There are many myths surrounding balloon sinuplasty that make it harder for patients to get the help that they truly need. In truth, this method avoids the use of invasive surgical tools and techniques that cut and/or remove tissue or break bone, letting the recipient recover quickly with minimal pain, if any.
However, with newer technology and techniques come fantastical myths about why one should avoid them. Today, your friendly McAllen ENT, Dr. Frank R. Glatz of the Glatz Group, is debunking these myths to determine if getting a balloon sinuplasty is right for you.
Fact: Balloon sinuplasty is one of the most routinely performed sinus surgeries, where approximately 535,000 people have been treated using this procedure worldwide since it was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2005. Balloon sinuplasty continues to become the preferred method of sinus relief, as a 2017 study conducted by the Oakland Medical Center revealed that this procedure increased significantly in usage by an average of 59 percent between 2011 through 2014.
While it is a breakthrough alternative to traditional sinus surgeries, it certainly isn’t an experimental procedure.
Fact: No. Most patients see no external changes as a result of their balloon sinuplasty. Since the procedure doesn’t involve any cutting, less than 0.1 percent of cases see complications. It also won’t result in any bruising, discoloration, or black eyes.
Fact: Before the small, latex-free balloon is inserted, your sinus doctor will administer either a local or general anesthetics in an effort to eliminate any pain during this safe procedure. After the procedure, your sinus doctor may recommend an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory to help with any mild discomfort or irritation.
Because this procedure doesn’t cut into your sinuses or cause a lot of bleeding, there is no need to pack gauze into your nasal cavity as well--a process that can cause significant pain and pressure in patients when removing.
Fact: Most patients only need one to two days for recovery before they are ready to return to their regular activities; however, many other sinus or nasal surgeries involve a long and painful recovery period, often requiring weeks to months of recovery time.
With a balloon sinuplasty, there is no need to visit an operating room, stay overnight at the hospital, or enter any kind of rehabilitation program. This innovation of nasal relief is an in-and-out type of procedure.
Fact: Balloon sinuplasty is highly effective, so much so that most patients who undergo this procedure report significant improvement and have no need to repeat it. If a patient does return, often it is to perform the procedure on other sinus openings that weren’t previously treated.
While some other nasal surgeries can cause scarring that may need to be revisited in further surgeries, this isn’t a necessity with balloon sinuplasty.
Fact: Balloon sinuplasty is an in-office, non-invasive procedure that avoids all of the other charges and expenses that would be present on a standard hospital bill.
Because of this, its cost is significantly lower than that of traditional sinus surgeries. It doesn’t require a hospital stay and is covered by most private insurance companies as well as Medicare.
In order to determine if you are a good candidate for a balloon sinuplasty, set up a consultation with our sinus relief specialists at the Glatz Group. While you may be a candidate for the procedure, certain nasal conditions or restrictions may prevent you from having the procedure performed.
For individuals that live with chronic sinusitis, excruciating symptoms that can make a significant impact on their breathing affect their lives daily. In fact, about 30 million individuals are affected by sinusitis on a yearly basis.
When antibiotics and nasal sprays just won’t deliver you adequate results, balloon sinuplasty is the solution that properly drains your sinuses, providing relief to facial pain and pressure and allowing you to breathe freely again.
While just reading the words “procedure” or “surgery” can raise alarms and frighten you, the McAllen sinus doctor at the Glatz Group, Dr. Frank R. Glatz, wants to ease your fears and anxieties about balloon sinuplasty by explaining the basics of the procedure and what to expect as you recover from it.
Balloon sinuplasty is a relatively short, simple yet effective, and safe procedure that can be administered in our McAllen office by our trusted ENT doctor and specialists. When sinusitis causes one’s nasal cavities to become inflamed and/or swollen, they cannot properly drain out mucus as intended.
The goal behind balloon sinuplasty is to slightly alter these inflamed cavities with a small balloon-like device that inflates in order to open up the pathways without the need to perform surgery that extracts tissue or bone.
Before he or she begins, your doctor will administer the right dosage of general or local anesthesia before the procedure to ensure you don’t feel much pain, if any, during the operation.
In comparison to your traditional nasal surgeries, the recovering period from undergoing balloon sinuplasty is a quick process. The procedure only takes about an hour to perform on average, and because there are no tissues or bone removed, patients can resume regular scheduled daily activities as soon as the following day!
Getting behind the wheel after the procedure is done isn’t recommended. Because the procedure employs the use of general, injection, or topical anesthesia administered beforehand, the patient must plan accordingly and make sure a designated driver, such as a relative or friend, is able to drive them back home safely following the procedure.
