If you have trouble breathing, despite taking medication to relieve your symptoms, chances may be that you are actually suffering from a deviated septum. This condition can result in a number of issues that medicine simply cannot fix.
If you're looking to ease sinus-related symptoms caused by a deviated septum, look into having a balloon sinuplasty procedure done.
Today, your certified McAllen physician assistant, Jonathan Lerma, and his sinus relief specialists here at the Glatz Group of Valley ENT, can help those with deviated septums better understand how it can affect their breathing and sinuses, and what options are available to alleviate those symptoms.
Before understanding how deviated septums can impact your breathing and sinuses, we must first understand what the condition is.
A deviated septum is a physical disorder within the nasal septum, the part of the nose that separates the nasal cavity and forms the nostrils. The nasal septum is primarily made up of bone and cartilage, and is meant to symmetrically separate the nasal openings. When there’s a displacement in the nasal septum, the nasal passageways are no longer symmetrically separated. This creates a blockage in one of the nostrils.
The most common symptom of a deviated or crooked septum is difficulty breathing through the nose. The symptoms are typically worse on one side, and sometimes take place on the side opposite the bend. In certain instances, the crooked septum may interfere with the drainage of the sinuses, leading to recurring sinus infections.
In other cases, a person with a mildly deviated septum may experience symptoms only when they are dealing with an upper respiratory tract infection. For these individuals, in particular, a respiratory infection will provoke nasal inflammation that temporarily intensifies airflow issues associated with the deviated septum. Once the cold has passed, and the nasal inflammation subsides, symptoms of a slightly deviated septum usually resolve as well.
However, for individuals suffering from moderately to severely deviated septums, prolonging treatment will only increase the time you must deal with the symptoms. A deviated septum can result in:
There are several options that may be recommended or prescribed to help you deal with symptoms associated with a deviated septum, including:
It is worth noting that medications only treat the swollen mucous membranes and symptoms associated with a deviated septum BUT WILL NOT correct a deviated septum.
While balloon sinuplasty cannot straighten or correct a deviated septum, it can be used to help individuals obtain relief from sinus-related problems that are exacerbated by the condition.
This minimally invasive procedure does not require any bone or tissue to be removed. It simply uses a balloon catheter to widen the nasal cavity, helping to improve airflow and breathing for the patient. Once the balloon is inserted into the cavity of the affected region, it is slowly inflated to widen and remodel the sinuses.
The risks are small and the benefits can provide a comfortable life without breathing troubles.
As COVID-19 is still an ongoing health concern, we are doing everything in our efforts to ensure the safety and well-being of our staff and patients alike. For the sake of your comfort and peace of mind, we can address your symptoms online via telemedicine services or the phone.
If you need an in-office procedure, that can also be arranged upon request.
Balloon sinuplasty is a safe, effective, minimally invasive surgery that alleviates the pain and pressure associated with allergies or sinusitis. It is designed to treat patients who aren't reacting well to medications including antibiotics, nasal steroids, or over‐the‐counter (OTC) drugs, and who are seeking relief from intolerable and painful allergy or sinusitis symptoms.
The best part is that the balloon sinuplasty surgery can be done in-office at the Glatz Group of Valley ENT.
Today your certified McAllen physician assistant, Jonathan Lerma, and his sinus relief specialist team will list the benefits that come from having balloon sinuplasty in-office (BSPIO).
Unlike traditional sinus surgery, this procedure involves no cutting, or removal of bone or tissue.
The procedure involves a small, flexible, balloon catheter that opens up blocked sinus passages, helping to drain built-up mucus. When the sinus balloon inflates, it restructures and widens the walls of the sinus, opening them while maintaining the immobility of the sinus lining.
Balloon sinuplasty is now available to eligible patients as a procedure performed in our McAllen, Weslaco, or Harlingen office, and does not require general anesthesia. Jonathan Lerma and his right-hand team of sinus relief specialists will help determine the best option for you.
Sometimes a patient may have a combination of chronic sinusitis, septal deviations, turbinate hypertrophy, and Eustachian tube dysfunction. All of these problems can be treated with an in-office balloon sinuplasty procedure, helping to avoid the need for future treatment.
The questions below can be used to help determine whether balloon sinuplasty is the right choice for you. If you appear to be a candidate, we recommend you make an appointment for evaluation and treatment. This can be addressed through telemedicine to ensure your safety and well-being.
Do you feel any of the following symptoms? Checking them off may mean you are a candidate for the procedure:
Most insurance companies and Medicare cover balloon sinuplasty. Our staff will be ‘Glatz’ to provide detailed information based on your insurance to guide you through this aspect of the procedure.
Because of COVID-19, the safety of our staff and patients will continue to be our top priority. We offer the option to have your symptoms addressed online thanks to our telemedicine services or via phone.
If you are in need of an in-office procedure, we can set that up accordingly.
Most of us usually see summer as a time for fun in the sun and a break from spring pollen but, unfortunately, that may not be the case for all allergy sufferers. In fact, the summer heat can make allergies worse than usual.
Let your certified McAllen physician assistant, Jonathan Lerma, and his team of sinus relief specialists at the Glatz Group of Valley ENT explain how summer heat can impact your allergies.
While pollen can affect allergies at any time of the year, those who are most susceptible to it and ragweed may notice a drastic increase in their symptoms during the summer months.
In extreme heat, more pollen is produced, and with summer winds it can get spread around more easily.
There’s plenty of notable summer bugs that can cause you to have an allergic reaction, but we’re talking primarily about cockroaches. Of all non-plant or mold allergies, cockroaches are one of the most common insects that people are allergic to.
