Litchfield Hills Today

• The lifetime cost of managing acute sinusitis is $38,515
• The management of sinusitis in the United States exceeds $11 billion per year overall
• There are minimally invasive treatment options for sinusitis that can provide long term results and reduce your healthcare costs in return

Managing chronic sinusitis is expensive, but a balloon sinuplasty can relieve long term symptoms and save patients money. Dr. Robert Weiss of CT ENT said a balloon sinuplasty can treat clogged sinuses among those suffering from sinusitis. 

"[Balloon sinuplasty] was developed to be able to take a balloon catheter, place it in the clogged sinus and unclog the sinus. What that allowed us to do, is to be able to open up blocked and clogged sinuses in a way without requiring surgery because we're not removing any tissue. We're simply dilating and remodeling and opening those blockages. After a couple of years, we realized, you know what, patients don't need to go to sleep for this because it can be done in such a minimally invasive way," said Weiss.

Chronic sinusitis is a condition where the sinuses, or the spaces inside your nose and head, become inflamed and swollen for a period of three months or more, according to Mayo Clinic. This disrupts the normal drainage of mucus, leading to nasal congestion and difficulty in breathing through the nose. As a result, individuals may experience a stuffy nose, and the area around their eyes may feel tender and swollen. The triggers include infections, the presence of abnormal growths in the sinuses, such as nasal polyps, or sinus lining inflammation. Both adults and children can be affected by this condition.

If chronic sinusitis goes untreated for an extended period of time, the cost of care can soar. According to a study published PubMed, the lifetime cost of managing sinusitis is $38,515. Some of the variables include the cost of antibiotics and patients' time away from work due the condition.

The American Academy of Otolaryngology reported that approximately one in eight adults in the U.S. are affected by sinusitis, with more than 30 million diagnoses each year. The management of acute and chronic sinusitis incurs a direct cost of over $11 billion annually. 

Instead of paying constant fees, there are long term treatment options for patients that can save patients money. Balloon sinuplasty is a safe and minimally invasive procedure performed by surgeons to address chronic sinusitis, according to Nuffield Health. During the procedure, doctors insert a guide wire into the nostrils, equipped with a small balloon, navigate it to the area of blockage, and inflate it to clear the airway.

If you think you could benefit from a minimally invasive sinus treatment to improve your quality of life, take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.