New Groundbreaking Procedure to Provide Sinus Relief
Many in Acadiana, you might be one of them, suffer from chronic sinuses. It forces them to take antibiotics or use powerful nasal sprays.
Sometimes medicines don't work and extreme measures are taken to help clear your sinuses. Luckily there is a new groundbreaking procedure helping give patients sinus relief.
"We were staying up all night long with the coughing and the hurting."
For nearly six months Ellen Champagne suffered from chronic sinusitis. She would lose her voice and was forced to use antibiotics and nose sprays.
Every other week Ellen was at the doctor but nothing seemed to help until she tried a minimally invasive office procedure that uses a catheter and a high-tech "sinus balloon" to open sinus pathways."I thought i'd be in pain. There was no pain at all."
Doctor John Alldrege sprays the nose with numbing agents and decongestants before shaping a balloon catheter to the size of the sinus opening. He then inflates the balloon to eight millimeters to dialate the sinus openings, restoring drainage and giving instant relief.
"You do have swelling or inflammation, those sinus drainage pathways won't swell shut, they'll swell a little bit, but hopefully stay open and prevent chronic sinusitis symptoms."
Since the procedure last month, Ellen says her life has changed and she hasn't been to the doctor since.
"I sleep at night, my husband gets to sleep at night. Now I can smell real good and I don't use antibiotics or nasal spray."
Every year more than 32 million people suffer from chronic sinus problems, racking up more than three billion dollars in health expenditures. To see if the sinus balloon could be right for you, consult with your doctor.
Chris Welty
cwelty@katctv.com
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