FAQ about Snoring

• Q1. What Frequently asked questions about Snoring treatment are there?
• Q2. Is your clinic registered?
• Q3. Is the treatment painful?
• Q4. How successful are RF treatments?
• Q5. How do I arrange my treatment?
• Q7. How long will the treatment take?
• Q8. How soon will I experience some improvement?
• Q9. How much does a typical procedure cost?
• Q10. How much are additional Radio Frequency treatments?
• Q11. Why choose this method of snoring treatment?
• Q12. What are benefits of radio frequency snoring treatment?
• Q13. How does radio frequency snoring treatment work?
• Q6. Who performs the Snoring treatment?

• Q1. What Frequently asked questions about Snoring treatment are there?
• A.On other pages of the website we have endeavoured to explain, in layman's terms, the causes of snoring with details of the available treatments. Below you will find a list of the most common questions that we are asked.
• [Back to top]

• Q2. Is your clinic registered?
• A.Yes, it is registered with the Healthcare Commission, HCC - registration service number 61007. We are specially allowed to perform this treatment to the precise protocols devised and agreed with the inspectors within the HCC.
• [Back to top]

• Q3. Is the treatment painful?
• A.No, the treatment is given under local anaesthetic so you will have one or more injections similar to those you get when you have dental treatment. You may feel a very slight discomfort after treatment which is readily counteracted by everyday over-the-counter tablets such as Paracetamol.
• [Back to top]

• Q4. How successful are RF treatments?
• A.At Skin Medical over 95% of our patients obtain significant noise reduction from the single procedure. The remaining patients have recorded some noise reduction. Patients that we treat who are not satisfied are invited back for a follow up procedure however this is rare due to our strict policy on patient selection. We will not treat patients who fall outside our selection criteria.Early Surveys by the RF equipment provider in 2004 revealed that more than 80%+ of patients obtained significant noise reduction. The other obtain some noise reductions of varying success rates. So why have Skin Medical improved the success rate? Our ENT Consultant has from experience created a screening process that helps identify potential obstacles for optimum results. For these cases we would either (i) Not recommend the treatment be undertaken, (ii) Recommend an additional procedure to optimise the outcome or (iii) Recommend an alternative procedure. At SKin Medical, we screen suitable clients thoroughly at our pre-assessment clinic in order to obtain higher success rates for first time treatments.
• [Back to top]

• Q5. How do I arrange my treatment?
• A.The process starts with a consultation and pre-assessment where our clinician will explain the causes of snoring, the treatment available, and our procedure. We assess your suitability fully and then propose the RF treatment best suited to you.
• [Back to top]

• Q7. How long will the treatment take?
• A.The attendance with the Consultant typically takes 20-30 minutes. The procedure starts with the ENT Consultant providing an endoscope examination and explanation of the procedure. The actual application of the RF is normally less than 10 minutes.
• [Back to top]

• Q8. How soon will I experience some improvement?
• A.The radio frequency snoring treatment shrinks the tissues that cause the snoring problems over a period of time. This will vary from patient to patient but you should expect to see some improvement in a matter of four to six weeks.
• [Back to top]

• Q9. How much does a typical procedure cost?
• A.The investment for the standard Radio Frequency procedure including all Consultation and Medical Assessment fees is only £840. The cost of the Consultation and medical assessment is £70 which is fully refundable should the client and ENT Surgeon agree to undertake and perform the procedure. There are no additional charges for medicine or tablets. At the consultation the client is under no obligation to proceed. We do not employ sales persons. Patients are in contact with medical practitioners at all times.
• [Back to top]

• Q10. How much are additional Radio Frequency treatments?
• A.The cost of additional Radio Frequency treatments that are undertaken on the same visit typically cost £350. Examples of such treatment are for RF procedures to uvula or turbinates in nasal passage.
• [Back to top]

• Q11. Why choose this method of snoring treatment?
• A.There are several types of artificial aids to combat snoring including nasal strips, nasal dilators and moulded mouthpieces but at Skin Medical we feel these have limited success and do not offer a long-term cure. There are also laser-assisted treatments. Although we use laser treatment for many types of skin ailments at Skin Medical, we do not think laser is a suitable snoring treatment as it is aggressive with loss of uvula, it can cause side effects, it is extremely painful for the patient during and after treatment and it has a lengthy recovery period. In addition, its is expensive. Patients often regurgitate food through the nose and are left with the permanent sensation of a lump in the throat. We chose the radio frequency method because it is the best and it does provide a long-lasting remedy. This is the conclusion of the UK Government’s National Institute of Clinical Excellence, [NICE].
• [Back to top]

• Q12. What are benefits of radio frequency snoring treatment?
• A.Radio frequency snoring treatment offers many advantages over other methods of treating restricted airways and blocked noses. It is: • a safe, effective and clinically proven procedure with a high success rate • minimally invasive and leaves no side effects • a simple outpatient procedure Arranging your snoring treatment Before any treatment commences, we arrange a consultation and pre-assessment. To make an appointment please telephone us on 0161 839 7663 or complete our online booking form, then just a few steps away from curing your snoring problems for good.
• [Back to top]

• Q13. How does radio frequency snoring treatment work?
• A.A local anaesthetic is injected in the areas to be treated, then a bipolar applicator probe is introduced to the soft palate tissue that is causing the problem. A low radio frequency current is generated via the probe for just a few seconds at selected points. This heats the soft tissue which will then harden and shrink over a period of time thus eliminating the problems that cause snoring. When the treatment is finished, the patient can take over-the-counter painkillers such as Paracetamol to counteract any slight discomfort and can resume normal activities after a short recovery period of around thirty minutes. We will then arrange a follow-up appointment to check that the treatment was satisfactory and successful.
• [Back to top]

• Q6. Who performs the Snoring treatment?
• A.Our ENT Cosultant is Mr Homer who practices at the Manchester Royal Infirmary Hospital. He is also registered on the Specialist ENT list managed by the General Medical Council. This specialism is Head and Neck and has been performing Snoring treatments initially using traditional surgery then setled on the Radio Frequeny procedure having dismissed the laser LAUP as been too aggressive and poor clinical outcome. When making your choice of surgeon make sure that they are currently working within their area of specialty in NHS, as this esures that they are kept abreast of new developments and best practise.
• [Back to top]