New Help For Sinus Headache Sufferers

Most doctors will tell you that there is no such thing as a sinus headache. If you are having what you believe are sinus headaches, what you are really experiencing is a sinus infection (sinusitis) and that your headaches are caused by the pressure exerted by the infection.

Balloon sinuplasty

If your problem is that you have recurring sinus infections and sinus-pressure headaches, there is a new technique that can help. It is called balloon sinuplasty. The advantages of this new procedure are that it involves very little trauma to your tissue, there is less of a risk of injury and bleeding, minimal discomfort and a very short recovery time.

What balloon sinuplasty is

Balloon sinuplasty consists of using a thin, flexible balloon catheter to a enlarge sinus openings. There is also a special device that inflates with medication inside and sinus. This medication then slowly releases from the balloon, bathing the sinus lining and decreasing inflammation. This device is left in the sinus and then removed 14-21 days after surgery. The interesting thing is that during this t14-21 day period the patient doesn't even feel the device

80,000 patients

More than 80,000 patients have been treated with loan balloon angioplasty throughout the world. In all these cases there were no serious complications and follow-up studies have shown better than a 90% success.

Is balloon sinuplasty something that could help you? The only way to get an answer to this question is to talk to your doctor. However, be forewarned that most doctors, including headache specialists, do not perform this procedure. If your doctor can determine that the procedure could help you, you will most likely be referred to a doctor or hospital that does perform balloon sinuplasty.

When you talk with your doctor

When you talk to this doctor, be sure to ask how many balloon sinuplasties that he or she has performed in what is success rate has been. The procedure may be fairly simple and painless but like any procedure that involves surgery, you want to make sure your doctor has a lot of experience with it.