Sleep Apnea Treatment in Austin, TX
Our board-certified ENTs treat sleep apnea with CPAP support, Inspire therapy, nasal and airway surgery, and GLP-1 weight management, starting with a home sleep test you can pick up at any of our four offices.
Your Path to Sleep Apnea Treatment
From your first visit to follow-up care, our team guides each step.
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Evaluation
We review your symptoms and examine your nose and throat.
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Home Sleep Test
Pick up a home sleep test device at any of our four offices and wear it in your own bed, usually for one night, with no overnight lab stay. A board-certified sleep medicine physician reads your study. Results usually take one to two weeks, sometimes only a few days.
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Your Treatment Plan
We review your sleep study results and airway findings with you before recommending treatment, so you can compare the options that fit your condition: CPAP, Inspire, nasal or airway surgery, or weight management. If Inspire is an option, a DISE exam in our office shows where your airway collapses. When an oral appliance is appropriate, we refer you to a dental sleep specialist.
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Follow-Up
We stay involved after treatment starts: help with CPAP fit and comfort, Inspire activation and adjustment in our office, and a check of your results after surgery, sometimes with a repeat sleep study.
New to sleep testing? How the at-home sleep study works.
What We Offer
- Home sleep study pickup at all four offices and results review with our team
- In-office CT scanning to visualize the upper airway in 3D
- In-office endoscopy and DISE (Drug-Induced Sleep Endoscopy)
- Nasal surgery, palate procedures, and Inspire implant
- GLP-1 weight management available in the office
Sleep Apnea Treatments
From minimally invasive in-office procedures to advanced surgical options, we tailor every treatment plan to your anatomy, OSA severity, and lifestyle goals.
Nasal Surgery for Sleep Apnea
Nasal obstruction can worsen snoring and sleep apnea and make CPAP hard to use. Correcting a deviated septum, reducing turbinate size, or removing nasal polyps often improves sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, and CPAP comfort, although nasal surgery alone usually does not cure sleep apnea. See which procedures are combined, who is a candidate, and what recovery involves.
Inspire Upper Airway Stimulation
Inspire is an FDA-approved implantable device for moderate-to-severe OSA patients who cannot tolerate CPAP. Implanted during a short outpatient procedure, it gently stimulates airway muscles at bedtime, activated by a small handheld remote, to keep the airway open during sleep. DISE evaluation is typically required to confirm candidacy. In our patients, the average AHI (breathing interruptions per hour of sleep) fell from 31.7 before the implant to 5 after; individual results vary.
Surgical Snoring Treatments
For snoring that continues after simpler measures, the right procedure depends on where the snoring comes from: injection snoreplasty (an in-office injection that stiffens the soft palate, with a few days of mild throat soreness and little downtime) or radiofrequency treatment for the soft palate, uvulectomy, tonsillectomy for large tonsils, nasal surgery, or uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP). A sleep study is strongly recommended first.
CPAP Therapy
CPAP is the gold-standard treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. We help patients get diagnosed and started on CPAP, with ongoing support to optimize comfort and compliance, including mask fitting, pressure adjustment, and troubleshooting.
CPAP Alternatives
For patients who cannot tolerate CPAP, we offer a full range of proven alternatives, including Inspire upper airway stimulation, oral appliance therapy (through a dental sleep specialist referral), nasal surgery, and palatal procedures, tailored to your anatomy and OSA severity.
GLP-1 Weight Management
Excess weight is one of the most significant risk factors for obstructive sleep apnea. We offer GLP-1 receptor agonist therapy as part of a weight management approach, integrated directly with your sleep apnea care, right here in our office.
Weighing your surgical options? See our comparison: Inspire vs. UPPP surgery.
CPAP vs. Inspire vs. Airway Surgery
The three most common paths for treating obstructive sleep apnea. Most patients are candidates for more than one; your evaluation will determine the best fit for your anatomy and OSA severity.
| CPAP | Inspire | Airway Surgery | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Most OSA severities, including severe | Moderate-to-severe OSA when CPAP isn't tolerated | Nasal obstruction, palate or anatomical issues driving OSA |
| How it works | Mask + machine delivers pressurized air to keep the airway open | Small implanted device stimulates airway muscles at bedtime | Procedure to correct the anatomy obstructing the airway; a follow-up sleep test confirms the result |
| Setting | Used at home nightly | Outpatient implant procedure | Outpatient OR or in-office |
| Recovery | None (used nightly) | Normal light activity within a few days, usually with over-the-counter pain relief only; lifting and arm limits for 1 to 2 weeks | 1–2 weeks, varies by procedure |
| What you do at night | Wear mask connected to machine | Click a small remote: nothing on your face | Often nothing, if surgery controls the apnea |
| Insurance | Typically covered | Covered when criteria are met | Typically covered |
Not sure which is right for you? Our board-certified ENT specialists evaluate your sleep study, in-office airway exam, and (when indicated) DISE results to recommend the option most likely to give you durable relief. Request a sleep consultation →
Could You Have Sleep Apnea?
Answer these 8 questions to find out if you may be at risk. This validated screening tool is used by sleep specialists worldwide.
Based on the STOP-BANG questionnaire (Chung F, et al. Anesthesiology, 2008). This screening tool is not a diagnosis; only a sleep study can confirm sleep apnea.
Advanced In-Office Diagnostics
Accurate diagnosis is the foundation of effective treatment. We use a suite of in-house tools to evaluate your airway, identify the exact source of obstruction, and design the most targeted treatment plan.
