Most long-term diseases like asthma and rosacea can be treated, controlled, or even eradicated with a variety of medications, but when it comes to sleep apnea, you just can’t take a pill to cure it. However, the good news is that there are plenty of treatments available to prevent apnea events and reduce their severity. Some of these are based on lifestyle changes, such as losing weight, quitting smoking, and limiting alcohol, and others are specifically targeted at addressing the anatomical cause of apnea.

Can Sleep Apnea Be Cured? Exploring Treatment Options

The most common treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (can sleep apnea be cured) involves wearing a mask at night that transmits a constant stream of pressurized air into the throat to keep it open. Other treatments include a mouthpiece that pushes the lower jaw forward during sleep, or surgery to remove the tonsils and adenoids in people with large tonsils and enlarged adenoids.

But perhaps the most revolutionary treatment available is a device called Inspire, which works by stimulating the nerves that control the tongue to move it forward during sleep. Inspire has been shown to eliminate apnea in many patients and is often used along with other therapies to maximize their effectiveness.