Snoring is often caused by constriction of the upper airway. This constriction is commonly due to the enlargement or slackening of soft tissue structures at the back of the nose and throat. Once the airway has been narrowed, the air flowing through it will tend to generate vibrations in the soft tissue structure. These vibrations create the sound of snoring.
Everyone snores from time to time – it's perfectly normal. The causes of such occasional snoring may include alcohol consumption, sleeping pills or a common cold.
What we refer to as "habitual snoring" is snoring that occurs regularly throughout every night. One common cause of habitual snoring is an enlarged or slackened soft palate, sometimes associated with enlarged nasal turbinates. Even if habitual snoring usually has no negative consequences for the health of those who snore, it is often a considerable disturbance to their social-partners who may feel deprived of a good night's sleep.
Snoring that is associated with either an enlarged or slackened tongue muscle may involve "obstructive sleep apnea syndrome" (OSAS). In such cases, the tongue closes off the airway either entirely or partially for several seconds during the sleep period. People with OSAS literally stop breathing repeatedly at night and are frequently forced awake. The typical result is daytime sleepiness, and in some cases periods of microsleep. If left untreated, OSAS can lead to high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, heart attack and stroke.
The Celon method.
Treatment using the Celon method involves using targeted thermotherapy to reduce the size of the affected areas in the nasal passages and pharynx and stabilize the slack tissue. This means that snoring is treated directly at its source.
The minor procedure can be carried out by an ENT specialist under local anesthesia. From start to finish, the procedure generally takes no longer than 10 to 15 minutes. The success of the treatment is clearly noticeable after just a few weeks: Many patients have already been liberated from their snoring with the Celon method.
Of course, the first step is to seek an exact diagnosis from your doctor and an individual treatment recommendation based on the findings.
Treatment using the Celon method
The method
Excess tissue in the nasal turbinates, soft palate and the base of the tongue is heated in a safe and controlled manner using a thin, specially formed applicator whose tip emits radiofrequency current directly into the tissue. Thus, the tissue is thermally coagulated. The body then reabsorbs the coagulated tissue on its own. This process of reabsorption leads to a reduction in the volume of the particular structure as well as its stabilization.
The outpatient procedure
The procedure can usually be carried out using a local anesthetic. The physician inserts the applicator into the areas that are to be treated and gently heats them from the inside. From start to finish, the procedure generally takes no longer than 10 to 15 minutes.
The therapeutic effect
The natural process by which the body reabsorbs the treated tissue leads to a reduction in the volume of the treated structures. This effect goes hand in hand with a stabilization of any soft tissue involved, e.g. the soft tissue of the palate. While the reabsorption process may be accompanied by some mild swelling during the first few days after treatment, it is usually complete after around two weeks – at which time the treated areas are both reduced in volume and stabilized.
ENT SERVICES - THROAT - SOFT PALATE RTITT VIDEO
