Breathing difficulties can make your daily life incredibly uncomfortable. Otolaryngologists, or ENTs, have several ways to help address these difficulties, including VivAer and Balloon Sinuplasty. Both are highly effective, so how do you know which one will help with your symptoms?
What Is VivAer?
VivAer is a non-invasive in-office procedure that addresses nasal airway obstruction. Low-temperature radiofrequency technology is applied to the inside of the nasal airway with a stylus. This gently reshapes the cartilage and submucosal tissue, opening the nasal passages.
What Is Balloon Sinuplasty?
Balloon Sinuplasty also opens up nasal passages, but it uses a small balloon. This balloon is inserted into the sinus cavity and then slowly inflated, pushing the walls of the cavity back to open it up.
What Do They Treat?
One of the foundational differences between the two procedures is what conditions they are used to treat. VivAer helps with nasal obstruction, which occurs when the structures inside your nose—the cartilage, turbinates, tissues, etc.—narrow or block your nasal airways. Nasal obstruction is usually located in the narrowest part of the nasal passage. This can lead to a feeling of perpetual congestion, as if you have to work harder to breathe through your nose than you ought to.
Balloon Sinuplasty doesn’t treat structural issues. Instead, its main target is the paranasal sinuses, the air-filled pockets up behind your nose and face. These air pockets can fill with fluid, which then becomes infected. This is a sinus infection (sinusitis). When the balloon opens up the opening to the sinus cavity, it allows the trapped fluid to drain out and clear out the infection.
How Is Recovery?
VivAer is wholly non-invasive, while Balloon Sinuplasty is minimally invasive. Neither procedure requires extensive downtime post-op, but Balloon Sinuplasty may involve a day or two of rest and bloody nasal discharge. Additionally, neither procedure should affect the outward appearance of your nose. Most patients are back at their normal activities within a few days.
How Do I Know Which Procedure Is Right for Me?
If you’ve been dealing with chronic issues with breathing and congestion, you may be a candidate for VivAer or Balloon Sinuplasty. If the issue is chronic sinus infections and sinus pressure, you might consider inquiring about Balloon Sinuplasty. If you’ve been struggling to pull air in through the front of your nose but haven’t experienced any sinusitis, VivAer might be more appropriate.
The best way to find out which procedure is right for you is to talk to an ENT about your symptoms. They can help you determine the root cause of your breathing difficulties and make a recommendation about which procedure to pursue. Call our specialists at Northwest ENT and Allergy, and we’d be happy to discuss your breathing issues and get you back to breathing easy.