Inflammation of your sinuses can make you absolutely miserable. If you’re lucky, you’ll experience a runny nose and some intense sneezing. But for many people, it’s the intense sinus-pressure-driven headaches that make sinus infections, also known as sinusitis, so unbearable. Sinus infections also affect your hearing. These infections can spread to your ear and, if left untreated, lead to hearing loss.
So What Is Balloon Sinuplasty?
Also known as balloon catheter dilation therapy, balloon sinuplasty is a relatively simple, minimally invasive medical procedure. During a balloon sinuplasty, a small balloon catheter will be inserted into your sinus cavity. This balloon is made of sterile, flexible material, and will slowly be inflated. The process of inflation pushes out the mucus and pus responsible for creating sinus pressure and exacerbating your infection. It also helps to gently open up the passage so it’s less likely to get clogged in the future.
Once the sinus cavity is relatively clear, it can be rinsed with a saline solution. The balloon is then removed. The end result is a sinus cavity that is substantially more open and clear, leading to immediate improvements in symptoms. This procedure can be conducted under general or local anesthesia, depending on your medical history, your health, and your preferences.
There’s usually a short recovery period associated with balloon sinuplasty, but most people are easily able to resume normal activities within a day or two.
There are considerable benefits to undergoing balloon sinuplasty.
Benefits of Balloon Sinuplasty:
- Balloon sinuplasty is minimally invasive. This means the recovery from the procedure will be swift and create little disruption for your everyday life.
- Results tend to be significant and long-lasting. Most patients report symptom relief that lasts at least two years after the procedure.
- The minimally invasive nature of the procedure also means that complications are incredibly rare. As a result, the procedure can be performed in a doctor’s office instead of a hospital. That makes more patients significantly more comfortable with the procedure.
A Novel Approach With Excellent Results
A chronic sinus infection can lead to a significant amount of misery. The headaches can interfere with your work, the constant nasal drip can keep you up at night. Sometimes it’s the architecture of your nasal passages that creates the problem. In other cases, your chronic sinus infection may be the result of pure bad luck.
