Procedure Helps Allergy Sufferers Breathe Easier
POSTED: 5:49 pm EDT May 29,
2008
UPDATED: 3:25 pm EDT June 2,
2008
Allergy season is here and some people have found a way to escape the headaches, itchy eyes, sneezing and fatigue without pills or sprays.The process is called turbinate coblation. Radio waves are used to do what scalpels used to do.
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Kay Brown suffered from severe allergies and was so happy with the non-surgical solution that she took her son, John, to get the same procedure. His allergies have caused sleep disruption and fatigue."Being able to accomplish the same result in the office in just a few minutes without the need for general anesthesia is something that patients really find attractive," said Dr. Craig Schwimmer, an otolaryngologist.Doctors begin by applying a local anesthetic. Then, a radio wave-emitting wand is inserted into the nose. It shrinks and removes tissue to unblock the nasal passages.Schwimmer said the procedure takes about 10 minutes."It was awesome. Short, sweet, feeling good already," John Brown said after the treatment.The costs of nasal steroids, pills and doctor’s appointments can add up, and some say the one-time cost of the turbinate coblation is worth it. The procedure costs about $1,500."It's worth every penny," Kay Brown said."I was on two nose sprays and two pills, and that amounted to about $600 dollars a month. This is going to pay for (itself) within two to three months. So it's a blessing, a real blessing," she said.Two weeks have passed since her procedure, and Kay Brown said she no longer takes any medication..Doctors said not all allergy suffers can get the procedure, but about 70 percent will benefit.
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