Dr. French can help!
What is Sinusitis?
Sinusitis is the inflammation of the sinus cavity, the sinuses become blocked through the swelling. It is normally caused when a virus or bacterial infection multiply and infect the sinus tissue. This causes the sinuses to become blocked and mucus and pus can fill up the sinuses because they cannot drain properly. There are different stages of a sinus infection, depending on the length of time that sinus infectionsymptoms are present or how often they occur.
Acute sinusitis is typically diagnosed when the problem persists for up to 4 weeks When the infection persists for more than 12 weeks it is referred to as Chronic Sinusitis. For symptoms that occur that resolve in under four weeks, but occur 4 or more times a year, it is often referred to as recurrent acute sinusitis. If your symptoms don’t resolve quickly, or occur frequently, an Otolaryngologist (ENT) can help.
What are common Sinusitis symptoms?
- Fatigue
- Sore throat and nasal discharge
- Trouble breathing through the nose
- Losing the sense of smell and taste
- Sinus headache
- Facial pain
- Tenderness and swelling around the eyes cheeks nose and forehead
How can we help?
Typically, the first step is to understand what you have been through in the treatment of your symptoms. Medical therapy with an appropriate antibiotic and other conservative measures are generally recommended as first line treatment. Next, attention should be given to make sure allergies aren’t contributing to the problem. Many sinus sufferers also have allergic rhinitis which may be exacerbating their problem. Finally, it is important to make sure that the sinus cavities are functioning like they are supposed to and are not blocked or obstructed. This can prevent infections from clearing and lead to recurrent or persistent infections.
How do you fix blocked sinus passageways?
Depending on the type and severity of the blockage, the sinus obstruction may be relieved with traditional endoscopic surgical drainage or a minimally invasive approach called balloon sinuplasty.