes in the Uvula May Indicate Chronic Snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS)!
Snoring is the sound produced by the vibration of the areas in the upper respiratory tract during sleep. The soft palate and the uvula are usually the areas that vibrate the most. If the laxity or narrowing in the airways increases, complete closure "collapse" occurs during sleep and sleep apnea occurs as a result. It causes various changes in the upper respiratory tract due to long-term collapse or vibration trauma. In patients with long-term snoring and sleep apnea, sagging of the soft palate and uvula and the changes I have presented to you below may occur. If patients consume alcohol, smoke, use antidepressants or muscle relaxants, or sleep with their mouths open for long periods due to nasal congestion, live a sedentary life, or gain weight, these changes may occur much more quickly.
Wrinkling of the Uvula - Could be a Sign of Chronic Snoring and OSAS!
Chronic vibratory snoring trauma, that is, the shaking and vibrating uvula and the root of the uvula cause horizontal lines in the mucosa. At the same time, the closure of this region during deep sleep and its exposure to repeated mechanical pressure may cause relaxation and these lines to become more apparent.
Horizontal Wrinkles Appear on the Uvula Base and Soft Palate!

Elongated Uvula (Tip of Uvula in Contact with Tongue Base)
I have previously written a detailed article about the elongated uvula and its causes. If you would like to take a look at this article >> Elongated (Long) Uvula Causes, Symptoms and Treatment
Causes of Long Uvula
When we open our eyes and look, if our uvula is longer than normal and the tongue base and the tip of the uvula are in contact as in the photo above, we need to consider the following reasons:
- Long-term snoring and vibratory trauma due to this (vibration trauma in the uvula over time can accelerate the sagging of the uvula)
- Sleep apnea syndrome (in patients with long-term airway collapse, edema and sagging may occur in the uvula due to repeated tissue closure. Especially in patients with a high tongue root and a narrow airway behind the tongue or with donsillar hypertrophy, it is easier for the uvula to compress and elongate due to trauma during sleep)
- Smoking, drinking alcohol, using antidepressants, anxiolytic drugs, muscle relaxants that can cause muscle relaxation
- Not doing enough cardio exercise and an inactive lifestyle (constantly sitting can cause many negative changes in our body. At least 10,000 steps per day (cardio steps) taken by taking in through the nose and exhaling through the mouth, Running with the same breathing technique for 15-20 minutes or swimming freestyle for about 30 minutes prevents most of these airway changes and can also protect you against possible cardiovascular diseases)
- Aging (it is natural for tissues to become loose and saggy as we age)
- Gaining weight and obesity (if you cannot see the airway behind the tongue by just looking with your mouth open, if your neck is short and thick, if you have significant fat in your belly area, try losing weight! Every 5 kg you lose from your belly area can provide 1 cm of fat loss and thinning in the floor of your mouth and neck area. In this way, there can be a volume increase close to a logarithmic mechanism in the oral airway as the root of the tongue and tongue move towards the ground. If you are obese and your sleep quality is poor, restricting sweets and increasing cardio exercise and losing weight can provide you with a much better sleep quality)
- Structural causes (patients may be born with a longer uvula than normal)
Elongated Uvula Treatment
Uvula removal surgery can be performed in patients with snoring and sleep apnea. Partial or total uvulectomy operations can be performed. Negative effects that may occur in terms of health when total uvulectomy surgery is performed: The uvula creates a natural surface area for secretions flowing down the back of the nose to drip into the esophagus instead of the trachea. If the uvula is almost completely excised, this secretion spreads to the sides and may cause a feeling of being stuck in the throat. Another function of the uvula is to act as a
valve that prevents food or saliva from escaping from the mouth into the nose. Especially if total uvulectomy is performed together with soft palate excision, the contents of the mouth may escaping into the nose. Although I have not seen these side effects for many years, I added them for informational purposes. In patients with enlarged tonsils and sleep apnea, uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) surgery, which includes the tonsil, soft palate and uvula, can also be performed (göz atabileceğiniz link Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) Operation - Sleep Apnea and Snoring Surgery).
valve that prevents food or saliva from escaping from the mouth into the nose. Especially if total uvulectomy is performed together with soft palate excision, the contents of the mouth may escaping into the nose. Although I have not seen these side effects for many years, I added them for informational purposes. In patients with enlarged tonsils and sleep apnea, uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) surgery, which includes the tonsil, soft palate and uvula, can also be performed (göz atabileceğiniz link Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) Operation - Sleep Apnea and Snoring Surgery).
Edema Appearance at the Tip of the Uvula, More Noticeable in the Morning
In patients with long-term snoring and sleep apnea, "droplet-shaped edema at the tip of the uvula" can be detected at the tip of the uvula over time, especially in the morning. This condition, which appears as if the tip of the uvula has been pinched or pinched, may occur due to tissue closure (collapse) caused by sleep apnea. In the photograph above, there are also horizontal wrinkling lines on the patient's uvula as a result of vibratory shock trauma due to long-term snoring. This patient, who is 18 years old and smokes 2 packs of cigarettes a day and drinks alcohol, was advised to stop smoking and drinking alcohol and to do cardio exercise. The emergence of such morphological changes in the uvula despite his young age is a sign that the sleep apnea syndrome may become more severe in the coming years.
The two photographs above were taken a few hours apart from the same patient. In the upper photograph, the droplet-like swelling at the tip of the uvula was present when waking up in the morning, but during the day the uvula has gathered upwards. This is due to vibratory trauma and repetitive compression from snoring during sleep.
Murat Enoz, MD, Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgeon
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