What is Solea Sleep, and what does it treat?
Solea Sleep is a laser treatment intended to help reduce snoring in certain patients. If somebody in your family or your partner is snoring, you know how disruptive it can be to sleep. If you're the one snoring, it can also affect the person sleeping next to you.
Snoring can occur when tissues in the upper airway vibrate during sleep. Solea Sleep uses laser energy to treat areas of the soft palate with the goal of reducing that vibration and decreasing snoring. It isn't a treatment for every cause of snoring, so we first need to determine if you're an appropriate candidate.
How does Solea Sleep help reduce snoring?
Solea Sleep applies laser energy to the soft palate. The treatment creates a controlled effect in the tissue with the goal of tightening the treated area and reducing the tissue vibration that contributes to snoring.
The procedure itself is relatively quick and doesn't involve surgical incisions. Your individual experience can vary, so we'll explain what to expect before beginning treatment.
Is Solea Sleep painful?
We want to keep you comfortable during the procedure. Depending on your needs and the treatment protocol, topical anesthetic may be used. You may feel warmth or other sensations while the laser is being used.
Afterward, some patients may experience temporary throat irritation or a scratchy feeling. How much discomfort you experience and how long it lasts can vary. We'll give you instructions for managing any symptoms after your treatment.
What is recovery like after Solea Sleep treatment?
Recovery after Solea Sleep is generally intended to be relatively limited compared with surgical treatment. You may experience temporary throat irritation or a scratchy sensation afterward.
We'll explain any post-treatment instructions and let you know when to contact us if you experience symptoms that are more significant or last longer than expected.
How is Solea Sleep different from CPAP or surgery?
Solea Sleep is different from both CPAP therapy and surgical procedures. It's a nonsurgical laser treatment intended to reduce snoring in appropriately selected patients.
CPAP is different because it's an established treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. It uses positive airway pressure to help keep the airway open while you sleep. Solea Sleep shouldn't be considered a replacement for prescribed CPAP therapy or other treatment for sleep apnea.
Surgery may also be considered for certain patients depending on their anatomy and the cause of their airway problem. The appropriate treatment depends on what's causing the snoring or sleep-disordered breathing.
Who is a good candidate for Solea Sleep?
Someone who snores may be interested in Solea Sleep, but snoring alone doesn't automatically mean you're a candidate. We first need to evaluate your symptoms, health history, and the possible cause of the snoring.
Snoring can also be a sign of obstructive sleep apnea. If your symptoms suggest sleep apnea, further evaluation or a sleep study may be appropriate before deciding on treatment.
Are there contraindications to Solea Sleep?
Before treatment, we need to review your medical history, medications, and other health factors to determine if Solea Sleep is appropriate for you. Not every treatment is appropriate for every patient.
If you have diagnosed sleep apnea, it's especially important to continue following the treatment recommendations of your sleep medicine provider. Don't stop using a prescribed CPAP or other sleep apnea treatment because you've received laser treatment for snoring unless the clinician managing your sleep apnea tells you to do so.
How many Solea Sleep treatments are needed?
The number of treatments depends on the individual patient, the anatomy of the soft palate, and how you respond to treatment. Some patients may need more than one session.
The duration of the results can also vary. We'll monitor how you respond and discuss if or when additional treatment may be appropriate.
How can you track changes in snoring after treatment?
One way patients may track their snoring is with a snoring app that records sounds during sleep. That can give you a baseline before treatment and allow you to compare what you're noticing afterward.
However, a snoring app doesn't diagnose or rule out sleep apnea. If there are concerns about pauses in breathing, gasping, significant daytime sleepiness, or other symptoms of sleep apnea, you should have an appropriate medical sleep evaluation.
How do you know if Solea Sleep is right for you?
If you're snoring and it's affecting your sleep or your partner's sleep, we can evaluate what's happening and discuss whether Solea Sleep may be an option. The important thing is determining what's causing the snoring and making sure we're not overlooking a condition such as obstructive sleep apnea.
If you’re ready to schedule an exam or would like to learn more about our services, we’d love to hear from you. Call us at (929) 238-9944 or email [email protected]. We look forward to caring for your smile.