Laser surgery can stop the noise.

Snoring can be caused by any condition that hinders breathing through the nose, such as a common cold or allergic rhinitis. It is more common if the sleeper is on his or her back, when the lower jaw tends to drop open. Because of this, folk wisdom once dictated that the snorer wear pajamas with an object (such as a tennis ball) sewn into the top near the small of the back, making it uncomfortable to sleep in that position.

For a significant number of snorers, though, the disturbing nighttime racket is related to a physical obstruction of breathing during sleep. This occurs when the muscles of the palate, the uvula (the membrane that hangs down from the middle of the soft palate), and sometimes the tonsils relax during deep sleep and act as vibrating noisemakers. For people who snore because of obstructive breathing, laser surgery can help.

The procedure is done when the patient is awake in the clinic, under a local anesthesia, explains R. Brent Butcher, chairman of the Otorhinolaryngology Department, Ochsner Clinic, New Orleans, La. "The laser is used to trim and reshape the uvula and soft palate. Afterwards, the patient has a mild sore throat for a few days." There is no bleeding with the treatment, which is called outpatient laser-assisted uvulo-platatoplasy. Eating and speaking are not affected.

"An immediate reduction in snoring is common, with significant...