Empire State Today

• Chronic sinusitis affects 28.9 million American adults, or 11% of the adult population. 
• Experts recommend early intervention for sinusitis to reduce the risk of more serious conditions developing later.
• Balloon sinuplasty is a procedure often recommended to treat chronic sinusitis. 

While the initial symptoms of sinusitis may seem mild, they can severely diminish one's quality of life if left untreated. According to Dr. Joseph Capo of Capo Nose and Sinus Center, seeing a patient get better after treatment is the most satisfying part of his job. 

"Sinus patients often endure a significant amount of suffering, as they experience a wide range of debilitating symptoms such as nasal congestion, postnasal drip, and chronic cough, among others," Dr. Capo told Empire State Today. "In our office, we have a multitude of options to provide them with relief, whether through medical management or procedural intervention. Whether a patient needs a straightforward treatment like a nasal spray or a more complex intervention like balloon sinus dilation or a sinus procedure, nothing brings me greater satisfaction than seeing them return after the intervention with significant improvements in their symptoms and an enhanced quality of life."

Causes of sinusitis include viruses, bacteria, fungus, and allergies, according to the Merck Manuals. If sinusitis lasts for more than three months, it is considered to be chronic sinusitis. Symptoms of sinusitis include yellow or green drainage from your nose, pressure and pain in your face, stuffy nose, bad breath, coughing up mucus, especially at night, and sometimes fever and chills.

Serious complications can result from untreated sinusitis, including vision loss or infections in the bones and skin, according to Mayo Clinic. It is rare, but infections caused by sinusitis can even cause meningitis.

People experiencing symptoms lasting more than a week are advised to seek a physician, according to NHS Inform. An ENT specialist may initially recommend a saline solution or over-the-counter medication, or they may even prescribe antibiotics or a corticosteroid spray for more severe cases. For cases where those treatments are ineffective, the specialist might recommend sinus surgery.

Balloon sinuplasty, also known as balloon catheter dilation surgery, is a procedure to clear blocked sinuses, according to Healthline. The procedure is relatively new, having been approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2005. Balloon sinuplasty is most often recommended for people with chronic sinusitis after other treatments for their condition have proven ineffective. Balloon sinuplasty is fairly straightforward, and reported complications are minimal.

Dr. Capo is the founder of Capo Nose and Sinus Center, according to the organization's website. Having concluded a five-year residency in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery at Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan, his primary emphasis was on treating individuals with sinus and nasal disorders. He has performed more than 1000 sinus procedures and also carries out septoplasty and Latera nasal valve implant procedures directly in the office.