Do You Need An Ent Doctor For Sinus Surgery
Do You Need An ENT Doctor for Sinus Surgery? Sinuses are a hollow cavity in the skull and are the connected system. The largest sinus cavity is approximately an inch long. Other sinuses are smaller. Sinus lines up with pink and soft tissue called mucosa. Sinuses only contain a thin layer of mucus. Nose insides contain turbinates, which are the ridges helping with filter air and humidity. The septum is a thin wall dividing your nose. The middle meatus is a drainage pathway or small channel that connects from sinuses to nose. Experts do not know the main reason for the presence of sinuses, but some suggest that it enhances our voice or help in humidifying the air.
Here are some more details about the Sinuses:
- Ethmoid sinuses are between your eyes
- Maxillary sinuses are the largest sinus and locate inside your cheekbones.
- Sphenoid sinuses are in the bone, which is behind your nose.
- Frontal sinuses are at the bottom middle part of your forehead.
What Can I Do If I Am Prone To Sinus Infections
Ways to help mitigate the symptoms of chronic sinusitis include:
- Consult with a Board-certified allergist to help determine if allergies are a cause for your symptoms.
- Application of a warm towel to the head, neck, and face to ease pain and pressure.
- Use of saline spray to keep nasal passages clean and decongested.
- Use of OTC decongestants, although these are not recommended as part of a long-term treatment plan.
- Use of a vaporizer or humidifier, especially during the dry winter months. Just be sure to clean the unit routinely, as unclean it poses more risks than benefits.
- Get a better understanding and management plan for allergies, which can be a trigger.
- Try to avoid smoke like cigarettes or even cars, which can inflame the nasal passages.
Why Choose Advanced Ent & Allergy Center
Dr. Menachof was one of the first surgeons in the United States trained in endoscopic sinus surgery and has performed over 10,000 successful sinus surgeries in his career. By evaluating your symptoms, history, and long-term goals, our team will work with you to create a treatment plan. This may include medication, minimally-invasive office procedures, or sometimes surgical intervention.
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How Are Ent Doctors Trained
Otolaryngologists go to 4 years of medical school. They then have at least 5 years of special training. Finally, they need to pass an exam to be certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology.
Some also get 1 or 2 years of training in a subspecialty:
- Allergy: These doctors treat environmental allergies with medicine or a series of shots called immunology. They also can help you find out if you have a food allergy.
- Facial and reconstructive surgery:These doctors do cosmetic surgery like face lifts and nose jobs. They also help people whose looks have been changed by an accident or who were born with issues that need to be fixed.
- Head and neck:If you have a tumor in your nose, sinuses, mouth, throat, voice box, or upper esophagus, this kind of specialist can help you.
- Laryngology:These doctors treat diseases and injuries that affect your voice box and vocal cords. They also can help diagnose and treat swallowing problems.
- Otology and neurotology:If you have any kind of issue with your ears, these specialists can help. They treat conditions like infections, hearing loss, dizziness, and ringing or buzzing in your ears .
- Pediatric ENT: Your child might not be able to tell theirà doctor what’s bothering them. Pediatric ENTs are specially trained to treat youngsters, and they have tools and exam rooms designed to put kids at ease.
Nasal And Sinus Specialist In Georgetown Texas
If you have a nasal or sinus condition, call the ENT specialists at Georgetown ENT. We provide a comprehensive range of adult and pediatric ear, nose, and throat medical and surgical services for all your familys needs. For more information about our services, call us at or you can request an appointment online.
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When To See An Otolaryngologist For Sinus Infections
May 7, 2021
Are you having trouble breathing due to nasal congestion? If so, you may have a sinus infection. It is a relatively common condition, like coughs and colds. While this condition may be a minor nuisance your immune system can resolve, there are instances requiring medical help.
If youre unsure whether you should see a doctor for your sinus infection, this blog may help you. Read on to learn about the symptoms of sinus infections and instances when they require an otolaryngologists help.
