← All services · Ear, nose and throat
Snoring treatment
snoring treatment · snoring surgery · radiofrequency palate treatment · palate stiffening
The doctor finds where the airflow is blocked in your throat and nose and suggests treatment. Often it is a small procedure on the soft palate or in the nose, with local numbing.
When loud snoring disturbs you and your family, especially if your breathing stops during sleep.
⏱ Duration: the exam usually takes 30 minutes; a procedure usually takes 20 to 40 minutes, and you go home the same day
Be sure to tell your doctor
How to prepare
- Sleep. Your doctor may first send you for a sleep study to rule out pauses in breathing. This matters for choosing treatment.
- Medicines. Do not stop them on your own. Tell your doctor what you take, and they will decide.
- Food. Before a procedure, usually a light meal 1 to 2 hours before. Check with the clinic.
What to bring
- Your referral
- Sleep study results, if you have them
- A list of your medicines
- Your ID
How it goes
- The doctor examines your nose, throat, and soft palate
- Sometimes a thin camera is passed through the nose
- If a procedure is needed, the throat or nose is numbed with a spray and a shot
- Using a thin probe, the doctor stiffens and shrinks the soft palate or nasal turbinates
- After the procedure, you are watched briefly and sent home
What you'll feel
- The numbing shot is unpleasant
- For a few days afterward, your throat hurts, like a sore throat
- Swallowing is unpleasant at first
Afterwards
- Soft, warm food for a few days, nothing spicy or hot
- Painkillers as your doctor prescribes
- The effect usually shows in a few weeks. Sometimes a repeat procedure is needed
- Losing weight and avoiding alcohol at night also reduce snoring
Contact a doctor straight away if
- Bleeding from the throat that will not stop: call emergency services
- Trouble breathing, or cannot swallow even water: call emergency services
- A fever over 38°C (100.4°F)
Common questions
Is snoring dangerous?
Snoring alone is usually not dangerous. But if your breathing stops during sleep, it needs treatment. Tell your doctor.
Will the snoring go away for good?
For many people, snoring gets quieter or stops. Sometimes it comes back over time.