Snoring Often Originates in the Mouth

Specifically in the back of the mouth in the soft palate area—behind the hard palate otherwise known as the “roof of your mouth”—lays the most frequent culprit of the snoring dilemma.

Roughly 80% of the time, snoring originates in the soft palate area of the mouth. Sliding past the soft palate, the oral airway opens into the throat. This airway can be obstructed or blocked by laxity in the soft palate and thus create snoring. Depending on the severity of airway blockage, sleep apnea may develop.

How Do You Know Where Snoring Comes From?

The best way to find out is to first schedule a consultation appointment with a board certified otolaryngologist, like Dr. Macdonald, also referred to as a head & neck surgeon.

During a consultation, the doctor will perform a physical examination of your mouth and throat and also ask questions, both of you and your bed partner, to uncover the specific nature of your snoring.

Be sure to ask the doctor if he or she commonly treats snoring or other sleep-disordered breathing so that you are informed of the full range of minimally invasive treatment options currently available. Without the professional advice of a snoring specialist, a doctor may suggest a very limited and far less desirable set of options such as a CPAP or major invasive surgery.

Minor In-Office Procedures to Fix Snoring

Having suffered from snoring and moderate sleep apnea himself, Dr. Macdonald offers personal experience and real compassion for the dilemma of his patients and thus real passion for his work. He himself received the Pillar® Procedure treatment in 2006, resolving about 95% of his snoring and sleep apnea problems. The Pillar® Procedure is a popular minor in-office procedure approved by the FDA for both snoring and mild to moderate sleep apnea.

It is important to be aware of potential sleep apnea. If you or your bed partner witness that while you sleep you have moments in which you’re not breathing at all, then you have at least mild sleep apnea. Continue reading to get a better understanding of minimally invasive solutions available, such as Pillar® for Sleep Apnea and Pillar® for Snoring.

Visit our patient testimonials to read more about Dr. Macdonald’s personal Pillar® treatment success and other stories on what patients say. Visit our answers to FAQs to satisfy your curiosity about your ailment and how you can seek treatment. Once you’re comfortable that you have at least a preliminary understanding of the medical factors that cause snoring, you’ll know where to start.