YOUR HEALTH: XHance gives Cato his sense of smell back!

COLUMBUS, Ohio (Ivanhoe Newswire) - It’s that time of year when seasonal allergy sufferers will begin to feel the effect of grass, flowers, and plants in bloom, and people who can’t get relief from blocked sinuses can develop chronic sinusitis, or even nasal polyps - soft growths that line the nasal passages. Now, there’s a new device designed to help patients breathe more freely.

Cato Coleman is a registered dietician who works in food service, but a few years ago, his allergies became too much to handle.

“I was having trouble breathing through my nose and chewing at the same time,” Coleman remembers.

Coleman was diagnosed with chronic sinusitis and nasal polyps, which were wrecking his sense of taste and smell.

Ear, nose, and throat surgeon at Ohio ENT & Allergy, Adam Spiess, MD removed the polyps and then last year, recommended Coleman try a new device designed to treat people with chronic sinus problems that result in nasal polyps. The system is called XHance.

Dr. Spiess says, “It is different because it delivers the medications higher up in the nose.”

XHance is inserted in a person’s nose and mouth. As the user exhales, a common medication called fluticasone is delivered deep into the sinuses, where over-the-counter nasal sprays can’t reach. Dr. Spiess says the device has reduced his patients’ symptoms.

Cato has been using XHance daily for almost a year. He’s regained his sense of smell and as a bonus, he’s sleeping better than he has in years.

The XHance system is FDA-approved but needs to be prescribed by doctors for patients with chronic sinusitis and nasal polyps. There are clinical trials underway for patients who have chronic sinusitis without nasal polyps.

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