Chronic Sinusitis And Sinus Headaches
Sinusitis happens when the sinuses or cavities around the nasal passages become swollen. The sinuses can become inflamed if you have an infection or because of an allergic reaction. The symptoms usually go away within a couple of weeks, but some people experience longer or recurring sinus infections. If you have chronic sinusitis, you could be dealing with symptoms such as nasal discharge, congestion, and pain or sinus headaches for many months.
Sinus Surgery For Chronic Infections
If medical therapies dont clear up chronic sinusitis, your doctor will usually recommend surgery.
Several surgical approaches can enlarge the sinus cavities to make breathing and drainage easier. In the past, sinus surgeries required bone and tissue removal. Recent advancements mean this isnt the case.
Natural Home Remedies For Chronic Sinus
A sinus infection occurs when the sinuses become inflamed and swell up because of a viral, bacterial, or fungal infection. The infection can be acute or chronic lying behind your eyebrows, behind your cheekbones, and between your eyes are your sinuses air-filled cavities lined with a mucous membrane that filters and humidifies the air you inhale. This membrane produces and circulates mucus into your sinus and nasal passages to help remove dust, particles, and microbes from the air that you breathe. Tiny hair-like cells called cilia sweep the mucus to the openings that lead to the back of your throat, allowing it to slide down into your stomach.
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Should You Visit A Specialist
If your sinus infection just wont go away or keeps coming back, it may be time to see an ear, nose, and throat specialist. An ENT treats conditions of the ear, nose, throat, head, face, and neck. It may be time to see an ENT if:
- Youve completed several courses of antibiotics without success
- Your doctor suspects nasal polyps or another blockage of the nasal cavity
- You have chronic sinusitis that lasts longer than 12 weeks
Living with a sinus infection is miserable and living with a sinus infection for weeks on end is worse. Contact your doctor or an ENT to get the treatment you need.
Use A Nasal Steroid Spray
Available over the counter, these sprays can help reduce the inflammation that adds to congestion. Sometimes the inflammatory reaction is self-perpetuating, Kern says. The 2015 sinus inflammation and congestion treatment guidelines from the American Academy of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery Foundation advises using local steroid treatments and, if necessary, antibiotics to break the cycle.
And while nasal steroid sprays and saline sprays are both helpful, Kern stresses that other nasal sprays, such as decongestant sprays, can make the problem worse if you rely on them consistently.
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Sinusitis Treatment: Find Relief With Balloon Sinuplasty
If youre asking, What is chronic sinusitis? You may also be wondering, can you treat chronic sinusitis? Yes! How long can blocked sinuses last? Sometimes, as long as you dont seek treatment!
If your acute or chronic sinusitis doesnt clear up with the use of nasal sprays, saline solutions, pain medications, you still have options. Balloon sinuplasty is a minimally invasive, in-office procedure that lasts less than 30 minutes, requires little to no recovery time, and can provide fast relief from your sinusitis symptoms.
During the procedure, a small balloon is partially inflated in the sinus passageways to both clear them, expand them, and restore healthy drainage. Dr. Bequer, a leading ENT doctor, has successfully performed balloon sinuplasty in Tampa and West Palm Beach by the hundreds.
Instead of learning everything about how to treat chronic sinusitis, you can find fast relief with a simple question. Can you cure sinusitis without surgery? Yes. If balloon sinuplasty isnt the preferred best option for you, Dr. Bequer and the staff of Sinus Solutions of South Florida also perform other sinus treatments, as well as other traditional sinus surgeries, including functional endoscopic sinus surgery .
Relief is around the corner. Call Sinus Solutions of South Florida at 561-569-2988 to discuss how to treat chronic sinusitis and to request a consultation.
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Sinus Infection Definition And Facts
- Sinusitis or sinus infection is inflammation of the air cavities within the passages of the nose.
- Sinusitis can be caused by infection, allergies, and chemical or particulate irritation of the sinuses.
- The fastest way to get rid of a sinus infection can include medications, home remedies, alternative therapies, and surgery.
- Most people do not spread sinus infections to other people.
- Sinusitis may be classified as acute sinus infection, subacute sinus infection, chronic sinus infection, infected sinusitis, and noninfectious sinusitis.
- Sinusitis signs and symptoms include
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Check If You Have Sinusitis
Sinusitis is common after a cold or flu.
Symptoms of sinusitis include:
- toothache
- bad breath
Signs of sinusitis in young children may also include irritability, difficulty feeding, and breathing through their mouth.
The sinuses are small, empty spaces behind your cheekbones and forehead that connect to the inside of the nose.
Sinusitis causes the lining of the sinuses to swell up.
This stops mucus draining into your nose and throat properly, making you feel blocked up.
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Anatomy Of The Paranasal Sinuses
The paranasal sinuses comprise four pairs of sinuses that surround the nose and drain into the nasal cavity by way of narrow channels called ostia . Mucus leaving the frontal and maxillary sinuses drains through the ethmoid sinuses , so a backup in the ethmoids is likely to clog the other two types of sinuses. The sphenoid sinuses are located deep in the skull, behind the eyes. Sinusitis develops when one or more sinuses become blocked.
