North Baltimore Journal

NFL Hall-of-Famer Marshall Faulk suffered from postnasal drip and tried many home remedies to seek relief.

The former running back was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a member of the 2011 class. He was first drafted by the Indianapolis Colts out of San Diego State University and also played for the St. Louis Rams.

“If I was at work, broadcasting, I started having severe postnasal drip,” Faulk said in a YouTube video. “I tell them balloon sinuplasty is a must." 

Balloon sinuplasty is often recommended as a treatment for patients with chronic sinusitis, after other home remedies have been tried and failed.The procedure has minimal complications because as there is no cutting involved. It is, however, still a kind of surgery, so there are some risks involved.

Balloon sinuplasty is also called balloon catheter dilation surgery, according to a report from Healthline. It is a relatively new procedure, having been approved in 2005 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The procedure is performed by an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist, such as the doctors at Frederick Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers.

The procedure involves a small balloon being inserted into the sinus and then inflated, clearing the passages and thereby allowing the patient to breathe properly again. It is a minimally invasive procedure that can be performed in the doctor's office; no trips to the hospital are necessary.

The end result is that the sinus passage is widened to decrease pressure. Dr. Jamie Oberman and the team at Frederick Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers offer balloon dilation as a first line of defense for patients like Faulk, whose sinusitis was creating an obstacle in his life.

If you are interested in evaluating your symptoms and are considering seeing a doctor, take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.