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Two snoring "cures" for you: UPPP (Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty) and the humidifier (more on the humidifier later). Ok, I had been a world-class snorer since my teens when I weighed 125 pounds soaking wet, so it's a genetic thing with me I guess. Anyway, after joining the Air Force I discovered my snoring severity was nearly enough to wake the dead. After marriage, it became a major issue. About 14 years later I finally had a UPPP. OUCH, recovery was living hell. The doc gave me a huge bottle of codine to self medicate, but it barely took the edge off the horrific pain. After a week or so, things got better. The main issue after that was the annoying scar tissue in the roof of my mouth (near the throat). It took years to get used to that, but my snoring problem was history. Ok, that was back in 1996 and it's been 14 years. Now, if really tired and maybe a bit congested, I can snore loudly enough to disturb the wife (more on my lovely shortly). If I had to estimate unscientifically the long term effectiveness of the operation, it would go like this (in percent of effectiveness in eliminating snoring after the operation): Years 1-5 = 95%, 6-10 = 90% 11 -14 = 85%. The diminishing returns are a product of older, heavier, living (I'm 71" tall, weigh 225 lbs and am nearly 51).
Now, my sweetie. My love is morbidly obese and approximately my same age. Thank God, she's got no serious health issues (has several Doc visits yearly, annual mammogram, and annual check up) but the additional weight has her snoring quite often. We did the sleep study a few years back and there were no apnea issues. I've discovered a very effective remedy for her snoring issue: A humidifier. The brand we use is inexpensive and effective, but noisy and low-tech. It's a Vicks "Cool Mist" model and if we don't use it nightly, I don't get a lot of sleep. There's something about the moisture content in the air that mitigates her snoring significantly. The long term solution will be significant weight loss, of course.
These are two options worth considering if you or a loved one has snoring issues. I've heard the UPPP has fallen from favor as a remedy as it's an extremely painful recovery, but if you're desperate and a good candidate (as determined by your Doc) it may be worth a look. However, a humidifier is a lot cheaper.
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