Better Breathing Can Lead To Better Health

If your sniffle becomes more than a nuisance, you could be one of almost 30 million Americans with sinusitis. Millennium Physician Group Ear, Nose and Throat Specialist Matthew Connor, M.D.,  says there’s a less invasive surgical solution that can help you breathe easier.

“Patients who struggle with chronic sinusitis have a very difficult quality of life,” he explains. “It’s like living with a head cold every day of the year.”

In fact, 90 percent of sinus sufferers report their symptoms have a negative impact on their quality of life.

“Patients with chronic or recurring sinus infections tend to have loss of smell, facial pressure and pain, headaches, post-nasal drip, nasal congestion and sometimes they have a bad smell in their nose or a bad taste,” says Dr. Connor.

When medications haven’t helped, Dr. Connor says a procedure called balloon sinuplasty can be a very good option for patients who have recurrent or chronic sinusitis. “Using special GPS-like navigation, we’re able to guide the balloon into the blocked sinus and gently open up that sinus to relieve the infection and the patient would experience improvement in symptoms. This balloon sinus procedure is able to be done under local anesthesia here in the office, much like a procedure done by your dentist would be performed.

And the benefits of the procedure go beyond better breathing, patients report increased energy and better overall health.