While specific recovery periods do vary on the patient, it is strongly advised to follow the doctor’s orders when resting, rinsing, and sticking to medication schedules. It is important to take any antibiotics that you were given until the prescription’s completion and to use other medications prescribed to you as directed for their full duration. You may also be prescribed a saline solution designed to lubricate and help heal for three to seven days after the procedure.
Also, avoid blowing your nose within the first 24 hours after the procedure. Your sinuses will still be extremely sensitive as it restores its cavities back to normal function. You may experience swelling, nasal congestion, and potential nosebleeds after you get out and all these symptoms are completely normal and temporary. However, if you feel these symptoms recurring for more than 2 days, please do not hesitate to call us for further guidance.
Straining yourself at work or at home shortly after a balloon sinuplasty can elevate your heart rate, and that isn’t ideal for your healing tissues and underlying structures because elevated blood pressure worsens bleeding.
Since the sinus area is still rather tender after a procedure, any extra pressure that is applied while doing strenuous activities can do significant damage to the tissues and underlying structures that are healing after a balloon sinuplasty.
While the idea of a nasal procedure might sound intimidating at first, don’t worry. This efficient procedure is less painful than other nasal surgeries and procedures by miles, and the recovery period is truly brief--days, not weeks.
At the Glatz Group, we work hard to ensure that balloon sinuplasty will be one of the best decisions you’ve made for your well-being. If you are tired of living with sinusitis or other sinus issues, contact our McAllen sinus doctor at the Glatz Group to see if you are an eligible candidate for balloon sinuplasty.
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The acting world suffered a great tragedy recently when one of its younger actress, Laurel Griggs, passed away due to complications stemming from a massive asthma attack. She had been fighting asthma for two years when an attack sent her to the hospital where she later passed away.
The 13-year-old had committed herself to her craft, wowing audiences with her performances on Broadway, expanding her career to TV and film, and even showcasing her talents on Saturday Night Live. Her bright career was only coming into fruition when her asthma attack happened, now leaving behind devastated family members, friends, and fans of her work.
As parents here at the allergy department of the Glatz Group, our hearts go out to the Griggs family for their loss. Today, we want to take the time to honor Laurel’s memory by using our platform to bring awareness of this disease. Asthma is a prevalent and dangerous disease that sends over 2 million people to emergency rooms across America every year. Your McAllen ENT Doctor, Dr. Frank R. Glatz, and his allergy team have extensive knowledge of how asthma begins, how it can affect you, and how we can help you.
Asthma is a long-term respiratory disease that affects over 25 million Americans every year. Sometimes called a chronic respiratory disease by doctors or “bronchial asthma” by others, this disease causes your airway to become narrow due to a trigger of some sort, impairing a person’s ability to breathe efficiently.
When it occurs, it can cause a bevy of symptoms, include:
However, more severe cases of an asthma attack can cause symptoms such as:
Sometimes severe asthma can also worsen despite using medication. Overall, depending on how bad the symptoms are, asthma is ranked by medical professionals into four degrees of severity:
In any case, immediate emergency medical services are required when enduring severe symptoms; however, you should visit our experienced allergy team over at the Glatz Group right away if you begin feeling any of the mild signs and symptoms first to determine if what is causing your asthma is allergy-related and what can be done to help treat it.
When asthma symptoms worsen, an asthma attack may occur. Many different scenarios exist that can trigger symptoms that ultimately turn into an asthma attack, such as:
When any of the above triggers asthmatic symptoms in individuals susceptible to them, an asthma attack may happen. During an attack, the airways within your throat are inflamed and begin to swell, also known as a bronchospasm. During the bronchospasm, a thick mucus is produced that further inhibits breathing, turning a frightening situation into a dire one.
If you have asthma and are enduring a severe asthma attack, get medical help immediately. If severe asthma attacks are left untreated, they can ultimately lead to respiratory failure, and then death.
In a recent article published by NBC News, it was discovered that McAllen, Texas is actually the worst city for living with springtime allergies. For all of us living in McAllen and the Rio Grande Valley, this article shows us that there is a need to visit a devoted allergy team to help give you sinus and allergy relief.
Since we here at Glatz Group specialize both in allergies and in airways, seeing us if you are concerned about your asthma symptoms is always a good idea. Here, we can help you develop a plan that can guide your efforts at managing your condition.
From there, we can discuss:
At the Glatz Group, we are a robust, dedicated team of medical professionals that want to ensure that your ear, nose, and throat health is at optimal shape. Should you begin to experience problematic asthma symptoms, Dr. Frank R. Glatz can help you find the relief you need.
