Snoring remediesCould pharmacy remedies help you?

If someone in your house snores, you may have tried an over-the-counter snoring remedy. 

But according to a Which? survey and trial, users often have little or no success with these products.

Snoring occurs when the airway in the throat is narrowed and the soft tissues, such as the soft palate and airway walls, vibrate.

There can be several reasons for this, including excess weight and sleeping position. 

In a few cases, snoring is down to anatomy, such as a misshapen nose, and some people snore as they age or in pregnancy.

Snoring can be a symptom of sleep apnoea (see Why you snore and how to find a solution) – in its most serious cases, the airway closes completely for a few seconds, which stops breathing. Left untreated, it could lead to health problems including heart disease and stroke.

Some of the aids we bought stated that they were unsuitable for people with sleep apnoea, but only the Singing for Snorers CD explained the symptoms.

It’s important to find out why you snore before buying a snoring aid (see Why you snore and how to find a solution). And you may snore for several reasons – so buying a single ‘cure’ may not solve your problem.

Expert opinion on snoring remedies

We asked experts to look at the manufacturer evidence supporting products – they concluded it was often patchy, or not available. Experts tell us that, while some types of aid have a good basis in science, some specific brands, such as Snore No More, have no direct evidence yet to support their claims.

Even where there is evidence to support a product, this doesn’t mean it will help all users, as snoring occurs in different ways. 48% of snoring aid users in our survey tried nasal strips, but only 19% of those found the strips very or fairly effective. This isn’t surprising, as most people don’t snore because of a nasal problem.

Dr Adrian Williams, a consultant respiratory and sleep physician, says: ‘Over-the-counter products need well-conducted research specifically on snorers, and manufacturers should avoid exaggerated claims that raise hopes without good enough evidence.’

Our research

We surveyed 1,981 Which? online panel members about their snoring experiences and snoring aids in February 2009. We selected over-the-counter product types that members had tried and asked seven couples, each with a snorer assessed as suitable, to try one of the products.

The supporting evidence for products sent to us by manufacturers was assessed by: 

• Dr Adrian Williams, consultant respiratory and sleep physician; 
• Professor Janet Wilson, professor of ear, nose, throat, head and neck surgery; 
• Catherine Thompson, senior lecturer and respiratory physiotherapist; 
• Dr Ama Johal, senior clinical lecturer and consultant orthodontist; and 
• Professor Peter Houghton, professor of pharmacognosy (medicinal plant chemicals).