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Throughout the year we often experience runny noses, nasal congestion and stuffiness, which can be associated with the common cold. Although we do often associate colds with the winter season, it's very common to suffer from sinus or nasal discomfort all year round. A sinus infection, or sinusitis, is an inflammation of the sinuses and nasal passages. A sinus infection can cause headaches or pressure in the eyes, nose, cheek area, or on one side of the head. A person with a sinus infection may also have a cough, a fever, bad breath, and nasal congestion with thick nasal secretions. Sinusitis is categorized as acute, or chronic. What is Sinusitis: Acute vs. Chronic Acute bacterial sinusitis is an infection of the sinus cavities that is caused by bacteria and is usually preceded by a cold, allergy attack, or irritation by environmental pollutants. Unlike a cold, however, bacterial sinusitis requires a physician's diagnosis and treatment with an antibiotic to cure the infection and prevent future complications. Mucus normally collects in the sinuses and drains into the nasal passages, but when you have a cold or an allergy attack; your sinuses become inflamed and are unable to drain. Without drainage, this can lead to congestion and infection. Your ENT (ear, nose and throat) doctor, also known as an otolaryngologist, will diagnose acute sinusitis if you have up to 4 weeks of purulent nasal drainage accompanied by nasal obstruction, facial pain-pressure-fullness, or both. The sinus infection is likely bacterial if it persists for 10 days or longer, or if the symptoms worsen after an initial improvement. Acute sinusitis becomes chronic when you have frequent sinusitis, or the infection lasts more than three months. Symptoms of chronic sinusitis may be less severe than those of acute, but untreated chronic sinusitis can cause damage to the sinuses and cheekbones that sometimes can require surgery to repair. Antibiotic therapy for bacterial sinusitis may be an appropriate treatment for your sinusitis. If your ENT doctor thinks that you have chronic sinusitis, intensive antibiotic therapy may be prescribed and sometimes surgery may be necessary to remove physical obstructions that may contribute to sinusitis. Treatment Options Chronic sinusitis symptoms can make you miserable and significantly impact your quality of life. In order to get relief, you need to make the right treatment decision with your doctor. Sinusitis is typically treated with medication first. Treatment with antibiotics or topical nasal steroid sprays is often successful in reducing mucosal swelling, fighting infection, and relieving obstructions of the sinus opening. Inhaling steam or the use of saline nasal sprays can also help to relieve sinus discomfort. If medication does not eliminate your symptoms, you may need sinus surgery. The goals of sinus surgery are to clear blocked sinuses restoring normal sinus drainage and to preserve normal anatomy and mucosal tissue. Specialized instruments are placed into the nose along with a small endoscope to help the surgeon see inside the nose and nasal cavities. Because symptoms of sinusitis can sometimes mimic those of colds and allergies, you may not realize you need to see a doctor. If you suspect you have sinusitis, review the signs and symptoms and consult your otolaryngologist in Montgomery for further diagnosis.
Montgomery Otolaryngology is maintained by Drs. Thomas Cawthon, Neil Stronach, Gregory Borg, Olan Evans, Stephen Chandler and Michael Bowman, providing hearing aids in Montgomery. Dr. Thomas is board certified in Otolaryngology – head and neck surgery. He provides services including Montgomery sinus surgery, face lift and hearing aids.
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