How A Sinus Doctor Can Help
A sinus specialist, sometimes known as a sinus doctor, has advanced surgical and medical training for the diagnosis of a range of conditions affecting the ears, nose, and throat.
What doctor specializes in sinus problems? The official medical name for a doctor that focuses on conditions in the ears, nose, and throat is an otolaryngologist. Not only can an ENT help with sinus-related concerns they are also trained to treat other conditions such as allergies, trauma, cancer, deformities, and more.
When you are having symptoms in your ears, nose, and throat for a few days, then you probably dont need to schedule an ENT appointment because the symptoms will go away with basic home remedies.
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Is It Time To Consider Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery
Functional endoscopic sinus surgery is a procedure that your ENT surgeon can use to treat moderate to severe sinus surgery. If youre no longer responding to treatments like nasal irrigation, antibiotics, and decongestants, then you may be a candidate for sinus surgery.
During the procedure, Dr. Davis uses an endoscope to locate and remove bone and tissue in the sinuses that are preventing drainage. Sinus surgery creates larger drainage pathways to reduce the chances of mucus buildup after recovery. In addition, medicated sinus rinses can better penetrate the opened sinuses to help reduce inflammation. Patients will need to undergo general anesthesia for the procedure, which usually takes between one and three hours. However, recovery is typically quick, with very little pain.
How Ents Treat Sinusitis
First your ENT will take a medical history. Be sure to be prepared to let the ENT know when the symptoms started and the progression of symptoms. The ENT will then perform an examination. If your sinusitis is caused by nasal polyps, the nasal polyps will be treated as well. In addition to a physical and visual exam, tests just as a CT scan, MRI, X-ray or endoscopic exam may be necessary.
Medical Intervention. Depending on the type of sinusitis you have, you may be prescribed a course of antibiotics. If your infection is caused by a virus, antibiotics are ineffective and will not be prescribed. For chronic sinusitis, you may need to take several different courses of antibiotics. If your sinusitis is fungal, an antifungal medication may be prescribed. In addition, you may be prescribed nasal or oral corticosteroids to reduce inflammation. NSAIDs may be recommended to reduce pain.
Surgery. Surgery may be required if the infection has spread to the bones, if the infections do not respond to medical intervention, or if nasal polyps are involved.
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What Is A Sinus Infection
Sinuses are cavities in your facial bones, forehead, cheekbones, and behind the nose. Sinuses are also part of your upper respiratory tract, from the nose to the throat.A sinus infection is when your nasal cavities become inflamed. Symptoms include pain in your forehead, or between the eyes, toothaches, difficulty breathing, inadequate nasal fluid drainage, which may lead to congestion, and pressure that accompanies nasal blockage.Symptoms may also include the persistence, or worsening, of the symptoms mentioned above for more than 10 days. Only an ENT can determine if you’re suffering from a sinus infection.
How Do You Diagnose And Treat Sinusitis
Acute sinusitis is usually diagnosed clinically on the basis of a history and examination findings. Treatment with antibiotics and nasal decongestants help to reduce the swelling of the nasal and sinus lining and improve nasal airflow. Many patients find steam inhalations and/or salt water douches to be helpful in clearing out mucus.
Chronic sinusitis often requires longer-term treatment, to include nasal decongestants, antibiotics, intranasal steroid sprays/drops and antihistamines in patients with allergies. Often antibiotics will need to be given for several weeks before symptoms fully resolve.
Symptoms may persist despite the regular and persistent use of medical therapy. In such cases, surgery may have a role. Your GP will probably refer you on to an ENT specialist with an interest in rhinology, who may advise further investigations including allergy testing and possibly a CT scan of the sinuses, which will help your specialist decide if surgery may be necessary.
