North Palm Beach Today

• Both allergies and colds are more common in the fall and winter months.
• Allergies and colds can potentially develop into sinus infections.
• West Palm Beach Breathe Free offers a range of solutions to treat the underlying conditions causing allergies or sinus infections.

Dr. Cody Aull of West Palm Beach Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers said innovations in technology have enabled him to treat patients more effectively and efficiently.

While many people know that suffering through allergy symptoms and common colds is more typical during the fall and winter, they may not know that allergies and colds can develop into sinus infections, the Houston Chronicle reported. 

"There's a lot of innovation," Aull told North Palm Beach Today. "The nice thing is, the approach we give to the patient is going to be tailor-made for them. They'll see their CT scan and their endoscope, and we'll tailor-make what would be best for them. Turbinates are warm and humidify the air in the nose. We can shrink those for patients who need that. That's a very simple fix. Some people have a collapse of their lateral walls, which causes difficulty in getting the air in and out. We can do minimally invasive things for that, too."

Allergies, colds and sinus infections have many of the same symptoms, so it can be a struggle to differentiate between them. Dr. Tran Locke, an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist who works at Baylor College of Medicine, said that if symptoms such as congestion last longer than 10 days, it might be time to go to a specialist to tell if a sinus infection has started. Other symptoms could include a feeling of pressure in the face, a decreased sense of smell, tooth pain or a fever. 

Many patients can improve or eliminate their symptoms through medication, but for some, a minimally invasive surgery might be the best option to treat an underlying condition.

Balloon sinuplasty, also known as balloon catheter dilation surgery, is a procedure used to clear blocked sinuses, according to Healthline. This surgery is relatively new, having been approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2005. It’s also commonly referred to as the “smart sinus” procedure.

West Palm Beach Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers offers a variety of testing and treatment options to provide lasting relief to people who suffer from allergies and chronic sinus problems. The practice is located on Flagler Drive in West Palm Beach, Florida.

If you're interested in learning more about diagnosis or treatment of chronic sinusitis, please take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.