Snoring Aids

Article By S. Madyco

Sometimes when someone has tried what seem to be all the snoring aids available, they may start checking into other options to prevent snoring, one possibility being snoring surgery. While this should be an absolute last ditch effort to stop snoring, only after all other remedies have failed. While it may seem to be the answer you are looking for, many have not obtained the results they had hoped for before undergoing the snore stop surgery and will still need additional sleep help.
One of the surgical options is what is called (UPPP), which is short for Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty. Basically in this operation the surgeon will take out your tonsils, and certain parts of your uvula and soft palate under general anesthesia.  This opens up your airways and lessens your vibratory tissue in the throat. UPPP is typically administered to people who have been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea. Persons that have undergone this operation have not been all that satisfied with the outcome. Signs of improvement emerge in the immediately following surgery, but results have tended to fade after 2 years. It has been said to be effective in approximately 40% of patients. The average cost of this procedure in the U.S. is $5500.00.

Uvulopalatoplasy (UPP) is a procedure where the palate is numbed with Novocain and an electrocautery is used to remove most of the uvula. The palate is then burned across so that the scar tissue that will emerge tightens and stiffens the palate. This has been shown for great short term effects, but long term results are still undetermined. It will cost around $500.00.

Another snoring surgery is Laser-Assisted Uvuloplasty (LAUP). It is similar to the above, however this one is laser guided. This has become a fairly unpopular option because of its poor long term results. With an initial success rate of 85% right afterwards, tends to drop to 55% after 2 years. The average cost of Laser-Assisted Uvuloplasty in the U.S. $1500.00. The procedure may need to be repeated if the initial procedure did not work for you fully.

Injection Snoreplasty is a less expensive option that tends to have the same immediate results of the other procedures. With this your doctor will inject a chemical into the palate that will force a loss of blood supply to the central portion of the palate. This area will bruise and then become scar tissue that will stiffen the palate. This is a newer snoring procedure so its long term progress is still unknown.

Somnoplasty This surgery uses electrocautery delivered through a needle, then inserted in the soft palate. The needle will be heated enough to scar the palate, but not burn. The resulting scar stiffens the palate and reduces snoring. This usually takes less than an hour and pain is reported to be minimal afterwards. This has a high success rate of about 90% afterwards, but this also seems to see a decline after about 2 years. The cost of this snoring surgery is about $1500.00. This may also need to be repeated if your results are not what you had hoped to obtain.