Snoring consultation is caused by your tongue, mouth, throat and airways in the nose vibrating as you breathe during sleep. It can affect your quality of sleep and that of your bed partner. It can also be a sign of a more serious health condition, like obstructive sleep apnea. Healthcare providers use a wide range of treatments to reduce snoring. Some treatment options are more invasive than others, including surgery.

A snoring consultation should include a thorough patient history (with information from the bed partner where possible), a clinical examination of the head, neck and temporomandibular joints, and, in defined circumstances, an instrument-based evaluation for obstructive sleep apnea (strong consensus). Conservative management includes positional therapy, weight reduction, myofascial therapies, and mandibular advancement devices, while nasal surgery and soft palate surgery are potential surgical treatment options.

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In obstructive sleep apnea, the upper airway becomes narrowed and stops breathing several times during the night. These episodes can cause you to wake up gasping for breath and feel exhausted throughout the day. In fact, a study found that people who snore six to seven nights per week are twice as likely to have excessive daytime sleepiness than those who never snore.

Some patients with snoring may benefit from having a pillar procedure. This involves placing rigid fiber implants or barbed suspension sutures in the roof of the mouth (the soft palate). These stiffen the palate and decrease vibration and flutter that causes snoring. Other palatal modification procedures can shorten or lift the uvula and palate, which will also help reduce snoring.