Is There A Best Cure For Snoring

If you’re a snorer there are many devices and therapies to choose from when looking for the best cure for snoring. There are mouth guards that can reduce snoring, nasal devices and dilators, a snoring chin strap, anti-snoring pillows, hypnosis and exercise therapies.

Before trying any stop snoring therapies it is important to eliminate the possibility of the potentially dangerous condition of sleep apnea. Sleep apnea must be diagnosed by a a doctor or by attending a sleep laboratory or clinic.

It is also necessary to take care of any underlying health concerns that may have a bearing on your snoring.

A further option available to a person who is a heavy snorer is to undergo surgery. Under some circumstances this can be the best cure for snoring and although the results may often prove to be disappointing there are several different types of surgery that can be performed.

Palatopharyngoplasty (PPP) is a type of surgery that enlarges the airway at the tonsillar area. The operation may involve the shortening the uvula, partial removal of the soft palate and removal of tonsils and adenoids. This is designed to increase the amount of airflow and reduce the amount of vibrating tissue in the throat.

This procedure may only be a temporary method of ending snoring. Some research studies suggest that within two years only forty percent of snorers that have undergone this surgery continue to report having their snoring stopped or definitely lessened.

A less expensive alternative to palatopharyngoplasty is laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP) that makes use of laser techniques to shorten the uvula as well as vaporize parts of the soft palate. Though palatopharyngoplasty must be performed under general anesthetic, uvulopalatoplasty can be performed under local anesthetic.

LAUP may be slightly more effective than PPP although some studies indicate the failure rate can be as high as 40% for both procedures and the patients do not resolve their snoring problem.

A third type of surgery is cautery-assisted uvulopalatoplasty in which the surgeon uses a heated wire or electrode instead of a laser to burn or scar some or all of the uvula and palate. The effectiveness of this form of treatment is similar to other surgical operations for snoring and this procedure is easy to perform and may be less painful.

It should be noted, however, that most patients report severe post operative pain with any of these surgical procedures so surgery may not be the best cure for snoring.