North Richmond Today

Spring is here, bringing with it a number of complications for those who suffer from sinusitis, which may be exacerbated by seasonal allergies.

The equinox, when the length of the days and nights are equal twice a year, was scheduled to arrive on Sunday, March 20, and mark the official start of the spring season, according to the Farmers' Almanac.

However, many individuals who suffer from sinus pain or headaches during the allergy season are already experiencing the effects. In February, the first month of the spring allergy season, tree pollen is the primary cause of sinus discomfort and related symptoms.

Trees may begin generating pollen as early as January and continue to do so until June in certain conditions, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.

Allergies to tree pollen can trigger the same symptoms as "spring allergies," such as sinus inflammation, sneezing, congested nasal passages and itchy, watery eyes.

In March, tree pollen becomes more prevalent. But additional triggers may come from grass pollen, which, like tree and ragweed pollen, increases during cold nights and warm days, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.

In April, grass pollen begins to appear and flowers continue to blossom, increasing seasonal allergic rhinitis. May is also likely to produce a rise in sinus inflammation-related symptoms.

These weather-dependent conditions may also aid a plant in producing more pollen if the weather circumstances are ideal for that particular plant.

However, people who experience compounding problems of narrow sinuses and allergies during these months can find treatment options for relief with balloon sinuplasty.

“It is a fantastic new technique, because what studies have shown is that it's as effective as traditional functional endoscopic sinus surgery," Dr. John Ditto of Richmond Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers told North Richmond Today.

Balloon sinuplasty is a minimally invasive surgery that involves the insertion of small balloons into the sinuses to enlarge the restricted opening, thereby allowing the patient to breathe more effectively.

"I can perform a procedure for a patient and improve their recurrent sinusitis by using a minimally invasive technique to improve them, instead of taking them to the operating room under general anesthesia and performing a sinus bone and membrane destruction procedure, where you're removing things," Ditto said.

If you think you might have narrow sinuses or seasonal allergies, please take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.