Do you find yourself struggling with chronic sinus pain and sinusitis issues? If you have been considering traditional sinus relief methods for these issues, you should talk to your doctor about trying a balloon sinuplasty instead. It’s very effective and much less invasive than having surgery. There are a lot of misconceptions about balloon sinuplasty however, so we are here to cover some of the common questions you may have, as well as clear up any false info about the procedure itself. Here are 5 of the most common myths about balloon sinuplasty procedures.
“Won’t my nose have to be packed? That’s so uncomfortable!”
In past times, sinus doctors would need to pack patients’ noses with gauze, which wouldn’t be removed until a day or two after the procedure. Talk about uncomfortable and inconvenient… We can certainly see why this would be a concern. Luckily, packing isn’t require at all for a balloon sinuplasty. In fact, new technology has allowed for packing to no longer be a necessary practice fro healing. Be sure if you are seeking for a reliable sinus surgeon, that they don’t use nasal packing as part of the procedure.
“But isn’t recovery difficult and doesn’t it take a long time?”
Usually, traditional sinus surgery requires anywhere from a few days to a few weeks away from working to allow for proper congestion and drainage. Just as times have changed and new technology is faster and more efficient, so to have our sinus procedures! A balloon sinuplasty procedure is performed in-office and requires little or no downtime afterwards. Typically, most of our patients are back to their normal, everyday schedule one or two days after they’ve had the procedure, getting your back to real life, real fast!
“A balloon sinuplasty likely won’t be covered by my insurance…”
As a matter of fact, balloon sinuplasty procedures are covered by the majority of insurance plans, though there are still a couple of plans out there that may not cover it. Depending on your insurance plan, you may also find you have a pre-authorization requirement prior to having the procedure done. If you are unsure as to if your insurance will cover it, feel free to give us a call at (212) 889-8575 and we can work with you to clarify what you need and if your procedure will be covered!
“I don’t know if I can tolerate a balloon sinuplasty procedure…. I’m afraid it will hurt!”
Finding yourself reluctant to try and in-office balloon sinuplasty procedure? You’re not alone! A recent balloon sinuplasty procedure study proved found that 82% of patients felt it to be a tolerable to highly tolerable procedure, while 15% felt it was somewhat tolerable. By using both topical and local anesthetics, the majority of our patients have told us that they feel more pressure, rather than pain while the procedure is happening. Overall, our patients tend to find that they can tolerate the procedure much better than they anticipated!
“Is a balloon sinuplasty actually capable of relieving my symptoms?
Not only is a balloon sinuplasty procedure safe, it’s also an incredibly effective procedure too! Many studies have been done on the effect the procedure has on the patients life after the fact, and the results have concluded that there is a statistical and clinical improvement in a patient’s quality of life post-balloon sinuplasty! So what are you waiting for? Make an appointment with us today!