PHX Reporter

• 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. John Stewart and his team at Arizona Breathe Free can help to nip your sinusitis and allergy issues in the bud before they cancel your summer plans.

Summer is here, and it's time for traveling, backyard barbecues and spending time in the warm weather. Unfortunately, sinusitis and allergies can put a damper on your summer plans.

According to Dr. John Stewart of Arizona Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers, allergies can lead to chronic sinusitis. That's why it's important to see a specialist before your summer allergies start to act up. 

"Allergies play a major role in chronic sinus disease, especially here in the valley," Stewart told PHX Reporter. "It’s really interesting. A lot of places in the U.S. have wet mold. We have dry mold in our topsoil here. It's very prevalent. We'll have a lot of gusty days and it will kick up that top sand, the dusty layer. If you're unfortunate enough to breathe it into your lungs, you can get valley fever; it’s a common thing here. A lot of people breathe that up into their nose and nasal passageway. Thank goodness, it doesn't always cause fungal sinusitis, but it's very inflammatory to the sinuses. So part of our treatment for everybody is to constantly flush out their nose and nasal passages."

Although spring allergies might be minimal after trees and flowers are done blooming, summer allergies caused by weeds and grasses are the next thing to worry about. One of the most common allergy triggers in the summer is ragweed, which doesn't only affect the areas it grows in, as it can travel hundreds of miles on the wind, according to WebMD.

There are minimally invasive treatment options that can help your sinusitis and summer allergies, one of which is called balloon sinuplasty. A balloon sinuplasty is an in-office procedure that's simple and only takes about an hour, according to sinussurgeryoptions.com. The prep takes about 30 minutes and involves a local anesthetic being applied to the nose for more comfort. A thin instrument with a balloon attached is then guided through your sinus, the balloon is gently inflated for five seconds with saline and, when your sinuses open, the balloon is removed.        

Stewart and his team at Arizona Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers can help to treat your sinus issues before they put a damper on your plans this summer. The clinic offers balloon sinuplasty, along with other sinus and allergy treatment, and are committed to providing top-level ear, nose and throat (ENT) services with compassion and expertise.

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