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About 30 million Americans suffer from what is known as “Sinusitis” on a yearly basis. Sinusitis occurs when your nasal pathways become inflamed and/or swollen due to the exposure to allergens, bacteria, or viruses.
Some of the symptoms of chronic sinusitis include anywhere from not being able to breathe nor smell through your nose, irritation within your throat causing teeth pain, and bad breath, having abnormal mucus spreading around to even experiencing physical pain throughout your entire face.
Today, with a little guidance from our Pharr sinus doctor, Dr. Frank R. Glatz of the Glatz Group, we’re taking a look into what leads to chronic sinusitis and why you should consider the procedure known as balloon sinuplasty instead of other nasal surgeries.
A person’s sinuses are an intricate ecosystem; however, when allergens, foreign bacteria, or viruses are introduced, it can cause the inner linings of the sinuses to become inflamed. The resulting congestion can prevent mucus from flushing it out of the sinus cavities, trapping unwanted bacteria in your sinuses where they can grow and cause severe infections and chronic pain.
In fact, there are many causes that lead to developing chronic sinusitis. Some of the most notable ones include:
Perhaps the most efficient way to treat severe chronic sinusitis cases would be to undergo a procedure known as balloon sinuplasty.
Balloon sinuplasty is a quick, safe procedure that is designed to reshape the blocked sinus passageways via a small balloon in order to open up the sinus cavities without having to remove any bone or tissue.
An ENT doctor utilizes a tube-like device that inflates a small balloon inside the nasal openings of one, a few, or all sinus cavities, slightly altering them in order to open up and ultimately improve drainage function.
While it is not designed to completely fix all of your sinus issues forever, it will provide the most long-term relief in comparison to traditional nasal surgeries.
When it comes to specific sinus problems, there are three other main traditional nasal procedures that can be done in specific cases.
While every procedure includes its fair share of risks, balloon sinuplasty can be the most efficient and safest procedure in comparison to other nasal surgeries listed above. For traditional nasal procedures:
And in the more severe cases:
Balloon sinuplasty, on the other hand, is better in comparison because:
It is worth noting that not everyone might be able to qualify for balloon sinuplasty treatment. Speak with our sinus relief specialists to see if balloon sinuplasty will help you.
In order to determine if balloon sinuplasty would be the best option to treat your chronic sinusitis or other nasal conditions, schedule an appointment with the Pharr sinus doctor of the Glatz Group. Once you arrive at your scheduled appointment, our sinus relief specialists will examine your current symptoms and run the necessary tests.
If eligible, balloon sinuplasty can be safely administered by our ENT doctors and staff right in our office.
Having an abnormal, sharp pain in your ears may be a clear indicator that you are suffering from what is known as an earache.
While earaches are very common in both children and adults and may make you feel uncomfortable, they can easily be treated with over-the-counter medication and subside within a couple of days. If untreated, however, you risk the chance of developing recurring symptoms and turn it into something worse.
Today, our Weslaco otolaryngologist, Dr. Frank R. Glatz of the Glatz Group, explores what may be causing your earaches and recommends what services are effective at curing this painful nuisance.
Aside from some of the more obvious symptoms such as ear pain, both children and adults may suffer from some of the same symptoms that are involved with earaches, including, but not limited to:
In more severe cases, sufferers of earaches may feel:
If you have experienced any of the minor to major earache symptoms, reach out to the Glatz Group today to schedule an appointment.
A bevy of circumstances exist that can cause an earache, but the most common include:
1. Excessive Earwax
Even though earwax is supposed to be your ear canal’s top defender, an excessive amount of it can cause you ear discomfort. If left untreated, the earwax can turn into a blockage, trapping bacteria in your ear that can cause an infection.
Although earwax blockages can be treated easily, an attempt to clean it out can go the wrong way. If you stick a cotton swab too far into the ear canal, it could possibly worsen the current condition and become extremely sensitive.
Looking into over-the-counter ear drops will reduce the severity of an earache caused by an overproduction of earwax and can, in time, help clean out the impacted areas in a natural way.
2. Circumstantial Infections
Several different infections, sometimes even outside of the ears, can also play a role in causing earaches. These types of infections include:
This type of infection usually occurs when a cold, allergy, or a sinus infection blocks the eustachian tube within your middle ear. This can lead to negative pressure, causing pain and swelling.
3. Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Syndrome
Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) syndrome is known as the discomfort or pain within the hinge of the jawbone next to your ears. This is commonly caused by ongoing teeth grinding or even from an existing arthritis condition.
It is treatable through over-the-counter medication or any other form of treatment that has prescribed by our Weslaco ENT doctor of the Glatz Group.
