Early this spring, Jamie had what felt like a cold that would never end. For weeks, she had awakened with a stuffy nose. She assumed she caught a cold from one of her elementary school-aged kids or maybe her occasional seasonal allergies were finally getting worse. She did her best to ignore it by taking some over-the-counter medication and occupying herself with her daily routine. But in recent days, the skin around her eyes had started to feel sore and a deep tension was building in her sinuses. Her usual “wait it out” approach wasn’t working.
Newcomers to Dallas often wonder why bothersome allergies and sinus discomfort hit seemingly all of a sudden. Plus, the misery associated with allergies and sinus pain often becomes worse each year. The culprit, pollen, is in the air we breathe and is severe in Dallas-Fort Worth. According to a recent study by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, Dallas is the worst city in Texas and the second-worst city in the United States for pollen allergies.
For many allergy and sinus sufferers like Jamie, a stuffy head, congestion, runny nose, and cough can negatively impact their daily life, often long-term. However, for busy professionals and parents, their daily routines must go on, and addressing concerning symptoms often gets pushed to the bottom of a long to-do list, or even ignored. Many allergy and sinus sufferers are women; they care for everyone else in the family but continue to neglect their own health. The world is a busy place, leaving little time for them to address every sniffle or sinus headache. As tension builds around the eyes and nose, common at-home remedies don’t usually work, and it may be time to seek help.
Jamie made an appointment with an ENT-otolaryngologist near her home in Dallas. He checked for tenderness around her nose and conducted a physical exam. His conclusion: she had chronic sinusitis. The condition is relatively common, affecting close to 12 percent of the U.S. adult population, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
To confirm the diagnosis, the ENT doctor referred Jamie to Touchstone Imaging for a CT scan. That was good news for Jamie who wanted answers—and a plan of action—as quickly as possible. As a busy mom, Touchstone’s early morning, evening, and even weekend appointments worked well with her hectic schedule. Touchstone was also in-network with her health insurance plan, and the CT scan cost 60 percent less than if she had her imaging done at a local hospital.
A few days after Jamie’s CT scan was complete, she received a text from Touchstone with a link to radiology report, Touchstone’s patient-friendly reporting tool provides clear explanations of the medical terminology and diagrams for anatomy terms so she could easily understand your imaging results, making her follow-up doctor appointment more productive.
Imaging is crucial to the work of ear, nose, and throat practitioners. Detailed visuals help doctors assess the severity of a problem and clearly explain them to patients, as well as guide their treatment. “It’s part of the diagnostic criteria,” says Dr. Maheep Sohal, a fellowship-trained rhinologist. “No examination is complete without getting the imaging that Touchstone helps us with.”
ENT doctors typically refer patients to imaging for a CT scan to confirm sinusitis. Dallas patients are fortunate to have 32 Touchstone Imaging locations in DFW available for all their imaging needs. Each Touchstone Imaging location is known for its convenience, including prior authorization of benefits; same- and next-day appointments; and early morning, evening, and weekend hours. Touchstone Imaging is also in network with 99% of health insurance plans. Touchstone provides imaging services beyond ENT CT scans, of course. Patients have access to a variety of exams and procedures in a comfortable outpatient environment at every location.
Jamie’s CT scan revealed that she had chronic sinusitis and a full blockage. Her doctor recommended endoscopic sinus surgery to quickly fix her breathing issues using the CT scans from Touchstone for guidance during the procedure. The recovery time was quicker than Jamie expected, with no external bruising or incisions, and she was back to work within a week.
For patients like Jamie, who want answers and a plan of action to address their health concerns, Touchstone Imaging’s state-of-the-art imaging provides patients with confidence in making important decisions about the next steps with their health and getting back to life.
Find the Touchstone Imaging location nearest to you at https://www.touchstoneimaging.com/locations/ and request an appointment online for one of the imaging services provided, including MRI, CT, PET/CT, ultrasound, x-ray, screening mammography, or bone density scans.
