Is A Deviated Septum Or Nasal Congestion The Same As Sinusitis
No. But having a deviated nasal septum or nasal congestion can both cause your nose to become more congested and make you more likely to get sinus infections. Every nasal septum is a little crooked but when they are severely deviated enough to block your breathing or plug your sinuses then they are termed a deviated nasal septum. You can have nasal congestion from allergies, generalized swelling of your nasal tissue or a common cold.
How Often Do Complications Happen
In general, complications are very rare. In a survey of all ENT surgeons who do this type of operation in England, minor eye complications happened in one in every five hundred operations and spinal fluid leaks happened in one case in every thousand operations, so the risks are small. If you are particularly worried you should ask your surgeon about his or her experience of these complications.
Disclaimer: This publication is designed for the information of patients. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, the information contained may not be comprehensive and patients should not act upon it without seeking professional advice.
When Do I Need Surgery
Acute sinusitis is when you have a sinus infection that lasts less than one month. Chronic sinusitis is when you are having a constant sinus infection that doesnt go away with antibiotics and steroids. Either of these can significantly decrease your quality of life. Having multiple episodes of acute sinusitis per year or having chronic sinusitis that has failed medical treatment are both good reasons to consider sinus surgery. Decreased quality of life would include missing school or work, suffering frequently or through long periods with sinusitis symptoms, depression or constant fatigue.
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The First Week After Surgery
Other recommendations to encourage healing during your first week of recovery include:
- Dont blow your nose. Use a saline rinse to clear your nose.
- Sneeze with your mouth open. Dont avoid sneezing, but if possible try to keep your mouth open.
- Avoid strenuous activities. This includes biking, jogging, weight lifting, or aerobic exercises. Light walking and household activities are OK.
- Dont bend over or lift anything heavy. Avoid lifting anything over 10 pounds.
- Avoid swimming. You can take a shower or bath, using lukewarm water.
- Use a humidifier. This will keep the air in your home moist.
- Keep your mouth clean. Use salt-water or alcohol-free mouthwash after each meal and before bedtime.
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If you are planning on undergoing sinus surgery anytime soon, contact us online or give us a call to plan your stay.
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Are There Any Alternatives To Surgery
Antibiotics may help to clear the infection.
If your sinusitis is caused by an allergy, you may be able to prevent sinusitis by avoiding the triggers of your allergy or by taking medication such as antihistamines or a nasal steroid spray.
If you use a nasal steroid spray for a long time, you can reduce the size of polyps, which may mean that you do not need surgery.
What Natural Home Remedies Should You Use After Sinus Surgery
It is important for all patients with chronic sinus disease to understand that they have a chronic illness. Successful sinus surgery will only help control the complications and discomfort of chronic sinus disease. The following three areas of prevention should always be remembered:
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Your Recovery After Sinus Surgery Timeline
Throughout the immediate period after your surgery, it is important that you follow all aftercare instructions very carefully. Your nose will be in a highly delicate state. To ensure it heals naturally, treat it very gently during your sinus surgery recovery time.
The First 24 Hours: After being discharged from your surgical facility, we recommend staying under the supervision of dedicated post-op nurses at a surgical recovery center for the first 24-hours after your surgery. During this time, expect to feel numbness around the surgical site followed by pain as the effects of anesthesia wear off.
The First Few Days: During this crucial period in your sinus surgery recovery time, keep pressure off of your nose. Get plenty of rest but do not sleep on your side. Sleep with your head elevated to help reduce swelling and avoid unnecessary pressure on the surgical site. To help further improve circulation, get up and walk around every few hours to stimulate proper blood flow.
Your First Week: At this point in your recovery after sinus surgery, you may begin to gently cleanse the areas around the packing or bandages on your nose. Consider using a humidifier as you rest as this can help keep the surgical site moisturized. You may also press a cold compress to your nose to help ease swelling and reduce pain.
Will Insurance Pay For My Sinus Surgery
Almost all insurances will consider sinus and breathing disorders as functional surgery that is covered by insurance. Our office will check your benefits and let you know what they are before you come into the office so there are no surprises. We will submit your paperwork and obtain approvals for your procedure. Dr. Moustafa Mourad has highly trained in sinus surgery as well as rhinoplasty, broken noses and valve repair. If you have sinus problems please feel free to give us a call so we can help.
