Desperate? Laser Surgery For Snoring Could Be the Answer!

Of all the methods of treating snoring and sleep apnea, laser surgery for snoring is one of the most effective ones available today. The procedure, called uvulopalatoplasty, or LAUP, requires the surgeon to use a laser to cut off the uvula (the uvula is the tissue that dangles in the back of your mouth). By doing do, the obstruction of your airway can be removed in order to stop the patient’s snoring.

How Does Laser Surgery for Snoring Work?

Laser surgery for snoring is an outpatient procedure, meaning that you do not have to stay in the hospital after the surgery is performed. It is completed under a local anesthesia, which is sprayed on the back oral cavity, tonsils, uvula, and soft palate. Then, additional local anesthesia is injected into the muscle of the uvula. After several minutes have passed, the surgeon will use a laser to make two vertical cuts in the palate on either side of the uvula. This shortens the uvula and gets rid of what was once the obstruction that caused your snoring.

The entire operation is performed while you are sitting straight up in a chair. Oftentimes, it takes more than one procedure to complete the surgery; in fact, it can take as many as five laser surgery for snoring to complete the operation. When multiple surgeries are required, they are spaced anywhere from four to eight weeks from one another.

After you have laser surgery for snoring performed, you will most likely see a quick recovery. Right after the procedure, most people experience a pain, similar to that of a sore throat, which occurs when they swallow. This may last for up to ten days, and it can be relieved by over-the-counter medications. Although patients themselves are unable to witness the results of their laser surgery for snoring, their sleeping partners will definitely notice a difference!

Making a Decision

If you are trying to decide whether or not to have laser surgery for snoring performed, you should consult your doctor. He or she will most likely ask you some routine questions, such as ‘Do you wake up often in the middle of the night?’ and ‘Do you feel tired during the day?’ If the doctor is able to diagnose you with a severe snoring problem and feels you are a suitable candidate for LAUP, then you will probably have to complete a sleep study in order for the doctors to determine the severity of your sleep apnea or snoring problems.

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