Treatments for Snoring and Sleep Apnea

Effective treatment of snoring and OSA depends on proper diagnosis and location of the anatomic source of the problem. Treatments can be medical or surgical and vary in efficacy. Medical treatments include lifestyle changes (weight loss and dietary changes), sleep positioning pillows, nasal sprays, dental/oral appliances, nasal strips, and positive pressure mask devices. Inhalant allergies may also contribute to snoring and OSA, and should be treated when present. Medical interventions are preferable to surgery; however, some of the interventions (ie-use of the continuous positive airway pressure device) are uncomfortable and have poor patient compliance.

Surgical treatments include nasal surgery, adenoid and tonsil surgery, palate surgery, and jaw surgery (mandibular advancement). Some of these surgeries may be performed with the laser (laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty, or LAUP) Unfortunately most of the surgeries involving the oral cavity (tonsils, palate, jaw) and pharynx (uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, or UPPP) have significant pain and morbidity as well as lengthy patient recovery times with only modest success rates.

Fortunately, the past few years have seen the rise of a variety of effective, minimally-invasive treatments for snoring and sleep apnea. These treatments, along with others, will be discussed in detail in this and the following chapters.