Ditch the CPAP : Cure for Snoring

rhw

May 8, 2015 at 6:38am

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — A new procedure is intended to help both those who snore and those who are kept awake by it – with no downtime and no side effects. As CBS2’s Maurice DuBois reported, it is all done right at the dentist’s office. For many, there is no way to describe the frustration of snoring. Lana Vilbaum knows the agony of sleepless nights firsthand. “I kick him, then I have to wake him up; just ask him to turn – and then he is awake. I’m awake,” she said. For years, Vilbaum and her husband have been struggling with the problem, with both of them suffering from exhaustion. “It takes a while to sort of get up to speed and get your energy in the morning,” said Vilbaum’s husband, Dmitry Vilbaum. “I’m tired,” added Ms. Vilbaum. “I’m tired when I wake up.” But those days could soon be over. Doctors said there is a revolutionary new treatment that can stop snoring – for most of those who suffer for it. Dr. Lana Rozenberg is one of the few area dentists trained to perform the treatment, called NightLase. Using a special laser, Rozenberg heats the tissue in the back of Mr. Vlibaum’s throat. The procedure allows air to flow more freely, which in turn stops the snoring. “It’s amazing breakthrough, and I think it’s going to help lots and lots of patients to get better sleep,” Rozenberg said. Mr. Vilbaum was undergoing his second treatment recently. But he said after just one, the results were remarkable – a 70 percent reduction in snoring. “It’s miracle. It’s a medical miracle for me. It’s a dramatic improvement in life,” he said. Rozenberg said three sessions is all it takes to essentially stop snoring. “There’s no downtime. There’s no cutting. There’s no bleeding. There’s nothing scary,” she said. Artem Kuznetsov recently finished treatment with another dentist, and now, his snoring is a thing of the past. “It’s gone,” he said. “I see it as I’m completely cured.” Mr. Vilbaum said he is not quite there yet, but the treatment has paid off. “I wake up in a better mood. I wake up more energetic, and you know, my wife is happier — significantly happier,” he said. “It’s just a better quality of life.” In the future , the company that makes the laser will also train ear, nose and throat doctors. The procedure is not permanent. Most people have to repeat it about every two years.

joanne

May 8, 2015 at 11:51am

But the problem isn't the snoring itself. It's when they actually stop breathing, choke and kick or jerk or fling their arms about as they gasp and struggle to get enough oxygen back into their starving brains. For some sufferers, the problem extends quite deep into the actual neck and throat or into the nasal passages.

I'm not sure how this eliminates CPAP in apnea. It just sounds like internal cosmetic surgery.

PeggyC

May 9, 2015 at 11:22am

I would love more details than the article provides. I would also want to see the long-term effects on someone's health after having that procedure done every two or three years.

While I would love to cure the sound of my husband's snoring, and mine, I would be even more interested in addressing the health problems that cause the noise. But I'm not clear from the article just how far this therapy goes toward that goal.

Does it just shut the snoring up, or does it somehow help with apnea?

drummerboy

May 10, 2015 at 4:37pm Edited

joanne said:
But the problem isn't the snoring itself. It's when they actually stop breathing, choke and kick or jerk or fling their arms about as they gasp and struggle to get enough oxygen back into their starving brains. For some sufferers, the problem extends quite deep into the actual neck and throat or into the nasal passages.
I'm not sure how this eliminates CPAP in apnea. It just sounds like internal cosmetic surgery.

Well, the snoring is just another symptom of the flesh collapsing in your throat, which cuts off the air flow. If you eliminate the snoring, the odds are you'll eliminate the air flow problems too. (CPAP wearer of 18 years here.). There are two kinds of apnea though - obstructive and central. This sounds like it could work for obstructive, but not central, which is related to brain misfires rather than flesh problems in the throat.