All but 10% of patients who seek relief by undergoing laser surgery for sleep apnea say they snore less and their apnea episodes have decreased. Not a bad percentage for a surgical procedure, right?

The problem is the old symptoms (sleeping difficulties, insomnia, etc.), eventually, return after one or two years – and become worse. In fact, out of all apnea surgeries using lasers (what surgeons call “laser assisted uvulopalatoplasty”), only one third have been truly successful.

Lasers do make it convenient for both surgeons and patients since, compared to a scalpel, it makes it easier to take out soft tissue from the throat and palate. As far as taking out soft tissue goes, lasers are great.

Unfortunately, scar tissue tends to form after surgery. This scar tissue is what blocks the airways anew. What’s worse is these scars are harder than the original soft, fatty tissue!

But undergoing laser surgery for sleep apnea should be a last resort when other, less invasive and irreversible, treatments have failed. Also, success rates for other surgical procedures, other than uvulopalatoplasty, may be different.

However, if the reason you’re considering surgery is because your CPAP or BiPAP apparatus has become so uncomfortable maybe adjusting the air pressure or changing your headgear is better than going under the knife – whether it’s laser-assisted or not.

If you’re looking for physicians treating sleep apnea in Dundee Scotland, the first thing you should probably do is look for doctors specializing in oral and maxillofacial surgery. A physician specializing in otorhinolaryngology will also be able to treat you.

The easiest way to find treatment is to, of course, go to one of Scotland’s medical centers or hospitals with either a Department of Otorhinolaryngology or a Department of Surgery and Division of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery.

Medical specialists connected with these departments will also be able to diagnose if your insomnia and lack of comfort in sleeping is indeed sleep apnea and if your condition can be remedied without surgery.

Sometimes other methods aimed at preventing certain habits can make you a better sleeper. For instance, a sock with tennis balls pinned to the back of your nightshirt will stop you from rolling on your back, a position which tends to make the tongue block your airway, leading to sleep apnea.

But no matter how simple these home remedies are, they still need a physician’s diagnosis so you can be sure about the real cause of your apnea.

Physicians treating sleep apnea in Dundee Scotland can be found in at least three hospitals:

1. Ninewells Hospital
Ninewells Hospital, Ninewells Avenue, Dundee DD1 9SY
http://www.nhstayside.scot.nhs.uk/patients/hospital/ninewells.shtml
Telephone 01382 660111

2. Fernbrae Hospital
329 Perth Road, Dundee DD2 1LJ
http://www.fernbrae.co.uk/hospital/index.cfm
Telephone 01382631400

3. Strathmartine Hospital
Dundee DD3 0PG
http://www.nhstayside.scot.nhs.uk/patients/hospital/STRATHMART_HOSP.shtml
Telephone 01382 423000