What are the treatments?
The treatment of snoring occurs at several levels:
Prevention:
- Avoid the likely causes / alcohol, tobacco, sleeping pills
- Weight loss
- Change sleeping posture / avoid sleeping on your back.
- Nasal Spray with cortisone, with certain reservations, they can help improve the diameter of the air.
- Gutter mandibular advancement: they are double silicone mouth trays to wear during sleep. They are used to advance the lower jaw during sleep. The tongue is thus detached from the rear wall and frees the passage of air. They are effective for snoring (and also in sleep apnea) but remain uncomfortable. They represent a very practical alternative as they allow a specific use. They must be performed by a dentist customized to fit your mouth.
Surgical:
If prevention fails, and if snoring is very important, a more radical treatment may be considered:
- Nasal Problem: if septal deviation and / or turbinate hypertrophy, septoplasty and dwindling turbinates enhance the entry of air through the nose which reduces the turbulence of the inspired air flow.
- UPPP: Remove the uvula, part of the soft palate and tonsils (UPPP: uvulo-Palato-pharyngo-plasty), this can also be done by laser.
- Radiofrequency: Radiofrequency treatment is to cauterize and harden the soft palate and / or the base of the tongue with a needle sending a localized microwave beam. It is less aggressive than excision or laser.
- Bi-mandibular advancement: a major surgery is sometimes done in case of major sleep apnea with significant obstacle with a device releasing positive pressure (CPAP: Continuous Positive Air Pressure). This is an exceptional indication and should not be practiced for simple snoring.
If you suffer from snoring, do not hesitate to contact us. At the Polyclinique Centre-Ville, medical snoring experts will take care of you. For any questions, please call our clinic to have more information and to make an appointment with one of our doctors.
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