Gateway Reporter

• Lindsay Lohan, the star of "Falling for Christmas," has struggled with sinus problems during her career.
• People who have sinusitis might experience a stuffy nose, nasal discharge, facial pain, headaches or toothaches.
• Balloon sinuplasty procedures are quick, low-risk and provide lasting relief.

Lindsay Lohan is starring in the new Netflix movie, "Falling for Christmas," which follows the story of an heiress who loses her memory in a skiing accident and finds herself in the care of a widower and his daughter. 

Lohan has struggled with sinus problems during her career, which have interfered with her ability to film scenes for other movies, Vanity Fair reported. For instance, while shooting a movie in 2013, Lohan's production team had to skip a day of filming because Lohan was suffering from a sinus infection and earache.

People suffering from sinus infections can experience symptoms including a stuffy nose, nasal discharge, facial pain, headaches, a fever, toothaches, a decreased sense of smell or bad breath, according to Scotland's National Health Service. Sinus infections could resolve within a few weeks, or chronic sinusitis might last for months.

Chronic sinusitis is one of the most common chronic medical conditions among Americans, and it can have a negative effect on one's quality of life, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI).

The NCBI conducted a study comparing patients who underwent functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) with patients who opted for a balloon sinuplasty to treat chronic sinusitis. The study found that although both procedures are effective, balloon sinuplasty patients needed fewer antibiotic treatments after their procedures. FESS involves removing sinus tissue, while balloon sinuplasty is "less traumatic," since it doesn't involve removing any tissue, and instead relies on dilation to improve sinus function.

Dr. John Ditto of Richmond Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers said balloon sinuplasty is a quick and minimally invasive procedure, especially compared with older methods of addressing sinus problems. 

"Balloon sinuplasty is a fantastic new technique because what studies have shown is that it's as effective as traditional functional endoscopic sinus surgery," Ditto told Gateway Reporter. "I can perform a procedure for a patient and improve their recurrent sinusitis by using a minimally invasive technique, instead of taking them to the operating room under general anesthesia and performing a sinus bone and membrane destruction procedure where you're removing things. Here I’m just opening things up, just allowing them to breathe."

A balloon sinuplasty procedure lasts 10 to 15 minutes, and patients typically recover within one to two days. Most patients can resume their normal activities in that time period, although they may experience some swelling for up to a week, according to Eisemann Plastic Surgery Center.

FESS procedures take one and a half to two hours, and patients might need up to four weeks to fully recover, during which time they should avoid strenuous activities such as exercising.

For more information about balloon sinuplasty procedures, please take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.