Snoring Surgery
Paediatrics
Children should not snore consistently. In the majority of young children, snoring and sleep disordered breathing is fixed by removal of the tonsils and adenoids.
Nasal obstruction is a significant contributor to snoring in some patients. Surgery on the nasal turbinates can be of benefit when medical treatments have failed.
For further information please see Paediatric ENT Surgery and Sinus and Nasal Surgery.
Adults
There are often many contributing factors to snoring in adults. Heavy snoring can be an indicator of obstructive sleep apnoea, which if left untreated can severely impact upon a patient’s general health and safety to drive.
Important non-surgical treatments of snoring in adults include weight loss, avoidance of sedative medications at night (including alcohol), and dental advancement splints in selected cases.
Severe sleep apnoea is usually managed through a sleep clinic, often with the use of a CPAP machine.
There are many different operations that can help snoring and obstructive sleep apnoea. These include nasal surgery to improve nasal airflow (particularly when lying down at night), removal of enlarged tonsils, palate and tongue reduction procedures.