Sinus surgery can alleviate pain, help you breathe easier
Contact: John Broom
by Michael Papsidero, MD
ACMC Ear, Nose, & Throat Specialist
Sinus problems can leave you tired and feeling miserable, with a stuffed up head, dizziness, headaches, facial tenderness – even your teeth can hurt. When we have exhausted other options, such as medication or lifestyle changes, sinus surgery can alleviate pain and help you breathe easier. Today's sinus surgery uses the latest micro-technology and computer-aided imagery. We perform a variety of surgical techniques at ACMC, all with your comfort and recovery in mind.
Contrary to what some patients ask, we cannot remove your sinuses. They are necessary. They create mucus that moisturizes your nasal passages and keeps out dirt, infectious organisms, and pollutants. When your sinuses become congested, the airflow within the sinuses can be reduced or blocked, causing headaches, sinus pressure, and reduction in mucus drainage. Reduced mucus drainage can lead to an increase of bacteria, which can cause a sinus infection. We treat this with medication, but it is the blockage – not the bacteria – that is the root cause of the sinus infection. Having a single sinus infection is not a reason to worry. You can get an infection following a severe cold or the flu. It is with the recurring, or chronic, sinus infection that we need do further testing to see what is causing congestion and blockage. Is it a deviated septum, narrow sinuses, blocked sinuses, the result of an injury? Surgery may be the best option to open the sinus pathways. Sinus surgery ranges from simply removing the blockage to cutting away damaged tissue or nasal polyps to repositioning a deviated septum.
At ACMC, we use various technology to help ensure patient safety and improve a patient's recovery period. An endoscope is a fiber-optic tube which is inserted into the nose and sinuses. Micro-instruments and a viewing scope can be used to see and perform the surgery. We also use image-guided endoscopic surgery, which entails using CT scans and other images to navigate the sinus passages to remove tissue or blockages.
The benefit to the patient is a potentially shorter recovery time. Some patients have reported less pain. The surgery is performed locally, so you can stay close to home for your recovery.
The real benefit is that in a short period of time, you can be breathing easier with less discomfort.
ACMC Ear, Nose, and Throat specialists Michael Papsidero, MD, and Steve Hunyadi, MD, see patients full-time at ACMC. To schedule an appointment, call 440-997-6960.