You have tried the medications. You have tried the CPAP/BiPAP machines. You have tried all of the other gadgets, including the strips you put on your nose to open your airways and the nose clip that supposedly widens your nostrils so you do not snore. Yet, here you are with sleep apnea and still snoring. The final solution, as an ENT specialist or pulmonologist will tell you, is surgery. Here are a couple of the typical procedures done to help people with sleep apnea, how they are performed, and what they can do for you after they are completed.
Nasal Surgery
Some people just have narrow nasal passages. They may even find it difficult to breath effectively during exercise, and/or they are classified as "mouth-breathers" because they cannot breathe enough through their noses. If you qualify, a sleep apnea surgeon can open up your nasal passages, making them wider and providing you with more ability to breathe freely. You would not need to open your mouth to breathe ever, and you could retrain yourself to breathe through your new nostrils. The best part is, it is akin to getting rhinoplasty because the nose has to be reshaped to widen the nasal passages.
Additionally, if the surgeon finds that you have any nasal polyps during this surgery, he/she can remove the polyps. The polyps can be tested for cancer. If they are benign, you can at least appreciate the fact that the polyps will no longer be in the way of your ability to breathe freely.
Throat Surgery
In this procedure, the surgeon removes your tonsils, the tonsil pockets, the adenoids, your uvula, and possibly any other extra tissue that can block your airway and cause you to snore at night. With all of these anatomical structures removed from your throat, it is a lot roomier there and more air can get through from your nose to your lungs. However, you should be aware that there are risks involved, considering that your tonsils and adenoids are responsible for a healthier you. If you are willing to risk that in exchange for a better night's sleep with zero apnea/hypopneas and/or snoring, then throat surgery is for you.
Schedule a Consult
Schedule a consultation with an ear/nose/throat doctor. He/she will want to send a scope through your nasal passages down the back of your throat to get a really good idea about what may be causing your apnea problems. Then he/she will discuss with you which of the above surgeries will work best for your situation.