UNITED BENETTON of COLORS

16 April, 2007 First steps to ending nighttime snoring

MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE

MINNEAPOLIS -- Dave Barlow knew something about snoring. He worked as a physician assistant for a doctor who snored and whose patients had the same problem. And then, well, Barlow had an earful of noise most nights from his wife, Anne.

So when he heard about the Pillar System in 2005, he was intrigued. Three little polyester strands are injected into the soft palate to stop the vibration of soft tissue that may cause the distinctive buzz-saw sound familiar to bed partners everywhere. First, Barlow used the gun-like injection device to insert the three strands into his boss's mouth, and then he did the same thing for his wife.

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The doctor hasn't had much of a problem since. But his wife? Still snoring.

"It's a gamble," Barlow said of the Pillar System, which now has been used on about 23,000 snorers at a cost of $1,200 to $2,500 each. And that's the same with most of the sleep-related snoring treatments: Sometimes they work; sometimes they don't.

Often snoring can be an indication of apnea, which occurs when the tissues in the throat close completely many times in an hour, cutting off the flow of oxygen to the blood. It's potentially serious because it increases the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

But snoring alone -- when the soft tissues in the throat vibrate like a percussion instrument -- is largely an affliction for bed partners that can drive couples apart.

No wonder people are willing to pay out of pocket for everything from Breathe Right strips to open their nasal passages to the outpatient Pillar procedure.

But many doctors recommend steering clear of expensive or surgical treatments.

So what's a snorer to do?

• First, make sure you don't have sleep apnea, experts say. That might require an overnight sleep study at a clinic, where your brain waves, oxygen levels and breathing patterns will be monitored.

• Dr. Joan Fox, a sleep specialist at the Sleep Disorder Center in Minneapolis, said if you can't breathe through your nose, you'll breathe through your mouth instead, leading to snoring. So take care of allergies and other sinus problems first.

• Another option is a mandibular device, which looks like a mouth guard that pulls the lower jaw and tongue forward, opening up the throat. Doctors say that they should be individually fitted by a dentist or oral surgeon who specializes in them.

Posted by THE SAINT :: Monday, April 16, 2007 :: ---------------oOo---------------