The Purpose of This Guide
The purpose of this guide is simply to provide an answer to that most fundamental of snoring demands: how to end snoring once and for all!

And as you’ll see in just a few pages, the answer often does not lie in expensive and risky surgeries. In fact, in some cases (and we’ll talk about this later on in the guide), surgery can be counter-productive and expose the snorer to other health risks! Fortunately, however, there exist several proven non-surgical anti-snoring devices, techniques, and tips that have worked wonders.

These non-surgical solutions have literally saved lives; and just as valuably, they’ve profoundly improved the quality of life for millions of people who found themselves at their wits end when it came to snoring; both their own, or in that of a loved one (who was becoming less and less loveable as the snoring continued!).

Before we look at these non-surgical methods of ending snoring once and for all, it’s helpful to understand just what snoring is on a biologic level. We’ll look at what causes snoring, and what creates those Z’s (which we now know are not as happy and enjoyable as we remember them from our childhood drawings).

Once we’ve looked at the causes of snoring, we’ll take a deeper look at why snoring is a problem. Obviously, we already know that it’s a problem; but it’s well worth the time to understand just how devastating untreated snoring can be; both for the snorer, and indeed, for the non-snorer. You’ll likely be amazed – if not a little disturbed – by the dizzying array of problems that are quite clearly traced back to snoring; problems that manifest on both the physical and emotional levels.
Read the rest of this entry

Section 2: The Problem of Snoring

Again, one of the very strange challenges that the entire topic of snoring faces, is that, well, most people don’t think it’s all that big of a problem. The word itself – snoring – is rather harmless sounding, really; and it’s nowhere as terrifying as some angry medical words such as tumor or cirrhosis.

As a result, many people are quite skeptical when told that snoring is a severe physical and emotional health problem. If you might find yourself among these skeptics, or if you’re just unsure of just how serious this problem is, then this section is for you.

Snoring: The Physical Problems

It only takes a minute, or a cursory glance, at the list of physical problems associated with snoring to quickly embrace this funny-sounding noun/verb into the class of serious health problems.

Here is just an opening list of the health problems associated with snoring (and remember, please, that we’re just looking at physical problems right now; emotional problems come later!).
Read the rest of this entry

SECTION 3: WHY SURGERY CAN BE A BAD IDEA

One of the nicest things about living in the 21st century is the amount of surgical options available to more people, including more and more people in the developing world (though, obviously, not enough).

Quite sincerely, countless numbers of lives have been outright saved, or inestimably improved, due to surgery. I doubt you’d find anyone who would absolutely conclude that surgery, as a concept, is a mistake; or that we should long for pre-surgery days, where infections and ailments so easily morphed into life-threatening conditions.

Are We Addicted to Surgery?

Yet (and yes, there’s always a yet!), there is a bit of a cloud attached to this surgical silver lining. We now live in a world that is, for all intents and purposes, addicted to surgery. It has become the first option – and in some cases, the only option – that both doctors and patients consider when trying to remedy a problem.

Advances in medical technology have played a role here as well; transforming within the span of a generation a surgery that once required 7-10 days of hospital care, to an “in by 2:00pm, out by 4:00pm” outpatient experience.

And since many (enhanced) medical insurance plans cover many types of surgery – all it needs is a doctor’s okay – it’s not uncommon to come across people who have had a litany of surgeries over the past few years. They might even know the surgeons by name, and have a favorite parking spot at the hospital.

Snoring and Surgery Is Often a Bad Combo
Read the rest of this entry

SECTION 4: NON-SURGICAL REMEDIES

As noted previously, there is a range of proven and effective methods to stop snoring that don’t involve surgery of any kind. This is welcome news to those who wish to seek a non-surgical alternative for any number of reasons, including:

· the high cost of surgery

· the vulnerability to post-surgery complications

· potential post-surgery side effects (noted in Section 3)

· potential medication requirements that can have additional side effects

· potential masking of other problems, of which snoring was a symptom, not a cause

In this section, we’ll look at key categories of non-surgical snoring treatment options. These categories are:

1. Drug Therapies

2. Devices

3. Appliances

4. Lifestyle Changes: Diet

5. Lifestyle Changes: Exercise

6. Sleeping Positions

7. Alternative Therapies
Read the rest of this entry

· Thronton Adjustable Positioners (TAPs)

Created by Dr. Keith Thornton in the mid 1990s, TAPs are considered to be on the higher end of the anti-snoring appliance spectrum, especially since some adjustments can be made by the actual snorer, and the material can be made of titanium. The Silencer™ is a popular brand name for a TAP that is receiving some positive feedback.

TAPs, similar to MAAs (discussed above), push the lower jaw forward and thus keep the tongue from blocking the airway to the lungs (and subsequently preventing noise-causing vibration).

· Palate Lifters

An interesting anti-snoring appliance that is generating some attention are palate lifters, which are sometimes called lip shields and lip lifters. These appliances expand the palate, and thus reduce vibration in the airway.

Some opinion suggests that there is of yet a lack of clinical evidence to determine the efficacy and suitability of palate lifters.

However, this doesn’t mean that it’s not a potentially safe and effective solution. As more research is done, and more snorers work with their doctor and/or dentist to access this potential solution, more quality information will become available upon which to make a decision.
Read the rest of this entry