Cockroaches are always present in Texas, but summer is the time they become the most prominent and abundant. The feces, saliva, and shedding body parts of cockroaches may all be allergy triggers, and these allergens are spread by winds sweeping them into the air.
Luckily, reducing the effects of your cockroach allergy is the same as lessening the number of cockroaches in your house. Keep every area of your house clean, keep food in containers, and fix leaks to water and regions where cockroaches tend to flock.
If you’ve ever had one of those days where you check the weather app and notice three digit temperatures, it’s only natural for you to want to have a lazy day inside with air conditioning.
However, when we stay inside for long periods of time (and also due to stay-at-home orders), we are exposing ourselves to indoor allergens no matter how clean you may try to keep your house. Roughly 70% of homes have mold behind their walls. For some, a little mold can be fine and not really influence health or breathing, but mold allergies are very common, and in many cases, that could mean our indoor air quality might actually be worse than the outdoors.
Also, mold isn’t the only source of the sniffles inside your house. Dust mites are also a big factor. Dust mites and mold are year-round allergies that can greatly affect your health. Dust mites also like to spend much of their time where you are (hopefully) spending eight hours each day: your bed.
Dust can be much more manageable than mold since it’s not hiding behind the wall, but if you have any kids, pets, roommates, or anyone sharing your space with you, managing it can become less possible.
The Mayo Clinic recommends that even if you are treating your allergy symptoms, try to avoid triggers. If, for example, you’re allergic to pollen, stay indoors with windows closed when pollen count is high. Additionally, air conditioning can help reduce exposure to hot, humid air.
Bear in mind that certain days are worse than others in regards to heat, humidity, and air pollution. By keeping track of weather updates and air quality forecasts, you can limit your time outdoors on especially hot or high air pollution days to help avoid provoking your allergies.
Also, taking your medication as prescribed on top of keeping quick-relief medications with you at all times can help you lessen the degree to which changing weather conditions influence you and your breathing.
Despite your greatest efforts, you might still experience your allergy symptoms getting worse in the summer heat - but that doesn’t mean you have to continue to suffer.
You may be a candidate for balloon sinuplasty, a minimally invasive procedure conducted in our office that can safely and effectively reduce uncomfortable and painful allergy-related symptoms. Every day we make sure that our office is a safe, healthy space for our patients and staff alike, especially due to the current circumstances of COVID-19.
Whether you prefer to have your symptoms addressed online through our telemedicine services or a phone call, we’re ready and ‘Glatz’ to help. For an in-office procedure, we can set that up with you as soon as possible.
Living with sinus issues is no walk in the park, as they can be very stubborn. If medications or other treatments have been ineffective in providing relief for your sinusitis or recurrent acute sinusitis, you may be a candidate for our in-office procedure known as balloon sinuplasty.
This minimally invasive procedure is performed using a tiny balloon to dilate the sinuses, rather than using surgical tools to cut and remove tissue. As the balloon gently inflates, it increases the sinus openings and removes structural blockages, which are usually a primary source or factor in sinus issues.
While the procedure is frequently performed, there are quite a few myths regarding balloon sinuplasty that may scare candidates away. Let certified McAllen physician assistant Jonathan Lerma and his team of sinus relief specialists at the Glatz Group of Valley ENT help you separate the facts from the fiction.
Below you will find some of the most common misconceptions regarding balloon sinuplasty and the facts behind them, all according to the American Sinus Institute.
Fact: The innovation of new technologies has eliminated the requirement for nasal packing post-procedure. Whether the patient gets traditional sinus surgery or goes through with balloon sinuplasty, the gauze is no longer necessary to use.
Fact: Most people who have balloon sinuplasty notice improvements in their quality of life after the operation and it does not need to be repeated.
Fact: When it comes to balloon sinuplasty, there’s little to no downtime. Patients can generally go back to work and resume daily activities after a single day of rest.
Fact: There is typically no change to a patient’s appearance unless they got cosmetic nasal work done at the same time.
Fact: Many plans cover it, but there may be a pre-authorization required prior to the procedure being completed. The medical office where you’re having the balloon sinuplasty should handle these details with you.
Fact: The tools utilized in balloon sinuplasty were approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2005 and thousands of these procedures have been done ever since. The procedure’s safety profile is legitimate.
Fact: When a patient has a deviated septum or large polyps, they might be better suited to traditional sinus surgery that is conducted under general anesthesia. Certain patients who have these issues could still benefit from balloon sinuplasty with less recovery time.
Fact: While they may reoccur, advances in the treatment options lessens the likelihood of them coming back. Our specialists can provide navigation of a patient’s polyps so they can identify where they take place and treat them more precisely. Glatz Group also offers nasal polyp removal surgery.
Fact: Balloon sinuplasty involves the usage of local and topical anesthetics to make the procedure more comfortable. There is a chance the patient will experience a sensation more like pressure and less like pain.
Fact: Balloon sinuplasty has been proven to be effective in offering lasting relief of sinusitis symptoms.
Balloon sinuplasty works well for those who would not be candidates for traditional surgery due to particular factors such as their health, age, previous response to anesthesia, or fear of being put under general anesthesia. For many patients, balloon sinuplasty can minimize symptoms as much as traditional surgery.
Understanding the treatment options available can bring you one step closer to getting the real, lasting relief you deserve. And our physician assistant and sinus relief specialists would be ‘Glatz’ to help make that possible.
Despite the uncertain circumstances COVID-19 has created, we continue to preserve the safety and quality care of both our patients and staff. If you would like to address your allergy or sinus symptoms from home, we can assist you via telemedicine - we’ve helped many of our patients via online services!
We also offer online consultations or phone calls.
