If you struggle with nasal congestion and sinus pressure that fail to improve despite medical care, it’s time to consider balloon sinuplasty. Michael Riesberg, MD, and the team at Riesberg Institute in Pensacola, Florida, have helped many patients achieve long-lasting relief from chronic sinusitis with balloon sinuplasty, a safe procedure they perform in the office using local anesthesia. To learn if you’re a good candidate for balloon sinuplasty, schedule an appointment online or call the office today.
Balloon sinuplasty, also called balloon sinus dilation, is the gold standard treatment for children and adults with chronic sinusitis. During the minimally invasive procedure, your Riesberg Institute provider guides a thin, flexible catheter through your nose to the blocked sinus. Then they use a balloon to gently open the sinus, quickly and effectively relieving chronic sinusitis symptoms.
The benefits you gain from balloon sinuplasty include:
Balloon sinuplasty is a low-risk procedure that’s safer than traditional sinus surgery.
Sinusitis develops when the sinus opening is blocked by inflamed membranes. Your sinuses normally produce mucus that drains through the opening and into your nasal passages. But when the opening is blocked, mucus builds up inside the sinus. This creates an environment that fosters bacterial growth, causes an infection, and leads to inflammation. In some patients, allergies may cause swollen membranes that block the sinus.
The primary symptoms of sinusitis include:
You have chronic sinusitis when your inflammation and symptoms last 12 weeks or longer.
Before you consider balloon sinuplasty, you’ll receive the usual treatment for chronic sinusitis, such as medications to reduce inflammation. Your Riesberg Institute provider also evaluates your nasal passages and sinuses to determine if another problem, such as nasal polyps, is responsible for blocking the sinus.
When other conditions are ruled out and your symptoms persist despite conventional medical care, the next step is balloon sinuplasty.
Your Riesberg Institute provider applies a local anesthetic to your sinus area, then inserts the catheter into your nostril and guides it to the blocked sinus cavity. When the catheter is positioned in the opening, they inflate a tiny balloon that expands the opening.
While the balloon is inflated, it reshapes the sinus opening. After cleaning the sinus, your provider removes the balloon. However, the sinus stays open and can drain normally.
Your balloon sinuplasty procedure lasts about an hour, and most patients return to their normal activities within 24 hours.
If you suffer from chronic sinusitis, call Riesberg Institute or schedule an appointment online to learn if you’re a good candidate for balloon sinuplasty.
