Grand Canyon Times

• One of the main triggers of sinusitis is allergies, and summer allergies are right around the corner.
• There are minimally invasive treatment options available to sinusitis sufferers.
• Dr. Brian Lee and his team at Scottsdale Sinus and Allergy Center can help to nip your sinusitis and allergy issues in the bud before they cause you to cancel your summer plans.

Summer is quickly approaching, and it's almost time for traveling, backyard barbecues and, unfortunately for some, sinusitis and allergies. While your symptoms might put a damper on your plans, Dr. Brian Lee of Scottsdale Sinus and Allergy Center says his team can help.

"I would say that the vast majority of patients have some component of allergies contributing to their sinus issues," Lee told Grand Canyon Times. "A lot of the times it's inflammation of the nose, and that inflammation could come from allergies, or it could come from chronic or recurrent infections. It's always part of our philosophy to make sure that we test our patients for allergies to make sure that we're not overlooking a contributing factor, and to make sure that not only do we get them better, but we keep them feeling better."

Spring allergies may be on the way out, as trees and flowers are largely finished blooming, but summer allergies caused by weeds and grasses are the next to worry about, according to WebMD. One of the most common triggers in the summer is ragweed, which not only affects the areas in which it grows, but it can travel hundreds of miles on the wind as well.

There are minimally invasive treatment options available, including balloon sinuplasty. A balloon sinuplasty is a simple, in-office procedure that only takes about an hour, according to sinussurgeryoptions.com. The prep lasts about 30 minutes and uses a local anesthetic for comfort. A thin instrument with a balloon attached is then guided through the sinus cavity, then the balloon is inflated for five seconds with saline and, with the sinuses open, the balloon is removed.

Lee and his team at Scottsdale Sinus and Allergy Center can help to treat your sinus issues before they ruin your plans this summer. The clinic offers balloon sinuplasty and other other sinus, allergy, and ear, nose and throat (ENT) treatments. Scottsdale Sinus and Allergy Center's mission is "to provide their patients with safe, effective, and affordable sinus and allergy health solutions." The clinic also offers minimally invasive solutions as proof of its commitment to restoring patients' quality of life.

To learn more about the symptoms of sinusitis and allergies, take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.