Looking for relief from obstructive sleep apnea?

If you’re one of the millions of people with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) looking for a treatment that works for you and your lifestyle, rest assured there are several FDA-approved options available.

Sleep fuels your body and mind, helping you stay healthy and alert. When untreated OSA repeatedly disrupts your sleep, it can take a toll on your health and well-being. It increases the risk of serious conditions like heart disease, stroke, diabetes and depression. It can also make existing conditions worse.

Choosing the right OSA treatment for you

Lifestyle changes like keeping a regular sleep schedule, maintaining a healthy weight, quitting smoking and avoiding alcohol or drugs can help with OSA symptoms such as snoring, nasal congestion, sore throat and headaches.

However, in moderate and severe cases, these changes are usually not enough to keep the airway open for regular breathing. This is partly because during sleep, your tongue relaxes and temporarily blocks your airway, making it difficult to breathe. Additional treatment is often needed.

When you find a treatment that works for you, you’re more likely to keep using it. Following your treatment plan makes it easier to manage your OSA symptoms, take better care of yourself and get the sleep you need to feel your best.

These are just some of the reasons why it makes sense to find a comfortable solution that fits your health needs and lifestyle. You probably have personal reasons of your own, too.

Here’s a quick guide to help you consider OSA treatments and find the right one for you with your provider's support.

What does FDA approved mean?

It’s important to make sure treatments meet your needs – and necessary safety standards.

Regulatory standards are generally based on the level of risk a treatment carries. For the most part, medical devices used to treat moderate to severe OSA must undergo review for safety, effectiveness and quality.

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversees this process. Other countries have their own regulatory bodies that oversee the process. For example, in the European Union, the European Commission regulates medical devices, while the European Medicines Agency oversees medications. And in Singapore, the Health Sciences Authority regulates both.

The key takeaway: When you see that a treatment has undergone regulatory review and approval, you can rest assured it’s been evaluated to meet established standards. You can also be confident the pros and cons your provider shares with you are based on evidence from clinical studies and practical experience.

Treatments for moderate to severe OSA

Your provider will make treatment recommendations based on your age, overall health and symptoms. Options may depend on how severe your condition is and how well each treatment works for you.

In many cases, a provider may start by recommending lifestyle changes alongside a standard treatment, usually a medical device therapy. If needed, a provider may recommend surgery to change the structure of your nose, airway or throat to improve airflow. If the recommended treatment isn’t working well for you, they can provide other options.

Lifestyle changes

Your first step will likely be reviewing your sleep routine and lifestyle habits with your provider. Being open with them helps identify ways to reduce your OSA symptoms. This may include a combination of adjustments, like keeping a consistent sleep schedule, being more active during the day, and avoiding alcohol, sleeping pills and smoking.

Because lifestyle changes alone often don’t reduce moderate to severe OSA symptoms to a safe level, your provider will likely recommend additional treatment.

Positive airway pressure devices

The most common medical device therapy prescribed is a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine. These devices deliver air through a hose and mask to help keep your airway open during sleep.

While some people experience symptom relief with CPAP and similar positive airway pressure machines, many struggle with or stop using them. This can be for a variety of reasons, but often includes being uncomfortable using the mask and difficulty maintaining the equipment.

If you can’t get used to CPAP, it’s important to talk to your provider about other options. They may suggest trying different masks or similar breathing devices. If those don’t work, they can help you find another solution covered by your insurance.

Nerve stimulation therapy

If you are struggling with CPAP, your provider may assess whether you meet the basic requirements for Inspire^® therapy, the leading FDA-approved hypoglossal nerve stimulation therapy.

Inspire^® therapy works differently from other OSA treatments. Instead of using a machine outside of your body to force air into your airway through a hose and mask, the Inspire^® implant works comfortably¹ inside your body. (It’s placed near your collarbone during an outpatient procedure.)

It senses when you take a breath and gently moves your tongue forward to keep your airway open, helping you breathe regularly and sleep soundly. You simply turn the therapy on before bed and off when you’re ready to start the day.

Other sleep apnea treatment options

Your provider may also recommend surgery to adjust the structure of your nose, mouth, throat or jaw to improve airflow. And if excess weight is contributing to your symptoms, they may suggest weight-loss surgery or prescription medications.

Your provider will go over the pros and cons of these types of procedures with you, as they are typically more invasive than other treatments and may have lower long-term success rates.

Talk to your provider

The key takeaway is: If you have moderate to severe OSA, why struggle or risk your long-term health and well-being? There are a variety of FDA-approved treatments that may help you manage your symptoms and live your life. Talk to your provider to find the one that works best for you.

Sources

1. Suurna MV, Steffen A, Boon M, et al. Impact of Body Mass Index and Discomfort on Upper Airway Stimulation: ADHERE Registry 2020 Update. Laryngoscope 2021; 131(11): 2616-2624

British Snoring and Sleep Apnoea Association, What is Sleep Apnoea? Accessed March 26, 2025.

Cleveland Clinic, Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA): Symptoms & Treatment. December 4, 2024.

Harvard Health, I can’t tolerate CPAP, what can I do? July 29, 2020.

Johns Hopkins Medicine, Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation Implant for Sleep Apnea. Accessed March 31, 2025.

Mayo Clinic, Obstructive sleep apnea – Diagnosis and treatment. July 14, 2023.

NIH, Good Sleep for Good Health. April 2021.

Sleep Foundation, 8 Health Benefits of Sleep. February 29, 2024.

Sleep Foundation, Sleep Apnea Treatment. December 26, 2024.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration, About FDA: Patient Q&A. November 2024.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Always Tired? You May Have Sleep Apnea. February 23, 2024.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Development & Approval Process | Drugs. August 8, 2022.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Learn About Drug and Device Approvals. Accessed June 18, 2018. (Site notes in process of being updated?)

Yale Medicine, 7 Things To Know About Sleep Apnea and CPAP. April 18, 2022.