Chronic Sinusitis Glendale & Burbank
At the practice of Michael Bublik, MD, our staff is committed to the highest quality patient care provided with compassion and personal attention, and the availability of the most advanced, innovative diagnostic and therapeutic technology and techniques.
Quite a few patients come to our practice looking for relief for chronic sinusitis symptoms that often interfere with the patients’ ability to enjoy life.
In fact, chronic sinusitis is a common condition that may afflict as many as 14%t of Americans who experience some or all of the following common symptoms:
- Facial pain, pressure, congestion or fullness
- Aching in your upper jaw and teeth
- Difficulty breathing through the nose
- Discharge of yellow or green mucus from the nose
- Inability to smell or taste
- Headache
- Fatigue, weakness, irritability
- Sore throat
- Bad breath
- Coughing at night
- Nausea
What is Sinusitis? – Video
The Annoying Constellation of Symptoms
The annoying constellation of symptoms leads to patients reporting that they feel “miserable”. Normally, the sinuses produce mucus and drain it through small openings into the nasal passages, however, in chronic sinusitis, swelling in both the nose and sinuses blocks that drainage. The result is a stuffed-up nose and an endless outpouring of green or yellow mucus.
Pain or pressure builds up around the eyes or in the face, sometimes accompanied by headaches and toothaches. Indeed, chronic sinusitis can have a significant detrimental impact on patients’ quality of life, and their ability to enjoy day to day activities. Research shows that patients who suffer from chronic sinusitis have lower quality of life scores than patients with congestive heart failure, angina, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or back pain.
In caring for our patients, our primary objectives are eradication of infection, draining of the sinuses, ensuring that the sinuses remain open, and, in general, making our patients feel better. However, in many cases the standard sinusitis treatments, such as decongestants, pain relievers, heating pads, saline sprays and vaporizers often do not provide long-term results. While traditional surgery uses cutting instruments to enlarge sinus openings, new medical technology has led to a less invasive surgical option, Balloon Sinuplasty, a minimally invasive approach that has been very successful in bringing relief to chronic sinusitis symptoms.
In Office Balloon Sinuplasty
In this procedure, Dr. Bublik threads a small balloon through the sinus passages. When the sinus balloon is inflated, it gently opens up blocked sinus passageways, restoring normal sinus drainage. Instead of removing bone, this procedure expands sinus openings by pushing aside bones which block the sinus drainage to create wider openings.
While Dr. Bublik informs his patients that results of the surgery can vary by individual, published clinical research has indicated that using Balloon Sinuplasty technology is safe and effective in dilating sinus openings. In patients who have had sinus surgery with Balloon Sinuplasty technology, over 96% of patients reported that their sinus infection symptoms had stopped or improved.
As the procedure is minimally invasive, it’s typically an outpatient procedure generally performed at our own offices. The procedure generally lasts less than an hour. Recovery time will vary from patient to patient, but many of our patients are ready to return to normal activities within 24 hours after the procedure, although Dr. Bublik good humoredly reminds his patients that skydiving, rappelling and rock climbing should be avoided for a couple of weeks.
Learn more about Michael Bublik, MD.
Make an appointment to learn if you are a candidate for the balloon sinuplasty procedure.
Dr. Bublik, a Board Certified Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) physician is an innovator in the use of Balloon Sinuplasty as a safe and effective treatment in relieving symptoms of chronic sinusitis.
What is Balloon Sinuplasty? – Video