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Health News Archive 111 - Snoring
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Homeopathic Anti-Snoring Medication Works

The summer 1999 edition of The Journal of Sleep and Breathing featured the results of an independently conducted, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study of the effects of The Green Pharmacy's SnoreStop, a homeopathic remedy, in the management of snoring.

More than 40 million American adults snore. Habitual snoring afflicts 44% of adult males and 28% of females. Uncomplicated snoring is generally due to vibration of the palatal soft tissues or the tongue base, causing intermittent airway obstruction. Loudness is correlated with the degree of vibration and/or obstruction. The tendency, frequency, duration, intensity, and sequelae of snoring are influenced by myriad structural, physiological, environmental and pharmacological factors Uncomplicated, nonapneic snoring is treated in a wide variety of ways, ranging from self-help methods, such as positional therapy, to laser surgery. The purpose of this report is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a natural medication for snoring in a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial.

The study involved 90 men and women from the Portland area between the ages of 18 and 55 with uncomplicated medical histories. Participants were observed by their sleep-mates over a 10-day period and instructed to steer clear of food, beverages and other factors that could confound interpretation of the study. Nurses followed up on days three and seven by telephone to measure results. More than 79% of those in the treatment group reported improvements in their snoring conditions at the end of 10 days. More than 43% of these patients reported snoring had been eliminated completely, or at least reduced significantly.

"Although the trial lasted a short period, it demonstrated a clear treatment effect for a chronic condition," noted the team of researchers led by Derek Lipman, M.D., of Portland's Emanuel Hospital, Division of Otalaryngology. "There is no consensus on the scientific basis for the mechanism of action of homeopathic medicines. Controlled trials have confirmed the efficacy of homeopathic medicines in the management of diarrhea and influenza."  Neither side effects nor intolerance to the product was reported.

DEREK LIPMAN, M.D., GARY SEXTON, STATISTICIAN, and JERRY SCHLESSER, N.D., D.C., C.N.S.  A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Evaluation of the Safety and Efficacy of a Natural Over-The-Counter (OTC) Medication in the Management of Snoring. Sleep and Breathing~Vol. 3, no.2, 1999