Last updated: 11/24/2009

The purpose of snoring surgery is to improve or eliminate the medical and social consequences of heavy snoring. Most insurance companies, however, regard surgical treatment of snoring as essentially a cosmetic procedure—which means that patients...

must cover its expenses themselves. The major exception is surgery to correct a deviated septum or other obstruction in the nose, on the grounds that nasal surgery generally improves the patient's breathing during the day as well as at night.

Snoring as a medical problem

The connection between heavy snoring, breathing disorders, and other health problems is a relatively recent discovery. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a breathing disorder that was first identified in 1965. OSA is marked by brief stoppages in breathing during sleep resulting from partial blockage of the airway. A person with OSA may stop breathing temporarily as often as 20–30 times per hour. He or she usually snores or makes choking and gasping sounds between these episodes. The person is not refreshed by nighttime sleep and may suffer from morning headaches as well as daytime sleepiness. He or she may be misdiagnosed as suffering from clinical depression when the real problem is physical tiredness. In addition, the high levels of carbon dioxide that build up in the blood when a person is not breathing normally may eventually lead to high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, heart attacks, and stroke. In children, heavy snoring appears to be a major risk factor for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Although people with OSA snore, not everyone who snores has OSA. It is thought that OSA affects about 4% of middle-aged males and 2% of middle-aged females. Most adults who snore have what is called primary snoring, which means that the loud sounds produced in the upper airway during sleep are not interrupted by episodes of breathing cessation. Other terms for primary snoring are simple snoring, benign snoring, rhythmical snoring, continuous snoring, and socially unacceptable snoring (SUS). Although primary snoring is not associated with severe disorders to the same extent as OSA, it has been shown to have some negative consequences for health. A study published in April 2003 reported that habitual primary snoring is a risk factor for chronic daily headaches.

Snoring as a social problem

As the term SUS suggests, primary snoring can cause the same social problems for a person as does snoring associated with OSA. People who snore heavily often keep other family members, roommates, or even neighbors from getting a good night's sleep, which leads to considerable anger and resentment. Recent studies have found that the nonsnoring partner or roommate loses an average of an hour's sleep each night. According to Dr. Kingman Strohl, head of a sleep disorders program in a Veterans Administration hospital, even the average volume of snoring (60 decibels or dB) is as loud as normal speech. Some people, however, snore around 80–82 dB, the sound level of a loud yell; a few have been recorded as reaching 90 dB, the sound level of loud rock music. One study found that 80% of people married to heavy snorers end up sleeping in separate rooms. A group of Swedish researchers reported that heavy snoring has the same level of negative effects on quality of life among adult males as high blood pressure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart disease, and similar chronic medical conditions.

Risk factors for snoring

Some people are at higher risk of developing problem snoring than others. Risk factors in addition to sex and age include:

• Genetic factors. The size and shape of the uvula, soft palate, tonsils, and other parts of the airway are largely determined by heredity.
• Family history of heavy snoring.

• Obesity. Severe overweight increases a person's risk of developing OSA.
• Lack of exercise. Physical activity helps to keep the muscles of the throat firm and strong as well as the larger muscles of the body.
• Heavy consumption of alcohol and tobacco.
• A history of frequent upper respiratory infections or allergies.
• Trauma to the nose, face, or throat.