If you have moderate or severe obstructive sleep apnea, the most common treatment is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). It involves a machine that delivers a stream of air pressure through tubing to a mask that you wear while you sleep. The air pressure keeps your upper airway passages open, so you can breathe normally and snore less.

If CPAP doesn’t work for you, doctors may try another device called bilevel-positive airway pressure (BPAP). It works like a CPAP machine but it uses different levels of air pressure. The lower level is used when you inhale, and the higher one is used when you exhale.

Exploring Different Sleep Apnea Treatment Options in Ohio

Other treatments may include losing weight if you are overweight, not drinking alcohol or taking sleeping pills before bedtime, and changing your sleep habits. Sleeping on your side instead of your back might help because it makes it easier to breathe. Also, don’t smoke, because it can increase inflammation in your throat and make snoring and sleep apnea worse.

In some cases, surgery might be necessary. Surgical procedures for sleep apnea treatment include uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, which takes out tissue from the back of your palate and throat; and mandibular maxillomandibular advancement, which fixes a jawbone problem that can cause snoring and sleep apnea. Other surgeries can fix facial or nasal problems, such as a deviated septum, that affect your breathing. There are also oral devices that hold your mouth, tongue, or lower jaw in a different position while you sleep to keep the upper airway open.