Uvula Problems

Uvula is a fleshy mass projecting from the rear edge of the middle of the soft palate. It is composed of connective tissues and contains a number of racemose glands. It also contains muscular fibers in some amount. Uvula is placed near the tonsils and the epiglottis. It plays an important role in the speech of humans. Uvula being sensitive is prone to many kind of problems. Read more on uvula infection and uvula swelling.

Common Uvula Problems

Snoring Problems: While sleeping, uvula can be one of the main reasons for heavy breathing or snoring problems. If a person has elongated uvula, it leads to snoring.

Uvulitis: The swelling of the uvula is seen which expands to 3-5 times than its normal size when the mucous membrane around it swells and touches the tongue or the throat causing problems like choking or gagging in spite of no foreign materials being present in the throat. At times, it can also cause problem in breathing, eating and talking. Dehydration, excessive smoking, inhaled irritants, snoring, allergic reactions, bacterial or viral infection can be a few reasons for the swelling of uvula. You can increase the intake of fluids, if the swelling is due to dehydration. And if it is caused due to some bacterial infections, then you can rinse your mouth with some salt water.

Sleep Apnea: Elongated uvula can also lead to sleep apnea. If the scar tissue is formed and the air space in the velopharnyx is decreased, it can result in sleep apnea. In order to treat this, the uvula or a part of it has to be operated and removed.

Velopharyngeal Insufficiency: In a few people, uvula does not close properly against the back of the throat, which causes velopharyngeal insufficiency. While talking, for proper pronunciation of the consonants like 'b', 'g', 't', 'd' and 'p' a structure present at the back of the mouth should close. This structure includes the tongue, the palate and the tonsils. If it does not, then it gives rise to nasal speech, wherein a large amount of extra air comes out of the nose.

Bifid Uvula: A split or cleft to the uvula, causes bifid uvula. As compared to the normal uvula, bifid uvula has less amount of muscle in them. Bifid uvula very often can cause problems in the ear. The soft palate is pushed back while swallowing the food, which obstructs the food reaching the nasal cavity. If the soft palate is unable to touch the back of the throat during the process of swallowing, it will allow the free passage of food to the nasal cavity. The splitting of uvula is found rarely among the adults but, it's common among the infants.

Nasal Regurgitation: While swallowing food, the uvula and the soft palate close the nasopharynx and prevents the food from entering the nasal cavity. If in case this process fails, it is known as nasal regurgitation. This is mostly observed in people suffering from neuromuscular disorders, myositisides and VPI.

Treatment for Uvula Problems

Consume lot of water and stay hydrated. If you are suffering from any of the above mentioned uvula problems, then breath through your mouth. Avoid coughing, as it might increase the irritation. Restrict eating foods which contain a large amount of fats and carbohydrates, like fried meat or poultry, pasta, rice, potato, etc. The consumption of fruits and fresh vegetables should be increased. Also avoid foods which contain excess amount of salt.

This was all about uvula problems which may vary from mild to severe. To avoid problems with uvula from becoming severe, proper treatment should be taken without any kind of delay.