Sunday, April 1, 2012

Can Snoring Be Eliminated With Surgery?

By Alison Heath


You can try different means to stop snoring. But there are occasions when the traditional methods of treating snoring don't work in certain individuals.

In some of the more serious cases, surgical techniques are sought for treatment - but only as a last resort. There are several different types of surgical methods for the treatment of snoring. Some of the surgical methods are more invasive and hard to recover from than others.

Somnoplasty is a minimally invasive procedure which is gaining popularity. It is a lot less invasive than others. Somnoplasty is an outpatient procedure in which thermal energy is used to reduce and stiffen the soft tissue that can obstruct or vibrate in the upper airway.

Movement of the tissues is often what causes snoring. When tissues in the throat don't move as much, snoring is decreased. There is hardly any pain connected to this procedure, and most people recover quickly.

If your health is seriously at risk by problems such as sleep apnea and you've attempted and failed the traditional treatments, your doctor may recommend an uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, or UPPP.

This is a procedure in which the obstructions in your airway are removed. Your tonsils and adenoids will likely be removed as well.

This treatment is not a something that should be taken lightly. Only about 60% of those who have this surgery would be willing to go through it again. The recovery period is about three weeks and involves a small degree of discomfort when swallowing. And, unfortunately, many people who have gone through with the procedure continue snoring afterwards.

A more invasive surgery to assist those with serious problems resulting from snoring is nasal reconstructive surgery. This procedure involves reconstructing the nasal bone structure and removing soft tissues that might pose a problem. This procedure requires a fair amount of recovery time and should be considered with some degree of caution, since it is considered a major surgery.

As a last ditch effort, some who suffer from snoring problems will resort to a tracheotomy for relief. Most people get scared at the mere thought of it. In this procedure, a tube is inserted inside the wind pipe to assist with breathing. This is usually the last step, and it involves several lifestyle adjustments.

It's important that you make a concentrated effort whenever possible to avoid the surgical procedures mentioned above since all surgery carries some degree of risk no matter how 'minor' the surgery is supposed to be. You and your doctor should discuss together which course of treatment will likely bring the best results.




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