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Home Sleep Study (HST)
You can pick up a home sleep test device at any of our four offices and wear it overnight in your own bed. A board-certified sleep medicine physician reads your study. No separate sleep center visit is needed.
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In-Office CT Scan
Our in-office CT scanner provides detailed 3D imaging of the upper airway: nasal passages, sinuses, soft palate, and throat. This helps us evaluate structural causes of obstruction, such as septal deviation, turbinate enlargement, and sinus disease, and plan surgery before we ever enter the operating room. The scan is usually done at the same visit.
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In-Office Endoscopy
This quick, well-tolerated in-office exam, usually done with a numbing spray, lets us see the nasal passages and throat directly, giving immediate insight into nasal obstruction, enlarged turbinates, and throat anatomy contributing to sleep-disordered breathing.
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DISE (Drug-Induced Sleep Endoscopy)
DISE is a specialized procedure in which the patient is briefly sedated to mimic sleep while the physician views the airway with a flexible scope. We can see exactly where and how the airway collapses, information no CT or awake exam can provide. Essential for Inspire implant candidacy evaluation.
Sleep Apnea: A Serious Condition That Can Be Treated
Sleep apnea occurs when your breathing repeatedly stops during sleep, sometimes 30 or more times per hour. Left untreated, it significantly raises the risk of heart disease, stroke, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes.
Many patients don't even know they have it. A simple home sleep study can confirm the diagnosis quickly, and our specialists offer the full spectrum of both surgical and non-surgical treatment options.
Common Sleep & Breathing Disorders
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
OSA is the most common form of sleep apnea, occurring when throat muscles relax and block the airway during sleep. It affects millions of Americans and often goes undiagnosed. Symptoms include loud snoring, gasping at night, morning headaches, and chronic daytime fatigue. We offer in-house diagnosis and a full range of treatments tailored to your anatomy and severity.
Snoring
Loud, persistent snoring disrupts sleep for both you and your partner, and is frequently a warning sign of sleep apnea. We identify the anatomical source of snoring and offer a range of treatments from minimally invasive injection snoreplasty (in-office, little downtime) to surgical correction of the palate and nasal passages.
Snoring Treatment OptionsUpper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS)
UARS is a milder form of sleep-disordered breathing where partial airway narrowing causes fragmented sleep without the classic oxygen drops seen in full OSA. Patients often experience chronic fatigue, morning headaches, and unrefreshing sleep despite sleeping adequate hours. UARS is frequently missed by primary care physicians but can be evaluated and treated by ENT specialists.
Is Your Snoring More Than Just Noise?
Snoring affects tens of millions of Americans and is often dismissed as a minor annoyance. But chronic, loud snoring, especially with gasping or pauses in breathing, is frequently the first visible sign of obstructive sleep apnea.
We evaluate the anatomical cause of snoring to determine the most effective treatment. Many patients are excellent candidates for quick, minimally invasive options with little downtime.
- Injection snoreplasty: in-office procedure, a few days of mild throat soreness, little downtime
- Surgical soft palate procedures for persistent or severe snoring
- Nasal correction when obstruction is the primary contributing factor
- Full sleep apnea screening included when snoring is chronic or loud
Snoring Facts
- ~1 in 2
- Adults Who Snore at Least Occasionally
- 25%+
- Adults Who Snore Habitually
Snoring should always be evaluated: it's often more than just noise. Figures: AAO-HNS ENT Health.
What Our Sleep Patients Say
Hear from Central Texas patients who took the next step toward treating their sleep apnea, from sleep-study consultations to surgical correction.
Diagnosed with sleep apnea and my doctor laid out every option clearly: no pressure, no upselling. I went with an oral appliance and it's been life-changing. My wife says I finally stopped snoring.
Went for my consult for a sleep study. Everyone was super nice and polite. The PA Casey was very professional and answers all my questions, and gave me info the sleep doctor I went to a few years ago didn't. Overall a great experience! Highly recommend!
My sleep was just terrible. Dr. Dharamsi recommended surgery to fix my deviated septum and chronic inflammation. By day 3 post op I wasn't even taking Tylenol. The pain was minimal and I was breathing through my nose at night by Day 5. According to my tracker, my deep sleep time has gone from 30 mins to an hour and a half most nights.
Frequently Asked Questions
More Sleep Health Resources
Snoring Treatment
Chronic snoring is often a warning sign of obstructive sleep apnea. Learn about the causes and treatment options, from in-office procedures to surgical solutions.
GLP-1 Therapy & Sleep Apnea
Weight is one of the strongest modifiable risk factors for OSA. We offer in-office GLP-1 receptor agonist therapy as part of an integrated sleep apnea treatment plan.
Mouth Taping & Nasal Breathing
Mouth taping has gained attention as a sleep aid, but it is not appropriate for everyone and can be unsafe for untreated sleep apnea. Learn what the evidence says.
Sleep Apnea Symptoms
Loud snoring, gasping, morning headaches, and daytime fatigue can all point to obstructive sleep apnea. See the warning signs that mean it is time for an evaluation in Austin.
Do Oral Appliances Work?
Custom mandibular advancement devices are an evidence-based option for adults who cannot tolerate CPAP or prefer an alternative, and usually work best for mild to moderate OSA. Learn how well oral appliances work and who is a good candidate.
What Is Sleep Apnea?
A plain-language explanation of the three types of sleep apnea, why breathing pauses during sleep matter, and when to see an ENT.
Schedule a Sleep Evaluation
Our ENT specialists are ready to help, with in-house diagnostics and the full spectrum of treatment options.