Montgomery News

• Lindsay Lohan, the star of "Falling for Christmas," has struggled with sinus problems during her career.

• People who have sinusitis might experience a stuffy nose, nasal discharge, facial pain, headaches or toothaches.

• Balloon sinuplasty procedures are quick, low-risk and provide lasting relief.

Actress Lindsay Lohan, who stars in a new Christmas movie just released on Netflix, has struggled with sinus problems that have previously interfered with her ability to film movie shoots.

One procedure that can provide lasting relief for sinus problems is balloon sinuplasty, according to Dr. Manish Khanna of Capitol Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers.

"Balloon sinuplasty is really a workhorse procedure for us to help patients who failed medical management, who have had continued issues with sinus infections, sinus headache, sinus pressure, excessive postnasal drainage," Khanna told Montgomery News. "We also have inferior turbinate reduction, which we do as well to help with patients' breathing. It also helps decrease the amount of mucus production as well, and that can help us with snoring. We reduce septal swell bodies as well. These are all procedures that are done in an office setting that can help patients who have chronic sinus issues."

Lohan is starring in the new Netflix movie, "Falling for Christmas," which follows the story of an heiress who loses her memory in a skiing accident and finds herself in the care of a widower and his daughter. 

She has struggled with sinus problems during her career, which have interfered with her ability to film scenes for other movies, Vanity Fair reported. For instance, while shooting a movie in 2013, Lohan's production team had to skip a day of filming because Lohan was suffering from a sinus infection and earache.

People suffering from sinus infections can experience symptoms including a stuffy nose, nasal discharge, facial pain, headaches, a fever, toothaches, a decreased sense of smell or bad breath, according to the Scotland's National Health Service. Sinus infections could resolve within a few weeks, or chronic sinusitis might last for months.

Chronic sinusitis is one of the most common chronic medical conditions among Americans, and it can have a negative effect on your quality of life, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI).

The NCBI conducted a study comparing patients who underwent functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) with patients who opted for a balloon sinuplasty to treat chronic sinusitis. The study found that, although both procedures are effective, balloon sinuplasty patients needed fewer antibiotic treatments after their procedures.

FESS involves removing sinus tissue, while balloon sinuplasty is "less traumatic," since it doesn't involve removing any tissue, and instead relies on dilation to improve sinus function.

A balloon sinuplasty procedure lasts 10 to 15 minutes, and patients typically recover within one to two days. Most patients can resume their normal activities in that time period, although they may experience some swelling for up to a week, according to Eisemann Plastic Surgery Center.

FESS procedures take one and a half to two hours, and patients might need up to four weeks to fully recover, during which time they should avoid strenuous activities such as exercising.    

For more information about sinus infections and allergies, take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.