A new study has revealed a treatment for snoring that involves firing a laser at the throat area to warm the soft tissues, which leads to changes that make them more rigid and prevent them from vibrating during sleep.
Snoring usually occurs when the soft tissues in the mouth, throat, or airways vibrate as air passes through during breathing during sleep. In some cases, it is associated with obstructive sleep apnea, when the airways temporarily collapse.
In a recent trial of more than 70 snorers, aged 50 to 70, about 70 percent of participants saw their snoring stop after three sessions of Yag laser treatment, according to the study published in the International Archives of Otolaryngology.
Now, a new trial of the treatment has begun at the University Institute of Health Sciences in Portugal, where it will be compared to a placebo.
The treatment involves applying a numbing gel, before the portable device is placed inside the mouth with the tip about 3 cm from the target tissue in the back of the throat, with patients undergoing three 15-minute sessions, two weeks apart.
The combination of light and heat is thought to stimulate an increase in fibroblasts, which produce collagen, the protein that gives tissue its structure. This causes soft tissue to stiffen and contract, making it less likely to collapse during sleep.
"Our study shows that the use of the Yag laser achieved good results," said the ear, nose and throat specialists who led the study. No post-operative complications were reported.
Commenting on the study, Jaideep Rai, Professor of Otology and Neurology at the University of Sheffield, said: “This is an exciting development in non-surgical options for treating snoring. The current study is promising but in a small number of users. It is necessary to see more long-term results in a larger number of patients.”