East Hillsborough News

• Untreated sinusitis can result in complications that affect many parts of the body, aside from just the nose.
• Bad breath is a common problem that sinusitis suffers have to deal with due to nasal drainage and mouth breathing.
• There are minimally invasive treatment options available that can treat sinusitis.

Bad breath is one of the many complications that can evolve from sinusitis, but there are easy treatment options that can improve or solve the problem. Dr. Mariah Pate of Tampa Bay Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers says that balloon sinuplasty, which is one of these treatment options, is done in-office and comes with a significantly shorter recovery time than traditional sinus surgery.

"The big difference is that with a balloon sinuplasty versus sinus surgery, in the operating room, there's a shorter recovery, (usually) less bleeding and less pain for the patient," Pate told East Hillsborough News. "Generally, with the balloon sinuplasty, the patient is in the office for about an hour. The procedure is done under local anesthesia, and then they go home the same day. They relax for about 24 hours, and within about a day or two, they're back to their normal life."

Physical symptoms of chronic sinusitis can include nasal inflammation, a runny nose, postnasal drainage, congestion, pain or swelling in the face, headaches, loss of smell and taste, a sore threat, bad breath or fatigue, according to Mayo Clinic.

People who suffer from chronic sinus problems are more likely to breathe through their mouths, but mouth breathing can lead to oral health issues, including bad breath, according to Cleveland Clinic. Breathing through the mouth disrupts the regular flow of saliva, which typically plays a role in keeping your mouth clean.

Scotland's National Health Service recommends that people experiencing symptoms, which aren't improving for more than a week, should see a physician.

An ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist might recommend a saline solution or over-the-counter medication. If those don't help symptoms improve, the doctor might prescribe antibiotics or a corticosteroid spray. If those treatments do not resolve the sinusitis symptoms, the ENT specialist might recommend a sinus procedure.

There are sinusitis treatment options available that are safe, nonsurgical and minimally invasive. One of these options is known as a balloon sinuplasty, in which doctors insert a guide wire equipped with a small balloon into the nostrils and navigate it to the area of blockage, according to Nuffield Health. The balloon is then gently inflated enough to open the sinuses. These passageways being open leads to patients breathing better and achieving a greater quality of life.