A somnoplasty is a stiffening procedure used to help snorers with a floppy soft palate. It uses radio frequency energy to cause scars in the soft palate and these act like a scaffold, supporting the rest of the tissue. When the patient breathes in and out, because the soft palate is stiffer, it vibrates less and makes less noise. The treatment is done in an outpatient clinic under a local anaesthetic, similar to going to the dentist. When the anaesthetic is injected into the soft palate, it feels quite uncomfortable for a few seconds, after that the treatment is painless. After the treatment, the soft palate is swollen for a few days and a bit sore. It is usually not necessary to take anything stronger than simple painkillers. If the uvula is particularly swollen, it may be necessary to sleep propped up for a couple of days as lying flat will be uncomfortable. Very occasionally, the pain from this procedure is quite severe and may need strong painkillers and antibiotics to be prescribed. This treatment is not suitable for snorers who are excessively overweight or have significant sleep apnoea. It has a 50% chance of significantly improving snoring and in some cases the snoring is abolished completely. It may be that two or more treatments are necessary.