What you should know about balloon sinuplasty

Sinusitis is a medical condition that occurs when the sinuses become inflamed and swollen. The condition is commonly caused by an infection or small polyps growing in the sinuses. This prevents mucus from effectively draining from the sinuses, which leads to several troubling symptoms including nasal congestion and severe pain on the face. While everyone will deal with temporary sinusitis at some point in their life, the condition becomes a major problem when it occurs chronically. If you have been unable to successfully treat your chronic sinusitis in the past, then you may want to think about undergoing a balloon sinuplasty treatment.

What is Balloon Sinuplasty?

Balloon sinuplasty is a fairly new procedure designed to help patients that cannot get rid of their chronic sinuplasty symptoms. These painful symptoms can become so severe that they disrupt nearly every aspect of the patient’s daily life, so it is very important to find a way to get some relief. The great thing about balloon sinuplasty is that is very straightforward and safe procedure. The goal is to expand and clear the sinuses without the use of surgical equipment.

How Does the Procedure Work?

Due to the complex nature of the human sinuses, a balloon sinuplasty must be performed by a licensed ear, nose, and throat specialist. Since no surgical cutting is required, the procedure can be performed directly in the office. You will be given an anesthesia shortly after you arrive at the office. A tiny flashlight is then gently inserted into the sinuses. Once the sinus cavity is lit up, a balloon catheter is inserted through the nose. The balloon is slowly inflated to expand the sinuses. A saline solution is then used to flush out the sinuses before removing the balloon.

The Recovery Process

You should be able to return to your normal routine roughly two days after your procedure. There will likely be some minor discharge and congestion in the days after the procedure. This is completely normal. All of the minor side effects associated with this procedure should go away after about a week. You will be fully healed at this time.

In order to speed up the healing process, you must follow a strict set of instructions. You must refrain from blowing your nose for at least 24 hours. You should sleep with your head elevated until healed. An antibiotic will be prescribed to prevent infection. You will also need to flush out your sinuses with a saline solution for several days following the balloon sinuplasty.

Your Overall Outlook

If you follow the recovery guidelines, then your balloon sinuplasty should be a major success. Inflating the balloon completely restructures the bones around the sinuses. This ensures you have an open sinus passage well into the future. With your sinuses finally cleared, you will have absolutely no problem breathing. All of your other sinusitis symptoms will disappear too.