Problems Associated
With Snoring

Snoring can be a sign of atrial fibrillation – an irregular, often rapid heart beat that causes poor blood flow.

Sleep apnea manifests itself in most people as loud snoring interrupted by periods of obstructed breathing or breath holding.  If you snore, it may be a symptom of a more serious disorder called obstructed sleep apnea (OSA).  People with OSA almost always snore heavily, because the same narrowing of the airway that causes snoring can also cause OSA.  Snoring may actually attribute to OSA as well, because the vibration of the throat tissues which occurs in snoring can cause the tissue to swell.

Steam inhalation of essential oils of eucalyptus blue gum (Eucalyptus globulus) or peppermint (Mentha piperita) can relieve congestion and thus improve snoring in some cases.

Snoring caused by nasal congestion may be successfully treated with decongestants.  Some effective herbal remedies that clear the nasal passages include goldenrod and goldenseal.

Goldenrod is an effective remedy that clears the nasal passages.

Steam inhalation of essential oils of eucalyptus blue gum (Eucalyptus globulus) or peppermint (Mentha piperita) can relieve congestion and thus improve snoring in some cases.

Air filtering and removing other allergens from the bedroom can be useful.

Avoid alcohol and sedatives before bedtime.

Snoring thought to be caused by excessive weight may be curtailed by a sensible weight loss and exercise program.

Snoring usually worsens when an individual sleeps on his or her back, so sleeping on your side may alleviate the problem.  Those who have difficulty staying in a side-sleeping position may find sleeping with pillows behind them helps them maintain the position longer.

Several surgical procedures are available for treating chronic snoring.  These include:

• Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) – removing excess throat tissues (e.g. tonsils, parts of the soft palate) to expand the airway.
• Laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP) – removing part of the uvula and palate with a surgical laser.
• Palatal stiffening – a minimally-invasive surgical technique where a laser or a cauterizer is used to produce scar tissue in the soft palate in order to stop the vibrations that produce snoring.
• Radiofrequency ablation – another technique which uses scarring to shrink the uvula and/or soft palate.  A needle electrode is used to shrink and scar the mouth and throat tissues.

Research at Oregon Health Sciences University on 35 subjects suffering from chronic snoring has shown that MSM in a 16% water solution administered to each nostril 15 minutes prior to sleep provided significant reduction in 80% of the subjects after 1 to 4 days of use.  As a control, a saline solution was substituted for MSM in 8 of the patients who showed relief with MSM, without their knowledge.  7 of these 8 patients resumed loud snoring.  This change occurred within 24 hours of the substitution.  After the MSM treatment was restored, these 8 showed a significant reduction of snoring again.

Many splints, braces, and other devices are available which reposition the nose, jaw, mouth, and/or head in order to clear the airways.  Other devices are designed to wake an individual when snoring occurs.

A MAD (Mandibular Advancement Device) is a device worn in the mouth at night to hold it closed and the lower jaw forward.  The device increases the space behind the tongue, which lessens snoring and may help obstructive sleep apnea.  They can be obtained from those dentists familiar with them.

Nasal strips that attach like an adhesive bandage to the bridge of the nose are available at most drugstores.  These can help stop snoring in some individuals by opening the nasal passages.

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) helps some chronic snorers find relief by sleeping with a nasal mask which provides air pressure to the throat.

For some people, raising the head of the bed solves their snoring problem.  A slight incline can prevent the tongue from retracting into the back of the throat.  Bricks, wooden blocks, or specially designed wedges can be used to elevate the head of the bed approximately 4-16 inches (10-40cm).

Dr. Robert M Currie associate clinical professor at Michigan State University who studied a product called "snoreless" (probably similar to another product called "snoreBgone") in a clinical trial states "I was amazed with the results – nearly 100% of the patients reported an extremely effective response." Snoreless is a safe, inexpensive mouth spray combining several lubricating oils and nutrients that gives up to eight hours of relief from the maddening noise associated with snoring.