4. Air Pressure
While it is not as common as the previous causes per se, it may be a factor in certain instances.
During ascension--regardless of whether you are riding an elevator or traveling via airplane--your ears might not be used to the elevation and can begin to pop. This pop can feel unusual and can lead to irritation and slight hearing loss but after a few moments, your ear pressure should ease out and restore to normal.
If your ears don’t pop, however, it could cause fluid to build up within the ear, causing infection and earaches. In this worst-case scenario, that buildup of fluids can lead to a perforation of the eardrum, resulting in hearing loss.
If your earache symptoms last longer than a few days, do not hesitate to schedule an appointment with our Weslaco otolaryngologist, Dr. Frank R. Glatz, of the Glatz Group.
Our sinus relief specialists can properly assist you and examine your current symptoms in order to prescribe the right medication and treatments you need to take care of your or your child’s earaches.
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As the summer season has now fully transitioned into fall, a number of notable changes come along with it.
With over 60 million reported Americans suffering from common allergy symptoms on a yearly basis, the fall season can bring in some of the harshest seasonal allergies we can be forced to endure.
Our Weslaco balloon sinuplasty specialist at the Glatz Group explains some of the main causes of fall allergies in today's blog, bringing awareness to some of the possible solutions to help relieve symptoms in the long run.
Dealing with seasonal allergies can leave us feeling irritated and annoyed. They tend to creep up during the most unexpected instances and can even affect the way we perform our respective day-to-day duties.
Some of the most common fall allergy symptoms include:
Since the weather and environments can drastically change, a lot of unwanted dirt and pollen in the air makes its way into our sinuses, causing irritation.
The most common allergens that affect people in the fall include the following:
There are many different options when it comes to allergy relief that are both short-term and long-term.
Some short-term over-the-counter medications that will maintain allergy relief for a few days include oral antihistamines, nasal sprays, and decongestants.
If any of these short-term options don't work for you, you may consider looking into nasal surgery such as balloon sinuplasty to provide long-term relief.
To accurately find out what specific treatment is suitable to treat your case, consult with our Weslaco otolaryngologist, Dr. Frank R. Glatz, at the Glatz Group to properly recommend medication and/or services based upon your needs.
Balloon sinuplasty is a safe and effective procedure that is designed to slightly alter the affected sinus passageways and help them drain better without needing to remove any bone or tissue.
It is usually performed on those who suffer from severe cases of chronic sinusitis--which include similar symptoms to the ones mentioned earlier--and is a relatively quick procedure that can be administered by our trusted ENT in our Weslaco office.
A balloon sinuplasty is effective at opening up your nasal passages, creating enough space for them to properly drain and avoid developing sinus infections caused by fall season allergens.
In order to determine if your symptoms qualify for a balloon sinuplasty, schedule a consultation with our Weslaco sinus relief specialists of the Glatz Group today.
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Knowing just what causes sinus infections is the key to finding lasting relief through relevant treatment, especially for a condition that affects over 30 million Americans a year. While the most common symptoms are short term, they can eventually evolve into long-term complications if not treated correctly.
Our experienced McAllen otolaryngologist, Dr. Frank R. Glatz, and his team of sinus relief specialists at the Glatz Group firmly believe that sinus health is important to your overall wellbeing and it is their responsibility to share their knowledge with you on how your sinuses properly function, what the most common causes of sinus infection are, and how they can be treated.
Your sinuses are an intricate system. There are eight total sinus cavities that lie behind your nose, cheeks, and lower forehead. These air-filled cavities are responsible for producing mucus, which helps defend you from unwanted particles such as dirt, pollen, and dust while keeping your inner nasal passage moist.
So whenever there’s something interfering with the mucus production, your sinuses are unable to drain out, leading to a number of temporary, or even long-term, health issues.
When the sinuses are blocked, they eventually become clogged up with fluids, which then leads to unwanted bacterial grow within these chambers.
Some of the symptoms may include:
Individuals that have a weaker immune system are more likely to develop sinus infection from bacteria or mold.
The causation of sinus infections varies depending on its root cause. Listed below are several variants with recommended treatment options:
Other potential factors may also include:
It can be caused due to allergies, repeated infections, or immune disorders. Nasal polyps may affect your ability to breathe and smell and may even lead to more nasal infections.
Seek advice from Dr. Glatz if any of these affect your way of living. Surgery might be required if necessary.
Upon scheduling an appointment with our McAllen otolaryngologist at the Glatz Group, Dr. Glatz and our staff will carefully evaluate your symptoms in order to diagnose your condition and recommend applicable treatment designed to provide maximum sinus relief.
