1° WHAT CAUSES SNORING?

Snoring occurs when floppy tissue in the airway relaxes during sleep and vibrates.

Most snoring is caused by an enlarged soft palate and uvula in the back of the mouth, although the tongue, tonsils, adenoids and congested nasal passages can also contribute to the sound.

The level of snoring can be aggravated by excess weight, alcohol intake, smoking, allergies, use tranquilizers, and sleeping on the back.

2° IS SNORING DANGEROUS TO MY HEALTH?

Snoring may be a sign of obstructive sleep apnea, a serious disorder in which the snorer stops breathing several times an hour during sleep.

If you snore loudly, have frequent pauses in breathing while asleep, wake up gasping for air, suffer from sleepiness during the day, fall asleep easily during the day, there is a high probability that you suffer from sleep apnea.

Your ENT at the LONDON SNORING CENTRE, Dr Coudert , will perform a full examination to determine whether you are a « simple snorer» or if you have a more significant breathing disorder.

Either condition may be easily treated - simple snoring with the Somnoplasty procedure and obstructive sleep apnea by a variety of other approaches, dependent on the results of the overnight sleep test.

3° HOW WILL MY ENT INVESTIGATE MY SNORING?

If you are considering treatment for your snoring, it is essential to rule out obstructive sleep apnea.

A careful examination of your medical story will be done, your ENT at the LONDON SNORING CENTRE, Dr Coudert, will perform a full examination, and perhaps prescribe an overnight sleep test (silent night home testing system).

If you are approved for the Somnoplasty procedure and you elect to proceed, an appointment will be scheduled for the procedure itself.

4° WHAT IS SOMNOPLASTY?

Somnoplasty, a revolutionary new treatment for snoring, has been developed by Somnus Medical Technologies (Sunyvale, California, USA).
Agreed by FDA, Somnoplasty use a low power, low temperature radiofrequency energy to treat a well defined area in the soft palate and / or uvula.
It is a relatively painless minimally invasive procedure.
The procedure takes place in the physician’s office under local anesthesia (like a dental procedure), and usually takes less than thirty minutes.
Radiofrequency energy is delivered by a special needle beneath the surface layer of the soft palate called the mucosa. The treated tissue is heated just enough to create an area of coagulation.
Over the next four to six weeks, the treated tissue is naturally removed by the body, reducing the volume and stiffening the area responsible for your snoring.
There may be some swelling and discomfort for a few days following the procedure, not unlike the feeling of an oncoming cold.
The Somnoplasty procedure is virtually painless and allows for a quick recovery.

Frequently, nasal obstruction aggravates snoring, due to enlarged inferior turbinates.
Another special needle, shorter, permits to treat these turbinates with the Somnoplasty procedure.

During the next month or so, you should experience a gradual decrease in your snoring, and for most people the problem is resolved.
For some patients, depending on your level of snoring after 6-8 weeks, a second Somnoplasty procedure may be indicated.

5° AM I A CANDIDATE FOR SOMNOPLASTY?

If you snore loudly and frequently and do not have other breathing disorders, the Somnoplasty procedure may be a solution for you. Your ENT at the LONDON SNORING CENTRE, Dr Coudert, will perform a full examination to evaluate your situation and determine if there are any factors that would rule out the Somnoplasty procedure.

6° WHO ARE THE PHYSICIANS PERFORMING SOMNOPLASTY IN THE LONDON SNORING CENTRE?

Dr François Coudert is a French ENT surgeon with a great experience of ENT in France.

Setting up in 1983, he performed more than 5000 operations in private practice and Paris hospitals. Specialized in snoring disorders and sleep apnea syndroms, he always performed the most up to date techniques possible, notably Laser surgery , and now uses a revolutionary treatment, the Somnoplasty procedure, which is less painful than Laser whith almost the same results.

Still practising in France, he now performs the Somnoplasty procedure in London at 10 HARLEY STREET.

7° HOW TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT?

The LONDON SNORING CENTRE is located at 10 Harley Street building. Call our appointment desk at 020 7467 8493

8° ASK A SPECIAL QUESTION OR NEED FURTHER INFORMATION?

Email us at infos@londonsnoringcentre.com