There are millions of bacteria in our noses, and most of the time, they’re harmless. Even when a few creep into the sinuses, they don’t cause trouble, as long as they keep draining into the nose along with mucus. But if sinus drainage is blocked, glands in the sinuses continue to produce mucus, and the resulting pool of backed-up mucus provides what Dr. Metson calls “the perfect culture medium.” The bacteria grow out of control, causing infection, and the immune system kicks off an inflammatory response. The result: swelling, which causes and facial pain mucus buildup, which produces congestion and an influx of white blood cells to fight the bacteria, which thickens the mucus and may tint it yellow or green. Other symptoms include loss of smell or taste, cough, bad breath, fever, toothache, and fullness in the ears.
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What Is Chronic Sinusitis Important Sinusitis Definitions
Before we get into how to treat chronic sinusitis, its important to understand a little bit more about what exactly chronic sinusitis is.
- Also called a sinus infection, this nasal sinus disease occurs when the nasal sinuses become inflamed and swollen.
- Acute sinusitis: a temporary infection that lasts between two and three weeks and often clears up on its own or with the help of medication.
- Chronic sinusitis: a sinus infection that lasts eight weeks or more and typically requires professional treatment and the use of sinusitis antibiotics.
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What Are The Sinuses How Many Do We Have
A sinus is a hollow, air-filled cavity. For the purposes of this article, a sinus will refer to those hollowcavities that are in the skull and connected to the nasal airway by a narrow hole in the bone . Normally all sinuses are open to the nasal airway through an ostium. Humans have four pair of these cavities each referred to as the:
The four pairs of sinuses are often described as a unit and termed the paranasal sinuses. The cells of the inner lining of each sinus are mucus-secreting cells, epithelial cells, and some cells that are part of the immune system .
Functions of the sinuses include humidifying and warming inspired air, insulation of surrounding structures , increasing voice resonance, and as buffers against facial trauma. The sinuses decrease the weight of the skull. If the inflammation hinders the clearance of mucous or blocks the natural ostium, the inflammation may progress into a bacterial infection.
How To Treat A Sinus Infection At Home
No matter if its an acute infection or a chronic infection, or even a recurrent one (sinus infection that keeps coming back even after treatment, the signs of a sinus infection are bothersome. It wont let you sleep well, eat well or work well.
So, how to treat a sinus infection? In this situation, lots of people turn towards the medication. But thats always not necessary or even beneficial. Even the best antibiotic for sinus infection can be useless in some cases as antibiotics wont help you against viruses or allergens.
There are lots of ways to treat the infection naturally. It will not harm you in any way. Besides, these are less expensive, or some are even free of cost. To know them to check out the list below-
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Where Can I Find Treatment To Address My Chronic Sinusitis Without Antibiotics
In order to successfully treat your sinusitis, its important to pinpoint exactly whats causing this condition. If, for example, its caused by a deviated septum, it will continue to occur until the underlying problem is corrected.
At DFW Sinus Select, we specialize in tailoring treatments that are designed to give you the best possible long-term results with minimal side effects. Were here to help you get the relief you need and help treat chronic sinus infections without antibiotics if appropriate in your particular case.
Our practice offers numerous office locations so you can conveniently access top-notch care close to home.
Its important to visit a DFW Sinus Select specialist to properly diagnose your sinus issues and receive information about the best treatment options.
Schedule your consultation today by filling out the appointment form right on this page or by contacting our offices. Youll be taking the first step toward sinus relief!
Tips For Treating Chronic Sinus Infections
No matter the season, having a cold is never convenient. Its even worse when your cold turns into a sinus infection. A sinus infection will stick around long after symptoms of an upper respiratory infection are gone. You might even know its a sinus infection because you get sinus infections frequently. Perhaps your doctor diagnosed your sinus infection after you just couldnt seem to get better. After all, since almost 30 million Americans suffer from sinusitis, your doctor likely treats them a lot.
The question is, when do you need to see a specialist? If your sinus infection just isnt going away, or if you seem to get recurrent sinus infections, it may be time to see an ear, nose, and throat specialist.
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What Is The Fastest Way To Get Rid Of Sinusitis
When you have a sinus infection, you often have to go through your day in pain and in a fog. Sinusitis, or infection of the sinuses, is incredibly common, but many people suffer through it rather than get it treated. At Asthma Allergy Centre in Tigard, McMinnville, or Beaver, OR, we use a variety of sinus management treatments to reduce the inflammation and immune response that are likely behind your sinus problems. Check out on how to get rid of sinusitis.
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When To Seek Medical Care
See a doctor if you have:
- Severe symptoms, such as severe headache or facial pain.
- Symptoms that get worse after initially improving.
- Symptoms lasting more than 10 days without improvement.
- Fever longer than 3-4 days.
