This entry was posted on Friday, March 24th, 2017 and is filed under Blog by AENT Associates
Sinusitis is an inflammation of the sinuses and the nasal cavity. The condition can arise as 
the result of an infection. When this happens, the condition clears up when the infection clears up. Chronic sinusitis is recurrent or continuous sinusitis. When it is recurrent, the bouts of inflammation can last for several weeks. They can be painful and uncomfortable enough to seriously affect a person’s quality of life.
Because of the level of discomfort that can accompany sinusitis, many people opt for surgical procedures to relieve the symptoms. One of the treatments available is the relatively new procedure known as balloon sinuplasty. Perhaps because of its newness, some myths have developed about this surgery. Here are five of the most common ones.
- Balloon sinuplasty means having packing inserted in the nose, and the removal of the packing is painful or uncomfortable
The balloon sinuplasty procedure does not require that packing be inserted. Therefore, this is not an issue.
- Balloon sinuplasty is not very effective and needs to be repeated many times
Sinusitis can be caused by nasal polyps. When polyps are removed surgically, they may regrow and require further operations to remove them. Balloon sinuplasty does not remove polyps. It is very effective at treating other issues, and may never need to be repeated.
- My eyes will look bruised after the surgery
Balloon sinuplasty does not normally cause any discoloration around the eyes. Bruising and discoloration may occur if another procedure is performed at the same time as the balloon sinuplasty.
- Recovery time tends to be long and uncomfortable
Balloon sinuplasty is less invasive than traditional nasal surgery. Recovery time is very short, with most people being able to function normally, including returning to work, within a day or two.
- My health insurance will not cover me for balloon sinuplasty
The vast majority of health insurance plans cover people for balloon sinuplasty. Balloon sinuplasty is used to treat a physical problem and is not considered elective surgery. Therefore, your insurer will normally cover balloon sinuplasty just like most other surgical procedures. In some cases, it may be necessary to get pre-authorization for this surgery. The medical center that you are attending will verify your insurance status.
Do not let myths about balloon sinuplasty put you off having this procedure done if your doctor recommends it. If you are unsure about any aspects of balloon sinuplasty, contact us without obligation to discuss your situation.
Tags: Balloon Sinuplasty
