Treat

Obstructive sleep apnea can be classified as mild, moderate, or severe, depending on how often the patient stops breathing during the night. With certain patients, mild sleep apnea may be managed without surgery or medical equipment. See the Managing section for more.

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For moderate or severe sleep apnea, other treatment options are available. The most common and most effective is continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, a mask attached to a machine that blows air lightly to keep the airways open. Dental devices and surgery are also options for some people with obstructive sleep apnea.

This section contains more information on:

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP)

Bilevel positive airway pressure (BPAP)

Dental devices

Surgery

Treatment for central sleep apnea

There are no medications for treating sleep apnea. However, your doctor may prescribe modafinil, a medication that can help with daytime sleepiness, if you continue to have significant sleepiness despite appropriate therapy of your sleep apnea.