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If you find yourself pushing through the day with a headache, congestions and fatigue you are not alone. It is estimated that more than 35 million Americans suffer from impacted sinuses each year. Sinus suffering is no joke. The painful symptoms can really impact your life and disrupt your daily living.
Sinus infections can be divided into several categories depending on the durations of symptoms. Acute sinusitis is when the infection is present for less than four weeks. Sub acute sinusitis has less severe symptoms lasting for more than four weeks and less than eight weeks. If the infection lasts longer than eight weeks or keeps on coming back, it is called chronic sinusitis.
Symptoms of sinus infections vary from person to person. The most common are nasal congestion, nasal discharge with green or yellow mucus, pressure or pain over the sinus areas, and frequent headaches. Other symptoms are post-nasal drip, coughing, sore throat and bad breath, tooth pain, nausea, and fever. Sinus infections can be caused by a variety of reasons. A simple common cold can develop into an infection. Allergies also can make a person prone to sinus infections. Structural abnormalities within the sinuses can also lead to blockage in the sinuses. Examples are nasal polyps, tumors, deviated septum and other bony abnormalities.
There is now a less invasive option used by ENT doctors to treat chronic sinusitis patients that is clinically proven to be safe, effective and improve the quality of your life.
Introducing Balloon Sinuplasty
For those who suffer from the headaches, congestion, fatigue and other symptoms of sinusitis, Balloon Sinuplasty offers a safe, effective, minimally invasive option to alleviate symptoms. During the procedure, small, flexible devices are inserted into the nostrils to gently open blocked sinus openings — in many cases without tissue or bone removal.
With Balloon Sinuplasty, ENT doctors open inflamed sinuses in the same way that heart surgeons open up blocked arteries during balloon angioplasty. The procedure is less invasive than traditional sinus surgery, and effective at relieving symptoms of chronic sinusitis. Balloon Sinuplasty allows patients to return to normal activities quickly. Unlike conventional sinus surgery, it does not include removal of bone or tissue from the nose.
More than 250,000 patients suffering from chronic sinusitis have been successfully treated by physicians using Balloon Sinuplasty technology. The procedure offers several benefits, including:
• Less Invasive & Reduced bleeding – There is no cutting to remove tissue or bone, which results in less bleeding and a reduced need for uncomfortable nasal packing.
• Quick recovery – While recovery time varies for each individual, many people can return to normal activities within 24 hours.
• Proven Effective – Most patients report clinically meaningful improvement in sinus symptoms and quality of life through 2 years following surgery.
• Does not limit other options – Balloon Sinuplasty can be used with other medical therapies or sinus surgery techniques, and does not limit future treatment options for those with progressive disease.
If you suffer from sinus problems, rest assured that there is hope and your symptoms can be relieved once and for all when treated properly. The ENT Specialty Care Center at Physicians Regional Healthcare System offers a full range of state-of-the-art services to evaluate, diagnose and treat nasal and sinus problems. Our highly skilled ENT doctors have a broad range of experience to provide care for everything from nasal congestion and smell and taste disorders, to a deviated septum or broken nose — including plastic and reconstructive surgery.
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