In more serious cases, patients may need treatment to reshape the structures in the throat and palate and enlarge the airway. First the back of the throat is numbed. Then, doctors inject the drug into the soft palate. As the drug takes effect, the treated area turns from white to purple. Over the next few weeks, the treated area scars and stiffens, reducing tissue floppiness that contributes to snoring.
Patients begin to see results in three to four weeks.
Doctors say the effect of the injection lasts about a year, and patients can have it redone. Currently, the treatment is only available to patients eligible for military benefits at Walter Reed. So far, it s been done on about 50 patients. But after the study is completed, researchers hope it will eventually be offered by more doctors. The information on this factsheet is not meant to substitute for a consultation with your physician or with another healthcare professional.