I am a sinus surgeon here in Los Angeles, but that doesn’t mean that I assume every problem that I face warrants a sinus surgery procedure. On the contrary: one of my bedrock commitments as a medical doctor is to prevent undue procedures wherever possible.
This latest study looked at some of the ways that intervening early in cases of chronic rhinitis and sinusitis may be able to obviate the need for sinus surgery down the line:
The sinuses and lungs are connected. Things that cause inflammation in the sinuses can also do so in the lungs – particularly allergies. In people who have allergies and chronic sinusitis, keeping the sinuses under control helps the lungs, and keeping the lungs under control helps the sinuses. Aggressive treatment, whether with allergy immunotherapy or sinus surgery, may help reduce the risk of developing a worse airway disease, like asthma.
If you’re experiencing chronic symptoms and hoping to avoid a sinus surgery procedure such as septal surgery, nasal polyp removal, or balloon sinuplasty, please contact an expert ENT to get tested for allergies. You may find that powerful medical management does the trick for you.