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Treatment Options To Help You Feel Better:
Sinusitis medications can reduce swelling in the nose and provide relief. Combinations of these often need to be taken regularly in order to keep the sinus openings from swelling closed. They include: antihistamines, nasal steroid sprays, decongestants , mucus thinners, nasal irrigations, topical nose sprays, oral steroid pills and antibiotics .
Sinus rinses can temporarily improve symptoms and offer short term relief without the use of medications. Rinses thin out mucus and help flush it from the nasal passages.
Performed in-office, this balloon sinuplasty procedure is non-invasive and works by dilating any of the three larger sinus passages using a tiny balloon to open blocked sinus ducts.
A minimally invasive medical technique, this is an image-guided sinus surgery that enlarges the sinus openings to improve drainage from the sinuses into the nose.
When To See A Specialist For Recurrent Sinus Infection
Posted on by Ryan Stern MDin Sinus
The symptoms of a sinus infection are known to many of us. Headaches and having pressure and pain behind our cheekbones and around our eyes are but a few of them. Most of the time these sinus infections go away with proper home care. When they dont go away or keep coming back, here is the recommendation for when to see a specialist for recurrent sinus infections.
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As Of June 1st We Have Reopened Our Office And Are Now Taking In Office Consultations
An ear, nose and throat specialist is a physician trained in the medical and surgical treatment of the ears, nose, throat, and related structures of the head and neck. They have special expertise in managing diseases of the ears, nose and nasal passage sinuses, larynx , oral cavity and upper pharynx , as well as structures of the neck and face. ENT is the oldest medical specialty in the United States.
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How Do I Know If I Need To See The Allergist Or Ent
ENTs are highly proficient surgeons who specialize in structural disorders of the ears, nose, and throat such as head and neck tumors, facial reconstruction and plastic surgery, chronic sinusitis, deviated septum, hearing impairment, and dizziness/balance problems. Board-certified Allergists optimize control of nasal and sinus problems though nonsurgical means. ENTs and Allergists commonly work together to treat conditions where allergies are causing problems in the ears, nose, sinuses and throat regions. ENTs often refer patients to Allergists when surgery is not indicated. Likewise, Allergists will refer patients to ENTs for surgical options when medications and allergen avoidance are not adequately controlling symptoms.
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Balloon Sinuplasty Promotes Sinus Drainage: A Minimally Invasive Technique
Dr. Davis is excited to offer patients a revolutionary office treatment for mild to moderate chronic and recurrent sinusitis called balloon sinuplasty. During the procedure, Dr. Davis threads a small catheter through the sinus opening and inflates a balloon with water. The balloon dilates the sinus opening and widens the outflow tract, which encourages it to drain.
The procedure is a quick, non-invasive way to improve drainage, reduce the potential for bacterial infections, and improve breathing. Numerous studies have shown that 90-95% of balloon sinuplasty patients benefit from the procedure for at least two years.
Are Sinus Specialists Also Surgeons
Yes! And they are specifically trained to perform procedures that can improve or eliminate troublesome sinus symptoms. Many of these surgeries can be performed endoscopically, which means they can be done without an external incision. Instead, sinus specialists can operate through the nostrils, which reduces risk and recovery time.
These surgeries must be precise, because the sinuses are close to the eyes, brain, and important nerves. Sinus surgeons must work in very small areas and avoid these vital structures while also being as thorough as possible. This expertise allows sinus specialists to perform procedures ranging from the routine to the extremely complex .
We see a lot of cases like this, Dr. Jang said. Giving people a practical solution for problems that theyve had for a long time, that others could not help them with, thats what I find most rewarding.
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Sinusitis & Balloon Sinuplasty
An estimated 35 million patients suffer from sinus infections each year. The term sinusitis is used to describe an inflammatory condition of the paranasal sinuses that causes many symptoms, including nasal congestion, facial pain/pressure and nasal discharge accompanied by pus. Although most people think of the infection as involving the sinuses themselves, the truth is that the underlying process involves both the paranasal sinuses and the nasal cavity. For this reason, the term rhinosinusitis more accurately describes this disease.