You should also seek medical care if you have had multiple sinus infections in the past year.
This list is not all-inclusive. Please see a doctor for any symptom that is severe or concerning.
Other conditions can cause symptoms similar to a sinus infection, including:
- Seasonal allergies
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How Do Sinus Infections Start
Sinusitis occurs when the lining of the sinus or nasal cavity becomes inflamed. What can start as inflammation in your sinuses from a respiratory infection, allergies or environmental pollutants can spark a sinus infection when the lining of the sinuses becomes inflamed and swollen, causing mucus to become trapped and germs to grow.
“Once you have a cold or upper respiratory tract infection, that virus can then settle into the sinuses and cause inflammation as well,” said Dr. Mas Takashima, an otolaryngologist and chair of Houston Methodist ENT Specialists. “About 95% of sinusitis is caused by a virus making it much more common than bacterial sinusitis. Viral sinusitis is also much more infectious as well.”
Certain conditions, such as having allergies, asthma or a respiratory infection, can make people more susceptible to getting chronic sinus infections, and it is important that these patients be evaluated to address the cause and not just the sinusitis symptoms.
“There are many causes of chronic sinusitis. “Patients with a weakened immune system are more prone to getting recurrent acute sinusitis,” explains Dr. Takashima. “Sometimes, however, the issue may be anatomy, such as a deviated septum , scarring from previous sinus surgery, or nasal polyps, which result from chronic inflammation in the nose. Once the polyps get to a certain size, they rarely regress on their own and they narrow the sinus drainage pathways.”
Causes And Risk Factors Of Sinus Infection
The terms sinus infection and sinusitis are often used interchangeably, but sinusitis simply refers to the inflammation of the sinuses, with or without an infection. The medical term for sinusitis is rhinosinusitis because the illness affects the mucous membranes in both the sinuses and nose. Sinus infections ultimately develop because of sinus and nasal blockages that result in sinus inflammation. There are several underlying causes of sinus blockage, including various environmental, anatomical, and genetic factors. But the most common cause of the blockage is inflammation or swelling of the nasal passages because of the common cold or allergies. when a blockage occurs, mucus fails to drain properly, increases in thickness, and fills the sinus spaces. The cilia also slow down their sweeping and cleaning, making it even harder for mucus to drain. When the mucus is unable to drain, it becomes the perfect medium for microbes to grow out of control and cause an infection.
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Inhale Menthol And Camphor
Another inhaled odor that can help open up sinus passages is menthol, which is an ingredient in popular ointments that are used specifically to treat a stuffy nose. These ointments also contain eucalyptus oil and camphor, which combine with menthol to create a powerful scent that immediately relieves sinus pressure. This ointment can be rubbed on your chest and under your nose to deliver its soothing benefits. Unlike eucalyptus oil, this ointment should not be placed in the mouth.
Chronic Sinus Infection Treatment
chronic sinus infections typically have a more mysterious cause than acute infections people with chronic sinus infections often require life-long treatment to keep symptoms at bay.
In addition to the options above, treatment for chronic sinus infections may include:
- Lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking and changing home or work conditions to reduce exposure to environmental toxins and allergens, such as dust mites, pet dander etc.
- Oral steroids
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Treat Chronic Sinusitis At Kaplan Sinus Relief Today
Ready to treat your chronic sinusitis? If youve been searching for the answer to how to treat chronic sinusitis, balloon sinuplasty is a long-lasting treatment option. Dr. Kaplan from Kaplan Sinus Relief is the top specialist of balloon sinuplasty in Houston. This procedure is safe and effective for treating your chronic sinus infections.
Request an appointment with Dr. Kaplan if you have any other questions regarding symptoms, treatment, or causes of chronic sinusitis, or to learn more about balloon sinuplasty.
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Can I Treat Chronic Sinus Infections Without Antibiotics
Regardless of the type of sinusitis you have, there are a number of treatments that can help. The key to finding relief is to figure out whats really causing the underlying problem thats causing your sinusitis.
Your doctor may recommend any of the following treatments to help relieve your symptoms:
- Saline nasal irrigation: This treatment involves spraying or pouring a saline solution into one nostril. The solution washes out mucus as it moves from one nostril to the other.
- Nasal corticosteroids: These sprays help reduce the swelling and mucus associated with chronic sinusitis. They can also be used to help prevent nasal polyps from growing back after theyve been surgically removed.
- Oral or injected corticosteroids: Similar to nasal corticosteroids, these are used to relieve inflammation, especially if you also have nasal polyps.
- These medications are available as over-the-counter and prescription medications in various forms. They help lessen the leaking of fluid into your nasal tissues and help your nasal passages feel more open.
- Over-the-counter pain relievers: Medications such as aspirin, acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help relieve facial pain.
Antibiotics are only sometimes necessary for sinusitis if you have a bacterial infection.
If chronic sinusitis keeps coming back, surgery is occasionally the best treatment option. A surgeon can remove blockages and enlarge the sinus passages, making it easy for fluid to properly drain.
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