Understanding Sinus Surgery: What Sinus Surgery Does
An ear, nose, and throat doctor is, as the name implies, a medical professional specializing in conditions and procedures related to the ears, nose, and throat of a patient. Their exact duties will vary based on what they need to treat in a particular patient, though one of the more common procedures these doctors perform is sinus surgery.
Sinus surgeries are a cornerstone of a good ENT doctor. Working with patients who have allergy or sinus issues allows the doctor to focus on his expertise with sinus procedures. Whether you have one of these coming up or would simply like to know more about the different types of sinus surgeries, Commonwealth ENT shares some information about sinus procedures and what they entail because understanding sinus surgery is essential before you decide what is best for you.
Why Sinus Surgery?
In most cases, sinus surgery is undertaken to help patients with frequent sinus infections (sinusitis), misshapen sinuses, or growths (polyps, tumors, etc.) within the sinus cavities. Surgery is typically a last resort in these situations as they can frequently be treated with things like medication. If these other strategies don’t work out, though, sinus surgery is often chosen given the high rate of success and short amount of recovery needed after the fact.
Understanding Sinus Surgery
During sinus surgery, a surgeon is tasked with removing the structures from the sinus that are harmful or irritating to the patient. This can include mucus membranes, swollen tissue, polyps, tumors, or small bits of bone. There are different methods for doing this, most of which can be performed in-office, with minimal disruption to the patient’s life and schedule. For problems that involve large growths that impede drainage, however, surgery may have to be performed in a surgical center or operating arena.
What are the Results?
Regardless of which procedure is needed, sinus surgery tends to have a fairly short recovery time and little scarring. After recovery, patients will hopefully be able to breathe much easier from the improved airflow and sinus drainage without the blockage or irritation that used to be inside them getting in the way. This helps to reduce congestion and fluid buildup within the ears, nose, and throat and generally leads to a better quality of life, especially in allergy season.
Scheduling an appointment with Commonwealth ENT is the first step in diagnosing the cause of and treating your ear, nose or throat condition. Contact us today and take the first step in feeling great! For an appointment, contact us at our Richmond office at (804) 525-4231 or our Midlothian office at(804) 378-7443.