Types of Surgery for Snoring and Sleep Apnea
There are many available options to treat snoring today, especially with our modern advances in medicine and surgery, although for most people, surgery may not be the best treatment.
According to a research done by Dr. Karl A. Franklin of Umeå University Hospital in Sweden, surgery comes with several drawbacks and side effects such as:
- Difficulty swallowing
- Voice changes
- Taste disturbances
- Globus sensation (feeling of a lump in the throat)
You also have to take into account, the cost of the surgery and all the pre and follow up procedures, as well as the healing process.
The risks of having permanent or long term post-surgery related issues are something that needs to be carefully considered, especially when there are so many other treatment options with medicine and exercises today.
However, is severe cases of sleep apnea, it is understandable that some folks may consider resorting to surgery.
In serious cases, surgery helps to alleviate snoring by surgically removing tissues in the body that are obstructing the airways. Here are some of the most common surgeries you can speak with your doctor about today:
| Surgery | Description |
| Tracheostom | Create an opening in the trachea |
| Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty | Expansion of airways |
| Laser Assisted Uvuloplasty | Using lasers to remove tissues obstructing the airways |
| Cautery-assisted palatal stiffening operation | Burning of palate to stiffen against vibration |
| Somnoplasty | Using heat to modify tissues of the uvula |
| Snoreplasty | Injection to form scar tissue to reduce palatal flutter |
Some of these procedures are newer and may not be proven to have a reliable success rate, in addition to not knowing if there are any long term side effects that may arise from the surgery.
What are the types of non-surgical solutions for snoring?
Medicine
There are several forms of medicines that are are used to temporarily treat snoring by unfurling the nasal airways, energise breathing and counteract deep R.E.M sleep.
Utilising devices and appliances
There are a number of devices to help people cope with snoring. Despite being useful to some people to a certain extend, such devices have a degree of discomfort to them, especially when used prior to bedtime.
Lifestyle changes
Obesity, eating habits and exposure to allergens are in part related to your snoring. A lifestyle change may help to reduce or alleviate your snoring.
Specific exercises
There are specific exercises to tone your muscles which leads to the strengthening of your airways. These exercise can be done anytime, anywhere, and tend to be really effective despite the simplicity of it. Check out my review of The Stop Snoring and Sleep Apnea program here.
