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The Importance of Sinus Surgery
Are you experiencing excessive mucus buildup, nasal swelling, facial pain, frequent headaches, loss of smell/taste, and bad breath? Chances are you’re showing symptoms of sinusitis.
If you have experienced, or are currently experiencing, any of these symptoms you should consider one of Dr. Mandel’s minimally invasive sinus procedures, which can clear up any of the symptoms mentioned above and drastically improve your quality of life.
If you postpone treatment or avoid it altogether, you may experience worsened symptoms, which may eventually require a more invasive treatment plan.
Below are four reasons why a minimally invasive sinus surgery at Florida Sinus & Snoring Specialists can save you time and money and prevent unnecessary discomfort.
1. Ineffective Alternative Treatment Options
Many sufferers of sinusitis try to fend off recurring symptoms with over-the-counter treatments, but these remedies are merely temporary solutions.
Patients tend to gravitate towards these treatment options because of their convenience, as most can be used alongside common household elements. This, however, is not an effective way to prevent sinusitis from recurring, and may eventually cause symptoms to worsen.
The most common types of over-the-counter treatments are nasal sprays which can be made with materials you’d find in almost every home. For instance, some of the “popular” nasal spray mixes consist of baking soda, iodized salt, and lukewarm water that you spray up one nostril to flush out all the mucus and bacteria buildup.
This method is called nasal irrigation but is by no means a permanent solution. Nasal sprays may clear congested sinuses for a few hours of the day, but chances are you will experience similar (if not worsened) symptoms once the effects wear off.
In addition to homemade sprays, over-the-counter sprays are also very common. These sprays can contain chemicals such as oxymetazoline, phenylephrine, xylometazoline, and naphazoline. If used for extended amounts of time, these sprays can damage the nasal membrane and cause long-term damage.
2. Overall Expenses of Using Temporary Solutions
If both homemade sprays and over-the-counter sprays aren’t doing the trick, you may also consider prescription drugs, antibiotics, and therapy.
Over time, the cost of all these medications will add up. And worse, you may become reliant on these treatments just to experience a few hours of relief each day.
3. Worsening of Symptoms Over Time
If a sinus infection is left untreated, it can turn into something more serious costing you thousands of dollars in the future.
In rare cases, sinus infections can even spread to a person’s eyes if left untreated. Once an infection spreads to one’s eyes, it can cause irritation, redness, swelling, impaired vision, and even blindness if severe enough.
Rhinologists, ophthalmologists, and otolaryngologists have even reported cases of sinus infections spreading to one’s brain. If an infection spreads to the brain, it can cause serious problems such as meningitis.
4. Invasive Sinus Surgeries
Another problem you may experience if you don’t properly treat your sinusitis is the need for a more invasive surgical procedure later down the line.
Not only could this cost more money and require additional visits to your otolaryngologist, but the recovery process may also take longer and have a less effective outcome than if a patient sought immediate treatment.
This can easily be avoided.
By undergoing minimally invasive sinus surgery at the initial signs of sinusitis, you can avoid the need for a more intensive procedure.
Dr. Mandel’s minimally invasive sinus surgeries involve putting the patient under IV sedation, which means the patient will be asleep for the entire procedure.
He uses an endoscope – a small rod with a camera placed on the end – to inspect the nasal tissue and surrounding areas. Using technical instruments, Dr. Mandel will be able to correct any causes of nasal blockage, irritation, and swelling, allowing nasal irrigation to function properly.
Dr. Mandel’s modified procedures are performed in-office in minutes and allow for same-day recovery and noticeable improvement in the days to follow.
Dr. Mandel is the only rhinologic surgeon in Broward and Miami-Dade counties approved to use Fiagon© – a computer-assisted Image Guided Surgery (GPS) technology. This gives him the advantage of verifying exactly where troubled areas in the nasal passageway and sinus are located. Having such a detailed assessment through every phase of testing, surgery and recovery ensure each patient receives the best treatment South Florida has to offer.
If you are experiencing any symptoms associated with mild or severe sinusitis, contact Florida Sinus & Snoring Specialists to see if a minimally invasive surgery is right for you.
Stop living in discomfort. Invest in a lifetime of free breathing and comfort.