Finding the magic solution to your sinus problems may seem too good to be true, so it’s only natural to be worried about balloon sinuplasty side effects. For some, the word ‘surgery’ can go hand-in-hand with the word ‘complications,’ but fortunately, a balloon sinuplasty is much less invasive.
Common Side Effects of Balloon Sinuplasty
Balloon sinuplasty is the latest way to tackle sinusitis in a non-invasive way. It was adapted from a much earlier procedure called angioplasty. Formerly used to widen arteries, a balloon is inserted with a guide wire into the sinus, and then inflated before quickly deflating. There’s no cutting, and no long hospital stays.
During balloon sinuplasty, the inflation widens your sinus. Usually, this area is inflamed, infected and generally unwell. If you’ve ever had swelling than you know that touching the area is uncomfortable. Now, imagine if you had to apply great pressure to the area. Obviously, the area would be tender and it wouldn’t be pleasant.
Besides the fact that it’s pushing on swelling there are several small bones near the sinuses. All that swollen flesh means that there might be a bit of bleeding afterwards. As with any trauma you may have more swelling following the balloon nudging the tissue but it is only temporary.
Other side effects to balloon sinuplasty don’t necessarily have to do with the procedure itself as much as they have to do with your body. Make sure to speak to your ear, nose and throat doctor at length about previous surgeries and how you react to medications to cover all your bases.
Now that you know what happens, you may be wondering: Will it be worth it?
A Non-Invasive Way to Feel Like New
Balloon sinuplasty may be new, but it’s already racked up an excellent track record. FDA approved since 2005, the procedure has been the focus of clinical research and hundreds of thousands of people have undergone it. So far, reports are consistent in indicating it provides huge relief with little downtime.
As opposed to traditional surgeries like FESS (Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery), balloon sinuplasty can be done in your doctor’s office and doesn’t require you to spend a night in the hospital. This is part of the reason the side effects are so mild.
Ask Your ENT Specialist
Be sure to ask your ENT plenty of questions to learn everything you need to know about the procedure. If you think that a balloon sinuplasty might be the solution for your sinusitis, please book an assessment with Houston Sinus & Allergy.