Sinusitis is one of the most common types of nasal-infections in the United States with an average of 30 million cases per year. Sinusitis occurs when your sinus lining becomes infected, swollen, and inflamed due to viruses, allergies, or bacteria that you were exposed to.
Rather than your mucus draining out naturally, your sinuses get clogged, which then leads to unwanted germs developing and growing. This ultimately results in sinus infections and the accompanying issues.
While some cases can be acute (temporary), there are many cases that develop into long-term chronic issues, which can lead to excruciating pain.
Thankfully, there is a solution.
The McAllen sinus relief specialists at Glatz Group offer a minimally invasive, FDA-approved procedure known as balloon sinuplasty, which can help to rid you of the symptoms of chronic sinusitis.
Allow our McAllen balloon sinuplasty specialists answer a few of the most common frequently asked questions about the procedure.
A: If you have suffered from any of the following symptoms which have lasted for more than 12 weeks, you may have yourself a case of chronic sinusitis. Please consult a specialist as soon as you can if you have been experiencing any of the following recurring symptoms:
Balloon sinuplasty is a safe and effective procedure that can help to relieve you of the symptoms and pains caused by sinusitis. The procedure is designed to reshape the blocked sinus passageways without needing to remove any bone or tissue.
Just as the name states it, the procedure involves a small balloon attached to a special device. The procedure may be done using general or local anesthesia to render it painless for the patient. Once the patient has been administered anesthesia a thin, flexible tool is inserted into the nasal passage. The tool includes a camera and light which allows the doctor to see exactly where the instrument needs to be used.
At the proper place, the doctor will utilize a small balloon catheter to open up the congested area, restructure the sinus, and restore drainage. The passageways and cavities are flushed with a saline rinse and the balloon is removed to allow the sinus to drain once again.
The procedure is relatively painless and generally takes less than an hour to complete. The procedure has been completed hundreds of thousands of times, is FDA approved, and can be administered in-office by our trustworthy McAllen balloon sinuplasty specialists at the Glatz Group.
While the procedure itself is relatively short and painless, the actual time for recovery does vary from patient to patient. On average, the majority of the time patients can resume their regular activities within 2 days.
After the procedure, patients may feel some swelling but this is normal and will eventually go away.
As far as driving back home after the procedure, it will depend on whether or not you were given some sort of anesthesia.
In order to determine if balloon sinuplasty would be the right move to help with your chronic sinusitis, contact the McAllen sinus relief specialists of the Glatz Group to schedule an appointment with our trusted doctors and staff.
Our specialists will determine if the procedure is right for you based on analyzing your symptoms and will further explain the process, as well as the risks and benefits.
The change of seasons can bring with them a lot more than just cheerful tidings. With fall comes increased counts of spores, pollen, animal dander, chemical fumes, and other harsh environmental irritants. Unfortunately, some people react to these allergens in worse ways than others and begin to develop sinus problems.
Do you need some relief because of seasonal allergies? Count on the experienced sinus relief team at Glatz Group to effectively treat any inflammation of your sinuses due to allergies. At Glatz Group, we treat you with the care you need and a revolutionary solution known as balloon sinuplasty.
Today, we’re going to explore the possibilities of how this procedure can provide nasal relief for those already feeling the effects of the upcoming season.
A balloon sinuplasty is a type of sinus surgery in which your ear, nose, and throat doctor (ENT) inserts a small tube into your nose. At the end of this tube, a small balloon is guided through the congested and inflamed areas of your nose.
Here, the ENT inflates the balloon, clearing up your nasal passages and allowing for proper draining. This procedure alleviates painful sinus congestion with little downtime.
Studies on the efficacy and safety of a balloon sinuplasty have shown that this catheter-based surgery is both extremely effective and safe with no reports of adverse effects. The recovery time after this procedure varies per patient; however, many people return back to their daily routine after 24 hours.
The average time it takes to perform a balloon sinuplasty is at least 3 hours, but it does depend on the person. Depending on what your ENT recommends for you, most patients use general anesthesia during this procedure, while others have preferred local anesthesia.
If you have been diagnosed with chronic sinusitis and have not improved after taking antibiotics, you may be a candidate for the minimally invasive balloon sinuplasty.
We here at Glatz Group, however, understand that preparing for any type of surgery can be stressful. It’s normal to be apprehensive before getting surgery--even a minimally invasive one--but rest assured that the improvement to your nasal health makes it all worth it.
But don’t take our word for it:
We here at the Glatz Group understand how painful and pestering it can be to live with sinus congestion and a plethora of other ear, nose, and throat issues. We want to help take that weight off your shoulders - -and your sinuses.
