Maryland State Wire

• The lifetime cost of managing acute sinusitis is $38,515
• The management of sinusitis in the United States exceeds $11 billion per year overall
• There are minimally invasive treatment options for sinusitis that can provide long term results and reduce your healthcare costs in return

Managing chronic sinusitis is expensive, but a balloon sinuplasty procedure can relieve symptoms long term and save patients money. Dr. Manish Khanna of Capitol Breathe Free said a balloon sinuplasty is also cost effective when it comes to sinusitis, as it's less expensive than getting surgery in a hospital.

"When it's done in an office setting, the cost savings for patients is tremendous. When these are done in a hospital setting or an ambulatory surgical setting, the insurance companies, as well as the patients, are getting stuck with an extra charge, which can be in the thousands of dollars of time. So there's a lot of positives of doing these procedures in an office setting,"said Khanna.

Chronic sinusitis is a condition where the sinuses, or the spaces inside your nose and head, become inflamed and swollen for a period of three months or more, according to Mayo Clinic. This disrupts the normal drainage of mucus, leading to nasal congestion and difficulty breathing through the nose. As a result, individuals may experience a stuffy nose, and the area around their eyes may feel tender and swollen. Triggers include infections, the presence of abnormal growths in the sinuses, like nasal polyps, or sinus lining inflammation. Both adults and children can be affected by this condition.

If chronic sinusitis goes untreated for a long period of time, the cost of care can soar. According to a study published in PubMed, the lifetime cost of managing sinusitis is $38,515. Some variables include the cost of antibiotics and patients' time away from work due the condition.

The American Academy of Otolaryngology reported that approximately one in eight adults in the U.S. are affected by sinusitis, with more than 30 million diagnoses each year. The management of acute and chronic sinusitis incurs a direct cost of over $11 billion annually.

Instead of paying constant fees, there are long term treatment options for patients that can save patients money. Balloon sinuplasty is a safe and minimally invasive procedure performed by surgeons to address chronic sinusitis, according to Nuffield Health. During the procedure, doctors insert a guide wire into the nostrils, equipped with a small balloon, navigate it to the area of blockage, and inflate it to clear the airway.

If you think you could benefit from a minimally invasive sinus treatment to improve your quality of life, take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.