To the Editor.—
Assuming that no threatening disorder is uncovered in the sleep laboratory, the surgical treatment of snoring recommended by Dr Curtis1 might be usefully preceded—and perhaps made unnecessary—by the use of earplugs by the patient's disturbed partner.
The disturbed sleeper can easily make such plugs from the wax that coats Edam and some other cheeses. This material is hard when cool but becomes semisoft at body temperature and snugly assumes the dimensions of the user's external auditory canals.
While such earplugs are effective in reducing the perceived intensity of all noises, one can still hear most loud, high-pitched sounds, such as those from alarm clocks, telephones, and especially smoke alarms. However, the user should test the audibility of the latter for himself or herself before using this form of noise suppression.
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