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How Long Youll Need To Take Off
Even if you dont feel tired after your surgery, its a good idea to take some time off from your usual activities, whether that includes work, school or other commitments. How long you should take off depends on several factors. The less invasive your surgery, the less time you may need for recovery. If you have a balloon sinuplasty procedure, you might feel ready to return to work after just a few days. If you have an endoscopic procedure, you might want to take a week off or longer.
The type of work you do also determines how long youll need to take off. If your job is mostly sedentary or youre returning to a classroom, you might feel OK going back after a week or less. But if you have an active job that requires a lot of movement or needs you to be super alert, you might want to give yourself more time to fully recover and to get back to 100 percent.
What Happens After Sinus Surgery
You should be able to return to your normal routine a number of days following the surgery. You may experience crusting or stuffiness in your nose for several weeks after the surgery. For the first few days you may need to change the gauze placed under your nose as needed. Your doctor may recommend that you sleep with your head elevated and to drink plenty of fluids. If needed, you may be prescribed pain medicine or antibiotics.
You will be asked to schedule follow-up visits with your doctor to ensure the sinuses are healing properly, and to clean out any excess blood or mucus. It is important that you do not blow your nose when recovering from sinus surgery. This can cause excess bleeding. The details will be in your post-operative instructions.
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What Happens During Endoscopic Sinus Surgery
Endoscopic sinus surgery is usually performed under a general anaesthetic but for minor procedure a local anaesthetic and sedation can be used. The operation usually takes between one and two hours.
The operation is performed through your nose and does not result in any facial scars or change to the outside shape of your nose.
Your surgeon will use a small tube with a special lens called an endoscope to examine your each of your nasal passages. They will also use special instruments to remove any polyps and to widen the passages from your sinuses into your nose to allow for normal ventilation and draining.
What Is Endoscopic Sinus Surgery Or Fess
Endoscopic Sinus Surgery is the name given to operations for sinus problems when treatment with tablets or sprays has not helped. Surgery is performed though the nostrils, with no cuts or stitches on the face. Before any operation patients will be treated using drops, tablets or sprays for a period of weeks if not months. You will usually need to have a CT scan to confirm the diagnosis and to help the surgeon plan what type of operation will help you best.
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What Are The Risks Side Effects And Complications Of Sinus Surgery
The following complications and risks of sinus surgery have been reported in the medical literature. This list is not meant to be inclusive of every possible complication. It is here for patient information only – not to make patients overly concerned – but to make them aware and more knowledgeable concerning potential aspects of sinus surgery. The surgeon will review the risks and benefits of the surgery when obtaining consent for the operation and will be able to discuss the chance of these complications with respect to an individual’s potential risks of surgery at that time.
How Does It Work
Balloon sinuplasty works by dilating the openings of some or all three of the major nasal sinuses. This enables them to be cleared and drained.
Most people who need the surgery have a condition that leads to the sinus membranes becoming inflamed, preventing drainage of mucus, pus, and discharge, and causing congestion.
Over time, blocked and inflamed nasal passages can interfere with breathing, and lead to symptoms, such as a headache, jaw ache, and insomnia.
Balloon sinuplasty allows doctors to forcibly widen blocked nasal passages and flush out or remove congestion, often using a saline solution.
A 2016 study found that out of 15 adults who received balloon sinuplasty, all reported improved symptoms 3 and 6 months after surgery, without any unanticipated side effects.
The same study concluded that those who underwent balloon sinuplasty had more open, clear nasal passages after the surgery than before.
Furthermore, the procedure helped preserve healthy nasal tissues, mucous membranes, and structure.
A found that balloon sinuplasty was successful in treating 94 percent of chronic sinusitis cases in 30 children who underwent the procedure. The positive effects persisted for up to 1 year following surgery.
A 2013 study found that out of 20 individuals who received balloon sinuplasty, all reported dramatically improved symptoms within 1 week of surgery. These participants were also symptom-free during follow-ups in the year after their surgery.
The same researchers
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When You Need Sinus Surgery
If your sinus pain and sinusitis won’t respond to medical treatment, you may be a candidate for sinus surgery.
When youre diagnosed with sinusitis, the first person who treats you will probably be your primary care doctor. But if sinusitis does not respond to treatment in three months, its considered chronic sinusitis, and the next step is to see a specialist called an otolaryngologist. These surgeons specialize in problems of the ears, nose, and throat and are also called ENT doctors. If your sinus problems are so bad that you need sinus surgery, an ENT doctor will perform the surgery.
