The ten cent cure for snoring

In the early days of rhinoplasty, doctors often commented on how much the patients benefitted when they had cosmetic nasal surgery. Why was the patient so much happier, had more energy, and the family commented on how much better she was since her surgery? Today we understand that the cosmetic surgery improved the patient’s nasal breathing and improved her sleep.

Lifting the nasal tip:
Your nose has a valve. It is located where the tip of the nose joins the “hard” part of the nose. In childhood, the nasal tip is high up, and wide open. As you age, the angle between the bottom of your nose and the lip may be exactly 90 degrees. With aging, the tip droops down. The lower the tip, the more blockage to breathing in sleep. Try lifting the nasal tip; see if that opens the breathing. If it does, get a roll of ½ inch medical grade tape:
Cut a 4 inch strip
Attach it to the underside of the nasal tip
Bring it up over the front of the nose, up to the area between the eyes.
When you do this, gently lift the nasal tip to open the airway and then attach the tape.

This can be the snoring cure for many persons. And it only costs a dime!
In some persons, there is a deviation of the front part of the nasal septum. When you look at the bottom of the nose it is off to one side. This blocks breathing; try moving the nasal tip around to find a place that overcomes this blockage.

Chronic sinusitis and snoring:
Any kind of nasal congestion such as allergy or a common cold will result in snoring. It is reported that thirty seven million people have chronic sinusitis; no wonder there is so much snoring! Fortunately, many sinus problems can be resolved when the nasal cilia are restored
When the nasal cilia slow down, bacteria remain in place. Normally, these cilia beat to remove bacteria and allergens from the nose. When bacteria remain in place, they multiply, and the toxins drain into the throat. Here they cause inflammation and swelling, for example chronic tonsillitis. If postnasal drip is causing your snoring:
a. Drink tea, green or black, with our without caffeine. Best to add lemon/lime with honey
b. Hum. When you hum at a low tone, like “oooommmm” that vibration also vibrates the nasal cilia. Put your fingers on the nose; the more you feel vibration the better.
c. Use Hydro Pulse™ nasal irrigation. This pulses at a rate to pulse the nasal cilia back to good speed.

Some persons clear their nasal blockage at night using one of the prescription nasal sprays. (find a doctor with lots of samples to try out)

Sleeping on your left side:
Alice had no choice in seeking a snoring cure. Her husband was sleeping in the living room and was most unhappy. Her cure turned out to be simply to sleep on her left side. First she used a tennis ball that she sewed on her T Shirt and slept with it. When she was on her back, the tennis ball nudged her. This stimulated her to turn to her side, which stopped her snoring Later she didn’t need the tennis ball any more.
Why is position so important? It is a matter of gravity. On your back the tongue, soft palate, and loose tissue falls back and narrows the airway. On your left side, these factors are reduced.
An additional factor is that sleeping on your side reduces acid reflux. When you eat a full meal and go to bed, on your back, you have an easy channel for stomach acid to go up the swallowing tube, the esophagus, and irritate and swell the throat tissue. Some persons have stopped snoring just by not going to sleep right after eating. Best to wait four hours. Elevating the head of the bed is also useful: when you lie flat the liquid stomach acid has easy access to the throat, nose and even the ears! You can purchase a wedge that raises you head level and prevents reflux. The fancy name for this condition is Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disorder. It is commonly called GERD.
Months ago I had a patient whose snoring was due to clenching her jaws when she sleeps! The cure was to use the TMJ Therapy from my book, Stressed? Anxiety? Your Cure is in the Mirror. Essentially you draw a vertical line on the mirror and practice relaxing the jaw so that it drops by gravity. She did this 15 minutes a day and now no longer is a jaw clencher; she sleeps much better without the snoring.