Chronic Rhinitis and Clarifix®

We often treat patients with symptoms of chronic rhinitis, including congestion and a runny nose. Chronic rhinitis can negatively affect daily life. Business meetings, caring for family, even exercising or shopping can feel like a chore, when our patients constantly feel as though they can’t breathe easily. If the root cause of congestion and runny nose is allergies, symptoms should ease with allergy medicine or immunotherapy. {link to Allergy page} 

In patients who don’t get relief with allergy treatments, or who have negative allergy tests, there may be another cause for their symptoms. They may be experiencing vasomotor rhinitis, a form of chronic rhinitis caused by an overactive nerve in the nose. When this nerve isn’t functioning properly, it stimulates the lining of the nose, leading to inflammation, congestion, and a runny nose.

If you’re experiencing the following symptoms, you may have chronic rhinitis:

• Congestion

• Constant cough

• Inability to breathe easily through your nose

• Sinus pressure and discomfort

• Chronic sinus infections

• Runny nose

• Post nasal drip

• Sore throat

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The Providence Clinic can help with Clarifix®

This procedure cools and soothes the overactive nerve causing chronic rhinitis, and it’s done right here in our office.

During the Clarifix® procedure, a balloon is carefully inserted into the nose, with endoscopic guidance. Patients who receive the treatment are under IV sedation, to provide comfort and ease any anxiety they may have. 

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The balloon is guided to the nerve causing chronic rhinitis. The nerve is then rapidly cooled using nitrogen gas, which diminishes its activity. The entire procedure takes about three minutes, and is painless. 

Best of all, our patients’ chronic rhinitis is relieved--especially the congestion and runny nose. Within thirty minutes of the Clarifix® procedure, you’ll be able to go home, and breathe easy!