Some patients who suffer from recurring sinusitis gradually lose their sense of taste and smell. | FreeImages/Sebastian Smit
Some patients who suffer from recurring sinusitis gradually lose their sense of taste and smell. | FreeImages/Sebastian Smit
People who suffer from recurring sinusitis are at a greater risk for losing their sense of taste and smell, according to The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
Surgery can lower a patient's risk of losing these senses and reduce the symptoms of sinusitis, which include sniffling, sneezing and congestion. Balloon sinuplasty is a newer type of surgery that is minimally invasive and offers quick patient recovery periods, according to WebMD.
"Our philosophy is to provide the very best state-of-the-art care for chronic nasal and sinus problems, utilizing the latest minimally invasive technologies to allow for physiologic treatment and maintaining normal nasal function, as well as reduced pain and shorter recovery times," Dr. Anthony Sanders, otolaryngology specialist at Indianapolis Sinus Center, told South Indy News. "Typically people can be back to work within a few days after the procedure."
Balloon sinuplasty involves inserting a thin tube into the patient's nasal passage and inflating it to open up the passageways to help them drain more effectively.
Sinusitis is a lot like a cold, except that it is typically accompanied by extreme pressure, swelling or tenderness around the sinuses and other serious symptoms.
The loss of taste and smell is usually gradual, happening as a result of repeated sinus or upper respiratory infections, leading to inflammation and irritation in the sinus cavity.
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