North Panhandle News

• 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 a balloon sinuplasty.

If you're struggling with chronic sinusitis, it's important to seek treatment early or risk damaging your sinuses permanently, according to Dr. Matthew Blair, an otolaryngologist at Gulf Coast Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers.

"I find that in certain conditions, early intervention is key because once you go down a road where you have had chronic infections for a long period of time and if your sinuses are damaged permanently, they will not function," Blair told North Panhandle News. "You'll have to irrigate your nose constantly every day to actually mimic those hair cells to really get that mucus, which your sinuses are creating, out of the nose. I find that people who act quickly usually have a better outcome than people who wait."

Early intervention for sinus patients increases their immediate quality of life, improves long-term relief and reduces health care costs, according to the Official Journal of the American Academy of Otolaryngology. Seeking treatment early also reduces the amount of money patients could have to spend on other problems associated with sinusitis.

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

A minimally invasive sinus treatment option that comes with a quick recovery time is balloon sinuplasty. Healthline reported that 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.

After a balloon sinuplasty, many people can return to regular activities within a day or two. Some people even drive themselves home after the procedure, according to Healthline.

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