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Medical Author:

Siamak T. Nabili, MD, MPH

Siamak T. Nabili, MD, MPH

Dr. Nabili received his undergraduate degree from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), majoring in chemistry and biochemistry. He then completed his graduate degree at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). His graduate training included a specialized fellowship in public health where his research focused on environmental health and health-care delivery and management.

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Medical Editor:

Jay W. Marks, MD

Jay W. Marks, MD

Jay W. Marks, MD, is a board-certified internist and gastroenterologist. He graduated from Yale University School of Medicine and trained in internal medicine and gastroenterology at UCLA/Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

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In this Article

• What is snoring?
• How common is snoring?
• What are the causes of snoring?
• How do medications and alcohol affect snoring?
• Why is snoring a problem?
• What is the clinical importance of snoring?
• What are different levels of snoring?
• How should someone with snoring be evaluated?
• How is it determined if snoring is a medical problem?
• What are some objective tests to measure sleepiness?
• What are the treatments for snoring?
• What are some non-surgical treatments for snoring?
• What are the surgical options for snoring?
• What is the success of surgery for snoring?
• Snoring At A Glance
• Patient Comments: Snoring - Treatments
• Find a local Sleep Specialist in your town
• Snoring Index

Surgeries are generally successful in reducing snoring. The success of a procedure depends on the problem area causing the snoring. For example, someone with nasal congestion will not have much improvement with a palate procedure and vice versa. The other factor that makes success hard to measure is the definition of success. As discussed earlier, the goal of surgery should include a successful night's sleep for those around the snorer.

Palate implant surgery has been reported to decrease snoring. On a loudness scale of 1-100, the average decrease is from 79 to 48 at three months. Is a snoring level of 48 a success? For some people it may be, but for others it may not. Similarly, palate implant surgery was recommended by 89% of snorers, but only 69% of their partners. Palatal implant surgery, like other surgeries, is very successful if the patients are carefully selected. Only people with snoring due to palate problems will improve with palate surgery, and only the snorer's partner will determine if the improvement in snoring is a "success."

• Snoring is caused by vibrating tissues within the airways of the nose and throat.
  
  
• The vibrations that cause snoring are caused by turbulent airflow through narrowed airways.
  
  
• Snoring is affected by the stage of sleep, sleeping position, and the use of medications and alcohol.
  
  
• Snoring may be a problem for family members and sleeping partners of the snorer.
  
  
• Snoring also may be a sign of an underlying medical problem.
  
  
• Treatments for snoring are nonsurgical and surgical.

Previous contributing medical author: Andrew Verneuil, MD