Henrico Times

 Sinusitis affects millions of people in the United States, often inflicting misery to those who suffer from the chronic condition.

It can make it difficult to breathe through your nose,  cause headaches around your eyes, bad breath and other problems, according to Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles.

Medication can help some patients but for others doesn’t seem to work, the hospital said.

One of those patients was Ryan Taylor of Richmond.

His sinus problems frequently kept him awake, and he had been experiencing these issues for years.

“The drainage was so bad, I couldn’t hardly breathe,” he said. “It really affected how I functioned throughout the day as well. It was absolutely miserable. There were days when I couldn’t even think.”

Taylor tried over-the-counter remedies, but they never seemed to work. Finally, he went to Richmond Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers for a procedure called balloon sinuplasty.

A tiny sinus balloon is inserted where the patient's sinuses are blocked. The sinus balloon is inflated, deflated and then removed, allowing proper airflow to return to the sinuses.

“I didn’t feel a thing at all,” Taylor said. “They numb you up so well with the medicine. They said I might feel pressure, but I didn’t feel anything.”

It was an outpatient procedure and in about a week, the results were clear.

“I am almost back to normal,” Taylor said. “I absolutely wish I had done it a lot sooner. But being young, I didn’t know any better.”

Lauren Zuk of Richmond had a similar experience.

Her allergies and sinus problems made her feel like she was wearing a mask.

“I felt pressure on my face all the time,” she said. “I had horrible headaches.”

It also affected her sleep as well.

“I could sleep 11 hours and still not feel refreshed,” Zuk said.

She also had balloon sinuplasty at Richmond Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers.

About two weeks later, she could see a big difference. 

“I felt air rushing into places where it hadn’t been before,” she said. “After four weeks, I was breathing like I hadn’t in years.”

A 2016 study of 15 patients confirmed that balloon sinuplasty works.

"Balloon sinuplasty appears to be a safe, effective and minimally invasive treatment option to relieve sinus ostial obstruction," it found.