Our ENT specialists have many years of experience in treating rhinosinusitis, including bacterial rhinosinusitis and fungal rhinosinusitis. Were skilled in choosing the appropriate antibiotic therapy or topical fungicide.
Complicated sinus conditions can be more safely and effectively performed with CT image-guided functional endoscopic sinus surgery. Image guidance is a three-dimensional mapping system that combines real-time information and CT scans that show the exact position of surgical instruments using infrared signals. This way, we can navigate surgical instruments precisely through complex sinus passages and provide greater surgical relief than traditional methods, all the while decreasing discomfort and increasing safety.
What Symptoms Does A Sinus Infection Cause
Sinus infections often cause chronic facial pain and a feeling of intense pressure behind your nose or eyes. Other symptoms include:
- Postnasal drip
- Fatigue
- Bad breath
The Ear, Nose & Throat Care, PC doctors diagnose your sinus infection based on your symptoms and a physical examination. They might also perform a mucus culture to identify the organism causing the infection. Your evaluation could also include a comprehensive endoscopy and an allergy evaluation if necessary.
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See The Ent For Sinusitis
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Many annoying respiratory conditions will go away without medical intervention. The old adage, treat a cold and it will last seven to 10 days dont treat a cold and it will last a week to a week and a half is true. But there are respiratory conditions where it makes to sense to seek treatment sooner than later. If you see the ENT, or ear, nose and throat doctor, when you first suspect you have sinusitis, the chances of treating the condition improve. Also, the ENT can treat sinusitis and help you prevent subsequent sinusitis episodes.
What Is A Sinus Specialist
In addition to being trained as standard ear, nose, and throat doctors — who treat more general ENT issues — sinus specialists have completed advanced subspecialty fellowship training, which is the highest level of instruction available. This means they are equipped to treat serious sinus and nasal problems with medication and surgery, and they may be able to offer treatments that your ENT or primary care doctor haven’t considered.
Giving people a practical solution for problems that theyve had for a long time, that others could not help them with, thats what I find most rewarding.
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Evaluate Your Sinus Symptoms
If you’ve had a runny, stuffy nose, congestion, coughing, fatigue, and sinus pressure behind your eyes and cheeks, and these symptoms last for more than twelve weeks or continue to recur, you may be experiencing chronic sinusitis, a problem for 30 million Americans.
Find out if you’re a candidate for a procedure called Balloon Sinuplasty which greatly reduces the suffering experienced by chronic sinusitis patients.
Nose And Sinus Diseases We Diagnose And Treat
Our physicians at the Weill Cornell Medicine Ear, Nose and Throat Department are committed to providing the highest-quality nose and sinus disease care, offering solutions tailored to each patient. Our physicians are leaders in the field, using the latest diagnostic equipment and minimally invasive procedures to address your sinus and nasal problems, including:
Specialized head and neck surgical treatment, including minimally invasive surgery of the nose or sinus
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When To See A Sinus Specialist
Dukes David Jang, MD, often meets people who are surprised to discover that there are other options. He explained that people should make an appointment with a sinus specialist if they fall into one of these categories:
- Its gone on too long — You are congested more often than not, you have trouble breathing through your nose, you’ve had consistent sinus symptoms for three months or longer, or repeat sinus symptoms or infections that occur three or more times in a year.
- Ive tried everything — Your sinus symptoms have not improved enough, despite over-the-counter or prescription medications, nasal sprays, or multiple courses of antibiotics.
- Its complicated — You have underlying conditions that cause severe sinus symptoms, including sarcoidosis, recurrent nasal polyps, or cystic fibrosis.
- I need surgery again — Youve had sinus surgery before, but youre still experiencing symptoms.
- I want an expert — Maybe youve been seeing an ENT doctor for a while and you dont even know whether you need to see a sinus specialist, but you want to talk to someone who may have other ideas or treatment options.