As a board-certified Otolaryngologist I am no stranger to sinus issues, but my connection to it is personal as well as professional. After breaking my nose in the first grade and then again in college, I underwent traditional sinus surgery in 2011 to relieve sinus pain, congestion and chronic inflammation. Sinus surgery dramatically improved my quality of life by allowing me to breathe freely.
During the past year or two, I noticed some deterioration from my traditional sinus surgery in 2011. There was not a dramatic negative impact, but I was experiencing some stuffiness at night while laying down. This led to my decision to undergo office-based balloon sinuplasty and turbinate reduction, just to keep me up and running. The brief video below shows Dr. Rossiter (formerly with ADVENT and now retired), performing the procedure on me, right here in our Milwaukee / Wauwatosa office.
Even though I talk with patients often about what to expect from this experience, I was actually surprised by how low-key the experience was. As you'll see from the video, I was calm and talked through the entire procedure. I spent a normal evening at home, excercised the next morning, and returned to work.
The sinus issues I had are very common problems. Sadly, too many people are not aware of their options, or they've been told there's nothing that can be done. They accept these conclusions without benefit of an evaluation, by the right practice.
I see my role as giving patients choices, presenting the various scenarios and likely outcomes-these are the things we can do. Sinus problems won't do you in, but they are quality of life issues. I hope that my story encourages others to seek out their options and not just continue to put up with sinus problems. I believe so strongly that today's advanced procedures can restore quality of life, that I was willing to undergo them myself.
Please click here to learn more about my previous traditional sinus surgery in 2011.