Snoring Is Not Necessarily Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)

It is important to distinguish between snoring and OSA. Many people snore. It's estimated that approximately 25% to 50% of the US population (around 90 million) snore at one time or another, some significantly. Everyone has heard stories of men and women whose snoring can be heard rooms away from where they are sleeping. Snoring could be a sign of OSA if is associated with other symptoms like cessation of breathing when sleeping, excessive day time sleepiness, high blood pressure and others. Read More.

Snoring of this magnitude can cause several problems, including marital discord, sleep disturbances and waking episodes sometimes caused by one's own snoring. But, snoring does not always equal OSA; sometimes it is only a social inconvenience. Still, even a social inconvenience can require treatment, and there are several options available to chronic snorers.

Some non-medical treatments that may alleviate snoring include:

Weight loss — as little as 10 pounds may be enough to make a difference.
Change of sleeping position — Because you tend to snore more when sleeping on your back, sleeping on your side may be helpful.
Avoid alcohol, caffeine and heavy meals — especially within two hours of bedtime. Stop smoking.
Avoid sedatives — which can relax your throat muscles and increase the tendency for airway obstruction related to snoring.

Your doctor has treatment options, including the following:

Radio Frequency (RF) of the Soft Palate uses radio waves to shrink the tissue in the throat or tongue, thereby increasing the space in the throat and making airway obstruction less likely. Over the course of several treatments the inner tissue shrinks while the outer tissue remains unharmed. Several treatments may be required, but the long-term success of this procedure has not as yet been determined.

Laser-Assisted Uvuloplasty (LAUP) is a surgical procedure that removes the uvula and surrounding tissue to open the airway behind the palate. This procedure is generally used to relieve snoring and can be performed in the Oral Surgeon's office with local anesthesia.

Oral Appliance therapy : OAT-which keeps the jaw in an anterior position or/and holds the soft palate and tongue during sleep  to avoid the the collapse of the airway and stop snoring plus preventing and/or treating OSA. OAT solves snoring in 99% of patients.

We placed the first oral appliance for the treatment of snoring and sleep apnea in August 1998 and have helped many patients to enjoy a much healthier life ever since.
Popular commercial snoring aids don't work…because those products do not treat the cause of the snoring.  snoring that is caused by nasal congestion might be relieved by a product that reduces nasal congestion and improves airflow in the nose. But these products aren't likely to help other types of snoring. About 80% of snoring comes from soft palate [back of the mouth] and posterior portion of the tongue blocking the airway.

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