A patient of Sinus and Allergy Wellness Center of North Scottsdale, called E.M., had a balloon sinuplasty procedure to treat her sinus symptoms.
She said her experience was was quick and painless, adding, "I sleep so much better now."
Dr. Franklyn Gergits of Sinus and Allergy Wellness Center shared the story of E.M., 73, in a blog post. According to the post, E.M. told Gergits that she had suffered from sinus trouble "all her life," with symptoms including facial pain and pressure, nasal discharge, a persistent cough, congestion, ear pain and pressure. E.M. underwent testing and treatment for allergies, which helped alleviate some of her symptoms, but she was still dealing with significant "sinus troubles," including recurring sinus infections.
“I was constantly on antibiotics and steroids just to get by," E.M. said. "Once the medications were finished, it wasn’t long until I started to feel worse again. I'm a diabetic and I needed to keep taking the steroids, which caused my sugar counts to skyrocket."
At Sinus and Allergy Wellness Center, E.M. underwent a CT scan and a nasal endoscopy, then filled out a questionnaire describing her sinus symptoms. The tests revealed "nasal blockages and thick drainage trickling to the back of her nose then down her throat."
“I had a constant headache, my nose was always blocked and my drainage was like concrete," E.M. said.
On her questionnaire, E.M. described her poor sleep quality, severe cough and feelings of pain and pressure in her face and ears. When presented with treatment options, and she chose balloon sinuplasty.
Balloon sinuplasty is an outpatient procedure that typically lasts 10 to 15 minutes, and patients typically recover within one to two days, according to Eisemann Plastic Surgery Center. Most patients resume their normal activities during that time, although they may experience swelling for up to a week.
“During the entire process, I never felt any pain," E.M. said in the blog post.
During her second followup visit, E.M. filled out a new questionnaire, which revealed that her sinus symptoms had improved by 81%.
"Fortunately, that's quite typical of our outcome that we continue to see on a daily basis," Gergits said.
“I can’t remember breathing through my nose like I do now, especially at night," E.M. said. "I sleep so much better now. If I had to do it again, I’d do it in a heartbeat.”
Gergits is a board-certified ear, nose and throat specialist who focuses his practice around compassionate care. Gergits earned his undergraduate degree in chemistry from West Virginia University before earning his Master of Science in biochemistry from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Gergits earned his medical degree from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. He was the first physician in Pennsylvania to perform balloon sinuplasty procedures for chronic sinusitis sufferers.
The Sinus and Allergy Wellness Center is located on East Princess Drive in Scottsdale, and it offers a variety of testing and treatment options for patients who suffer from allergies, sinus or ear infections, deviated septums, sleep apnea, sinusitis, headaches and more.
For more information on sinus and allergy symptoms, take this Allergy & Sinus Quiz.