If you have been battling sinus infections or have been a victim of an abnormal sinus structure, then you might have to consider undergoing a sinus surgery procedure. Just the mention of a surgical operation gives some people Goosebumps and they might not want to do it. Hopefully, an understanding of the procedure of sinus surgery will make you more receptive to it.
What Does Sinus Surgery Really Entail?
To answer the above question, you first have to know what sinuses are. Sinuses are cavities, or in layman’s terms, spaces inside a person’s skull around the eyes and nose. These spaces produce mucus which prevents unwanted particles like pollutants, dirt, and infectious organisms from entering the head.
This mucus however is supposed to be drained via the nose from time to time. For some reasons, this might not be the case. To correct this problem, a doctor might suggest certain medications or lifestyle changes, or both. If the problem still persists, then the option of a sinus surgery procedure would be considered.
Sinus surgery is primarily aimed at clearing whatever might be obstructing a person’s nasal passages or sinuses. If done by a professional, sinus surgeries create very little discomfort and will not take long to be completed.
Understanding the Sinus Surgery Procedure
Basically, the sinus surgery procedure can be explained in three easy steps
-
Step 1: Inserting the Balloon Catheter
The balloon catheter is a soft thin tube with an inflatable balloon at its tip. This is inserted into the nasal passage or inflamed sinus and gradually inflated. This opens up the sinuses enough for step two to be carried out.
-
Step 2: Flushing the Sinus
After expanding the sinuses, the doctor then flushes out the sinus with saline spray. This removes any mucus or pus that might have gathered in there.
-
Step 3: Removing the Catheter
After all the mucus pr pus have been removed, the doctor then removes the balloon catheter. The end result is that the sinuses are very open now and devoid of any pus or excess mucus.
Recovering from Sinus Surgery
Being a non-invasive surgery, the recovery period is usually an easy and short one. This is not directly indicative of how long-lasting its effects can be as data have shown that many patients enjoy the results for as much as 10 years.
Reasons for Sinus Surgery
Many situations could warrant a sinus surgery be conducted. Sinusitis is one of such. It is an infection that affects the nasal passages. It causes headaches, congestion, and a stuffy nose amongst other things, and combined, they can be unbearable at times.
Some other reasons why someone might decide to undergo a sinus surgery are nasal issues that cause difficulty in breathing. Nasal polyps are one of such issues. Nasal polyps are swellings of the nasal lining inside the nasal passages and sinuses. Depending on their size, polyps can lead to breathing difficulties and infections.
Sinus surgery are very simple procedures and you would be safe with any specialist conducting the surgery. So, save yourself all the stress and go book an appointment with a specialist now.
