Gateway Reporter

• Early intervention for sinus patients can lead to a better quality of life, while also reducing health care costs.
• Untreated sinusitis can lead to serious infections and even vision loss.
• A minimally invasive treatment option for sinusitis is balloon sinuplasty.

Sinusitis can affect a person in a number of ways that can be detrimental to their well-being physically and mentally. Dr. Stephen Bane of Capitol Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers weighed in on how early intervention can be beneficial and require less treatment in the long run.

“It increases your quality of life, the faster we take care of the problem,” Bane told Gateway Reporter. “Sometimes we would do months of antibiotics before proceeding to a scan or an endoscopy, but we found that the patient actually does better with earlier intervention and (fewer) antibiotics.”

According to a study published in the Official Journal of the American Academy of Otolaryngology, early intervention for a sinus patient will not only increase their immediate quality of life, but also improve long-term relief while reducing health care costs. The earlier you get treated, the less you’ll be spending on other problems that could result from untreated sinusitis.

According to Mayo Clinic, serious complications can result from untreated sinusitis, such vision loss or infections in the bones and skin.

A minimally invasive sinus treatment option that has a quick recovery time is balloon sinuplasty. Balloon sinuplasty, also known as balloon catheter dilation surgery, is a procedure used to clear blocked sinuses. This surgery is relatively new, having been approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2005. It’s also commonly referred to as the “smart sinus” procedure.

According to Healthline, balloon sinuplasty is recommended for people suffering from chronic sinusitis after trying other treatment methods without success. The complications are minimal for the procedure, as there is no removal of tissue or bones. It is performed in an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist’s office. A small flashlight at the end of a wire is put into the sinus cavity, and then a small balloon catheter is inserted into the sinus cavity and inflated to open the sinus. Mucus is then flushed out with a saline solution, which will lead to a decrease in pressure, opening up the sinus passages and allowing the patient to breathe more efficiently.

Many people are able to return to regular activities within a day or two, and some people are even able to drive themselves home after the procedure, according to Healthline.

To learn more about the symptoms of chronic sinusitis and allergies, take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.