Snoring / Sleep Apnea

Snoring is no laughing matter!!

Although snorers are a target of bad jokes and middle of the night elbows, loud snoring can be a sign that there is a breathing problem during sleep.

Snoring is caused by vibration of narrow air passages during sleep. For many, loud disruptive snoring is more of a social problem that may strain a relationship. But for others, blockage of the airway may cause sleep apnea, a potentially life threatening disorder.

Evaluating the problem

A long with a thorough medical and surgical history, questioning of your bed partner is helpful in assessing sleeping patterns and waking behavior. A complete head and neck exam will focus on all parts of the breathing passages, including the nose, mouth, throat and jaw structure. Some patients will spend the night in a sleep laboratory to test for sleep apnea. As snoring may be caused by a single area of blockage, most cases involve multiple areas of obstruction.

Help Is Available!

Loud disruptive snoring can be helped by body repositioning and avoidance of certain habits before and during sleep. Over the counter remedies sound great, but offer no more than a short, temporary fix to the problem. Some patients prefer wearing a dental appliance at night to bring the jaw forward during sleep. Others diagnosed with sleep apnea are given a nasal mask, delivering pressurized oxygen during sleep.

Surgical Options

A number of treatments are available to effectively and permanently alter the airway. Each area of blockage must be treated in order to get a proper result. Treatments concentrate on either shrinking, repositioning or removing both soft and hard tissue blockage.

Somnoplasty uses temperature controlled radio frequency to reduce and tighten the tissues of the nose, palate/uvula, tongue and tonsils. The treated area is heated and slowly absorbed by the body over a 3-8 week period. It is relatively painless and is effective for snoring, nasal obstruction, and mild sleep apnea.

Palatal Surgery involves the repositioning, and in some cases the removal of loose, floppy tissue. Since most snoring involves a palatal component, surgery is very helpful.

Pre-op	Post-Op

Tongue base repositioning is performed through a small incision on the inside of the lower lip. The inner tongue muscles are tightened, suspending them off the back of the throat during sleep.

Jaw Repositioning (Orthognathic Surgery) may be required for patients with sleep apnea caused by recessive upper and/or lower jaws. Advancing the jaw structure permanently opens the airway, effectively curing the problem.

Sequencing treatment / The team approach

We work closely with your medical doctor to provide the proper evaluation and treatment options. Not all patients require, surgery to treat their problem, while others may require a combination of medical and surgical management. Depending on the severity of the problem and sites of airway blockage, more than one surgical treatment may be necessary. Remember, the goals of surgery are to relieve snoring while reducing the symptoms of apnea.