Before You Turn to Surgery
Patients who respond to medical therapy do not need surgery, adds Mark A. Zacharek, MD, residency program director for the department of otolaryngology and head and neck surgery at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. But those whose CT scans show persistent disease are possible candidates for surgery, says Dr. Zacharek.
When Sinus Surgery Is Recommended
Reasons for sinus surgery include:
- Evidence of chronic sinusitis even after aggressive medical treatment
- Sinus disease caused by a fungal infection
- Nasal or sinus polyps
- Structural abnormalities of the nose or sinuses
- Sinus infection that has spread to bone
- Cancer of the sinus
- Chronic sinusitis with HIV
Types of Sinus Surgery
Surgeries used on the sinuses are:
Pros and Cons of Sinus Surgery
Find more information in the Everyday Health Ear, Nose, and Throat Center.
What Happens During The Sinus Surgery Procedure
In the operating room, the anesthesiologist will usually use a mixture of a gas and an intravenous medication to put the patient to sleep and to maintain anesthesia at a safe and comfortable level. During the procedure, the patient will be continuously monitored. The surgical team is prepared for any emergency. In addition to the surgeon and the anesthesiologist, there will be a nurse and a surgical technician in the room. The whole procedure usually takes several hours. The surgeon will come to the waiting room to talk with any family or friends once the patient is safely in the recovery room.
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What To Do After Sinus Surgery
Its important to follow all of your doctors instructions after your sinus surgery to expedite healing and ensure a full recovery. Here are a few things we recommend:
- Start taking pain medication immediately. Most patients can control their pain with Tylenol. Dont use blood-thinning pain medications like aspirin because these increase your risk of increased bleeding. Your doctor will prescribe other prescription medications, if needed.
- Start using a saline rinse the day after surgery. We will provide a saline rinse that you should use at least four times a day . These irrigations will help rinse blood and mucus out of your nose and alleviate congestion.
- Use a saline nasal spray throughout the day. This will help keep your nose moist, as moisture is vital for healing. Use 2-3 sprays in each nostril every 1-2 hours throughout the day.
- Rest! Avoid vigorous activities and allow yourself plenty of time to recuperate.
- Take time off of work. We recommend planning for at least 4-5 days away from work. While your bleeding should subside quickly, you may still feel fatigued for a longer period of time.
- Elevate your head. Use extra pillows at night and sit with your head held high. This will reduce swelling and bleeding post-surgery.
- Use an ice pack. To help with swelling and pain, you can use an ice or cold pack on your nose for 10 to 20 minutes at a time.
What Are The Risks Of Sinus Surgery
Any surgical procedure can have risks, and there are certainly risks with sinus surgery. The good thing his that the risk of a complication occurring after surgery is very small. But it is important that you understand the potential risks and ask us about any other concerns you may have. Not all risks or issues after surgery can be covered here, so please remember to discuss your particular concerns with your doctor. Some of the risks of sinus surgery include:
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Why Would I Get Sinus Surgery
Several conditions would require the use of sinus surgery to help alleviate symptoms. The most common would include sinusitis. Sinusitis is the swelling of the passages and sinuses that result in a stuffy nose, pressure in the nose, eyes, and forehead, coughing, nasal drainage and more.
Another common reason for surgery is a nasal polyp. Enlarged polyps or clusters of polyps are swelling of the nasal lining inside the nose. If they expand a person can experience a reduced sense of taste and nasal blockages that could infect the sinuses.
Deviated septums block one side of the nose causing a reduction in air flow. Treatments exist to reduce the swelling of the nasal tissue that could contribute to the deviation, but in some instances when the patient doesn’t respond, surgery helps restore balance to airflow.
When Should You Call Your Surgeon For Complications Following Endoscopic Sinus Surgery
- A sudden increase in the amount of bleeding from the nose unrelieved by pressure, ice, and head elevation.
- A fever greater than 101.5 F that persists despite increasing the amount of fluid intake and acetaminophen use.
- Persistent sharp pain or headache that is not relieved by the prescribed pain medication.
- Increased swelling or redness of the nose or eyes.
- Drainage of a thin, clear fluid in large quantities from usually only one side of the nose. This would be different from the clear, thicker mucus drainage normally produced by the nose.
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