Stop Snoring. Sleep Better.

Success of the Pillar Procedure

One of the mainstay treatments for both chronic snoring and all but the most serious forms of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been the Pillar Procedure, an in-office treatment that is done with local anesthesia and offers great hope for the sufferer.

What is the Pillar Procedure? This procedure involves the inserting of polyester rods less than an inch long and miniscule in width into the soft palate. The procedure takes about 20 minutes and results in minor side effects lasting less than a week, generally just the feeling of a small sore throat.

After the procedure, the palate reacts over time by stiffening its tissue around the rods. This helps because many snoring and sleep apnea conditions arise because air passing over the soft palate causes it to vibrate, creating snoring and often leading to sleep apnea (characterized by frequent cessations of breathing during sleep).

Sleep apnea often arises when the soft palate becomes too relaxed — even flabby — and blocks the airway, so not only can snoring result from a too-soft palate, but so also can chronic snoring. Both are dangerous because they can lead to health threats such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, heart problems and even stroke.

According to studies, after the Pillar Procedure, about 80 percent showed a reduction in the frequency of breathing cessations (apneas) and the results were consistent even a year later.

Needless to say, if you suffer chronic snoring conditions and/or sense that you may be suffering from sleep apnea, it’s time to seek professional evaluation and treatment. Not only can these sleep disorders lead to health problems, but they also can make it harder to function in daily life due to fatigue and sensory-challenge issues.

Get help today.

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