North Richmond Today

• Sinusitis can create struggles in a patient's daily life.
• Seeking treatment from an ENT specialist sooner rather than later is important because irreversible damage could occur if patients wait too long.
• Studies have shown that minimally invasive sinus surgery can improve patients' quality of life.

Untreated sinusitis can affect more than just your sinuses; it could end up diminishing your quality of life. Dr. John Ditto of Richmond Breathe Free said the earlier you treat chronic sinusitis, the better improvement you will see.

"The earlier that we can arrest the progression of chronic sinusitis, the earlier we can decrease some of the long-term complications, including the formation of polyps and significant chronic disease," Dr. Ditto told North Richmond Today. "We recommend early management versus waiting until the situation is severe. That may mean that there may be minimal but significant findings on a CT scan, but we address it at that time so that it doesn't progress. As far as quality of life, if you can treat the patient and improve their sinus conditions, then it will decrease their time off from work, which will increase productivity."

A study published by the National Library of Medicine found that people who suffer from chronic sinusitis are more likely to experience poor-quality sleep. The study found that 60-75% of people with chronic sinusitis experience sleep disruption, compared to 8-18% of the general population. The study also found that chronic sinusitis patients who experience this disruption are also more likely to experience depression, a decreased quality of life, difficulty concentrating, fatigue throughout the day, and decreased memory and productivity.

Many patients who undergo minimally invasive surgery to treat their chronic sinusitis find that, after the surgery, their quality of sleep drastically improves, according to a recent study published by Atlanta ENT Sinus & Allergy Associates, P.C. More than 500 patients who underwent sinus surgery found significant improvement in their sleep quality and overall quality of life.

A minimally invasive treatment option for chronic sinusitis sufferers is balloon sinuplasty. A balloon sinuplasty procedure is quick, and patients typically recover within 1-2 days. Most patients can resume their normal activities in that time period, although they may experience some swelling for up to a week, according to Medium.

Initiating early intervention for a patient with sinus issues not only enhances their immediate quality of life but also leads to long-term relief and lowers healthcare expenses, according to a study from Pub Med.