A Member of the University of Maryland Medical System   |   In Partnership with the University of Maryland School of Medicine

Share

Email PageEmail Print PagePrint

Home > Medical Reference > Encyclopedia (English)

Toggle: English / Spanish

Snoring - Treatment

Home Care:

The following tips can help reduce snoring:

  • Avoid alcohol and other sedatives at bedtime.
  • Don't sleep flat on your back. Sleep on your side, if possible. Some doctors even suggest sewing a golf or tennis ball into the back of your night clothes. This causes discomfort if you roll over and helps reminds you to stay on your side. Eventually, sleeping on your side becomes a habit and you don't need to be reminded.
  • Lose weight, if you are overweight.
  • Try over-the-counter, drug-free nasal strips that help widen the nostrils. (These are not intended as treatments for sleep apnea.)

Call your health care provider if:

Talk to your doctor if you have:

  • Excessive daytime drowsiness, morning headaches, recent weight gain, awakening in the morning not feeling rested, or change in your level of attention, concentration, or memory
  • Episodes of no breathing (apnea) -- your partner may need to tell you if this is happening

Children with chronic snoring should also be evaluated for apnea. Sleep apnea in children has been linked to growth problems, ADHD, poor school performance, learning difficulties, bedwetting, and high blood pressure. Most children who snore do NOT have apnea, but a sleep study is the only reliable way to tell for sure.

What to expect at your health care provider's office:

Your doctor will ask questions to evaluate your snoring and perform a physical exam, paying careful attention to your throat, mouth, and neck.

Questions may include the following (some of which your partner might have to answer):

  • Is your snoring loud?
  • Does it occur no matter what position you are lying in or only in certain positions?
  • Does your own snoring ever wake you up?
  • How often do you snore? Every night?
  • Is your snoring persistent during the night?
  • Are there episodes when you are not breathing?
  • Do you have other symptoms like daytime drowsiness, morning headaches, insomnia, or memory loss?

Referral to a sleep specialist for sleep studies may be needed.

Treatment options include:

  • Dental appliances to prevent tongue from falling back
  • Weight loss
  • If you have sleep apnea, use of a CPAP mask (a device you wear on the nose while sleeping to decrease snoring and sleep apnea)
  • Surgical procedures on your palate
  • Surgery to correct a deviated septum or remove tonsils (tonsillectomy)
  • Other types of surgery involving the airway
  • Reviewed last on: 8/3/2010
  • David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc., and Seth Schwartz, MD, MPH, Otolaryngologist, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, Washington.

References

Franklin KA, Anttila H, Axelsson S, Gislason T, Maasilta P, Myhre KI, et al. Effects and side-effects of surgery for snoring and obstructive sleep apnea--a systematic review. Sleep. 2009;32:27-36.

Friedman M, Schalch P. Surgery of the palate and oropharynx. Otolaryngol Clin North Am. 2007 Aug;40(4):829-43.

Patil SP, Schneider H, Schwartz AR, Smith PL. Adult obstructive sleep apnea: pathophysiology and diagnosis. Chest. 2007 Jul;132(1):325-37.

Basner RC. Continuous positive airway pressure for obstructive sleep apnea. N Engl J Med. 2007 Apr 26;356(17):1751-8.

Related Articles

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
adam.com
 
Adam QualityA.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
adam.com
Connect with UMMC
Facebook Twitter YouTube Blog iPhone

Please rate the quality of this article.

Do you find this article to be helpful / informative?
              
Poor                                       Excellent

Do you have any brief comments on this page: (up to 255 characters)

© 2011 University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC). All rights reserved.
UMMC is a member of the University of Maryland Medical System,
22 S. Greene Street, Baltimore, MD 21201. TDD: 1-800-735-2258 or 1.866.408.6885