Balloon sinuplasty is often covered by insurance and may be more affordable than you think

Balloon sinuplasty, an FDA-approved medical procedure used to treat chronic sinusitis, is not only a simple solution available to patients in a medical office, but it is also likely to be covered by insurance, which aids in cutting out-of-pocket costs.

According to Medical News Today, balloon sinuplasty is used for chronic rhinosinusitis patients whose conditions have not been responsive to other means, such as medical management. The procedure is simple and minimally invasive. It takes place inside the nasal cavity, where a small balloon is inserted and expanded to open the sinuses.

"The vast majority of our procedures are done under local anesthesia in our office," Dr. Brian Lee of Scottsdale Sinus and Allergy Center said. "Obviously, there are multiple benefits of that, especially in terms of recovery. You don't have to process out all the IV drugs and all the anesthetics. But also there's the cost. There's no anesthesiologists involved, no surgery center or hospital to deal with. Some of our patients do require IV sedation, namely for having to fix a deviated septum. And we're still able to do that in our office. We do have a board-certified anesthesiologist who comes in to provide the anesthesia. But again, that's done in our office in our facilities. And so we're able to control everything from start to finish."

Caused by viral and bacterial infections and sometimes structural issues, symptoms of sinusitis include facial pain, inflammation of the sinus, nasal discharge, pain in the bridge of the nose, as well as headache and tiredness, according to the American Sinus Institute.

Candidates for balloon sinuplasty are patients who suffer chronically or routinely. According to Medical News Today, the procedure is not considered an experimental or elective treatment and is usually covered by insurance. If sinus infections are hindering your daily life, it could be a good time to see a ear, nose and throat specialist.

According to The Sinus Institute, sinusitis impacts women more than men, affecting 17% of women and 10% of men out of the 37 million sufferers yearly. According to GoodRx, the procedure is less costly in the office when compared to the procedure taking place in a hospital setting.

We encourage our readers to take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz to determine how bad their sinuses really are and if the balloon sinuplasty is right for  you.

Scottsdale Sinus and Allergy Center is committed to providing the best sinus and allergy relief in Arizona, using the most advanced, proven patient-friendly techniques available. With 37 million Americans suffering from sinusitis and 242,000 annual chronic sinusitis ER visits, our mission is to provide minimally invasive options for needed long-lasting relief, so that patients can get back to living. We call this mission Breathe Free and Live Well, and it is the North Star that guides us in each unique, collaborative patient interaction. To learn more about Scottsdale Sinus and Allergy Center, please visit our website.