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Alternative medicine

By Mayo Clinic staff

Because snoring is such a common problem, there are numerous products available, such as nasal sprays or homeopathic therapies. However, most of the products haven't been proven effective in clinical trials. For example, MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) is marketed in a nose drop formula to treat snoring, but there's no evidence it has any effect on snoring.

Therapies that might help ease your snoring include:

  • Didgeridoo. Playing the didgeridoo, a musical instrument that produces a droning sound, may help train muscles of the upper airway. A February 2006 British Medical Journal study evaluated use of the instrument by those with sleep apnea who complained about snoring. The research showed that those who played the instrument for about 25 minutes a day most days of the week experienced less daytime sleepiness — a complication of sleep apnea and snoring . However, this research is preliminary and needs more study.
  • Singing. Singing can help improve muscle control of the soft palate and upper throat. One preliminary study found some decrease in snoring in participants who sang prescribed singing exercises for 20 minutes a day for three months. These participants all began snoring as adults, had no nasal problems and were not overweight. More study of this technique is needed.
Coping and support Lifestyle and home remedies

  • See Also

    • Hand Scheduled
    Section Focus
  • Hypnosis

    • Related Links
    Related Guides
    Children
    Parent
  • Sleep apnea
References
  1. Snoring. American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery. http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/snoring.cfm. Accessed April 10, 2010.
  2. Troell RJ, et al. Sleep apnea and sleep-disordered breathing. Classification of sleep disorders. In: Cummings CW, et al. Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby; 2005. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/194312835-3/0/1263/677.html?tocnode=49544117&fromURL=677.html#4-u1.0-B0-323-01985-4..50078-2_2965. Accessed April 10, 2010.
  3. Snoring and sleep apnea. American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. http://www.aaoms.org/sleep_apnea.php. Accessed April 10, 2010.
  4. Beninati W. Overview of snoring in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 6, 2010.
  5. Sterni LM, et al. Obstructive sleep apnea in children. In: Cummings CW, et al. Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby; 2005. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/194312835-3/0/1263/1656.html?tocnode=49548178&fromURL=1656.html#4-u1.0-B0-323-01985-4..50186-6_7026. Accessed April 10, 2010.
  6. Basner RC. Continuous positive airway pressure for obstructive sleep apnea. New England Journal of Medicine. 2007;356:1751.
  7. Oral cavity and pharynx. In: Rakel RE. Textbook of Family Medicine. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/194312835-3/981212438/1481/284.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2467-5..50027-0--cesec128_1281. Accessed April 10, 2010.
  8. Beninati W. Treatment of adults with snoring. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 6, 2010.
  9. Panossian LA, et al. Review of sleep disorders. Medical Clinics of North America. 2009;93:407
  10. MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane). Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. http://www.naturaldatabase.com. Accessed April 10, 2010.
  11. Puhan MA, et al. Didgeridoo playing as alternative treatment for obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome: Randomised controlled trial. British Medical Journal. 2006;332:1.
  12. Ernst AOE. Can singing exercises reduce snoring? A pilot study. Complementary Therapies in Medicine. 2000;8:151.
DS00297 May 25, 2010

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