Treatment options for sinusitis vary widely, depending on the specific problems associated with the patient. If the doctor diagnosis a simple case of a sinus infection, over-the-counter medications may be used to clear it up. In more moderate cases of sinusitis, antibiotics may be prescribed in addition to other decongestants. Some incidences of sinusitis are chronic and severe enough to require surgery for correction. Other structural abnormalities such as defective turbinates or nasal polyps block the flow of mucus and air within the sinus cavity and require a surgical solution.
In the past, procedures to clear up the sinus cavities involved endoscopic surgeries. Usually general anesthesia is administered during the sinus surgery. In 2005, a new sinus procedure was introduced to clear out blocked sinus passages. Known as a balloon sinuplasty, it operates under the same principle as an angioplasty and is utilized by leading edge, board-certified ear nose and throat specialists such as those found in Orange County’s Newport Beach surgery centers.
During this procedure, a balloon is inserted into the sinus cavity to create pockets of air. Advantages of this FDA approved procedure include a less invasive surgical operation as well as a faster recovery time. Since the procedure was introduced in 2005, nearly 200,000 patients have undergone balloon sinuplasty with great success.
