Special Report: Snoring Solution

Laurie Roderiques, Snoring Sleeper
"My husband's always made fun of me, and I didn't believe him, I thought he was the one who was snoring."

For years, Laurie Roderiques' Merrimack, New Hampshire home, was anything but peaceful at night.

Laurie Roderiques
"The kids picked up on it… It would bother them going to sleep, because they could hear me snoring."

Laurie has tried a number of procedures to curb her snoring, with mixed results. A new FDA approved treatment has given her hope.

Laurie Roderiques
"It sounded like it would be a good way to go."

It's called Pillar and a number of health care professionals are praising its simple, minimally invasive process.

Dr. Judson Belmont, Manchester, NH
"It's a breakthrough."

Here's how it works. Most snoring occurs when the soft palate in the back of the mouth relaxes and vibrates. Pillar stiffens the soft palate with three small polyester pieces. Under local anesthetic, the pieces are inserted into the palate in about 10 minutes to stiffen it.

Dr. Judson Belmont
"It's like going to the dentist, because once the anesthetic wears off, they don't feel much discomfort."

The Minnesota company that developed Pillar claims most patients will see results within two to four weeks.

Laurie Roderiques
"I think if I give it a month, then go from there, see what happens."

Laurie just had the Pillar inserts put in this week, so it's still too early to see how well it worked. But this man had it done three months ago-

Stephen Erickson, Pillar Patient
"I don't wake up from the snoring, from the choking, and I wake up feeling rested. And when I fall asleep, I can put my head at any angle."

Other treatments for snoring include scarring or removing palatal tissue. Experts say, these techniques take longer to heal, are more expensive and not as accurate as the pillar system.

Dr. Judson Belmont
"So far, we've been very pleased with the results."

But one ear, nose and throat specialist questions this new method's long-term results.

Dr. Nicolas Bu-Saba, Mass. Eye & Ear Infirmary
"It is too soon to know how effective it is, and how safe it is."

Dr. Judson Belmont
"We don't have the long term follow-up, but when I tell people that, they say they'd be happy with a couple of years of relief."

This snoring treatment costs between $1,000 to $2,000, and isn't covered by insurance. As always, before undergoing any medical procedure, talk to your primary care physician.

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