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Chronic Sinusitis and Balloon Sinus Surgery

May 02, 2017
Roughly one in seven Americans suffer from chronic sinusitis, a staggering figure by any standard. The figure swells even further if we include all sinusitis sufferers, such as those whose symptoms fall short of the repetitive patterns...

Roughly one in seven Americans suffer from chronic sinusitis, a staggering figure by any standard. The figure swells even further if we include all sinusitis sufferers, such as those whose symptoms fall short of the repetitive patterns that distinguish chronic sinusitis from the conventional type. Bottom line: if you haven’t experienced these symptoms, you surely know many people who have.

Sinus pain and pressure are the signature maladies of the United States.

Sinusitis occurs when inflammation prevents the mucus from draining out of your sinuses. That inflammation can be caused by an infection or an allergic response; either way, the end result is intense discomfort and often pain. This pain drives millions to visit specialists such as myself, where most patients receive steroids or surgery to relieve their symptoms.

But there is another way. Balloon sinus surgery uses a small inflatable balloon threaded up into the sinus opening like a stent. When this balloon is inflated, it opens the drainage pathway again, pressing out the walls of your sinuses and creating a permanent conduit for mucus. The procedure is minimally invasive, and can be done in your doctor’s office:

At the Los Angeles Sinus Institute, we have been performing balloon sinuplasty procedures for several years now. Our success rate has tracked with or exceeded the already high national average, which is in the high nineties, and we continue to earn referrals from those who would like the very best methods for their patients.

Balloon sinuplasty is easy to recover from, most patients are back to their lives the same day, and any lingering pain, pressure, or discomfort will resolve within a couple of weeks. There are no scars, and the effect is either permanent or else reliably effective for many months before you need any kind of follow-up.

For more information about balloon sinuplasty in LA, please contact us today.