Chronic sinus pain is something that can easily ruin your day – and can even cause you to suffer when it comes to productivity. Among doctors, this condition is called sinusitis, and it’s pretty awful. It causes coughing, difficulty breathing, sleep problems, and can even get you very sick during times when seasons change. While acute sinus infections may send you running to the doctor immediately for antibiotics, the symptoms of chronic sinusitis are not always so obvious. While your immune system tries to fight bacteria trapped in your sinuses, patients complain of a variety of symptoms like congestion, headaches, fatigue, and sleep problems for months at a time.
Terrible as it is, you do not have to suffer with sinus issues. Medical technology advances have made it possible to treat your sinus problems permanently through a variety of different methods. If you’re not sure what methods you have to consider, take a look at this guide below.
Nasal Irrigation
One of the most common remedies for sinusitis is to use a tool called a Neti Pot to irrigate their sinus cavities with saline. This drains out mucus and allows the sufferer to get temporary relief from sinusitis by decongesting your nasal cavities. Nasal irrigation can irritate sensitive folds if done in excess, and may only be a temporary solve. in our office we favor a straight bottle for sinus rinses to using a Neti Pot.
Nasal Corticosteroids
Nasal Corticosteroids are an over-the-counter solution to congestion and sinusitis. They tend to be administered in the form of sprays that are shot up the nose, such as Flonase or Rhinocort. They can offer decongestion, but must be used daily for best efficacy. Long term use should be under the care and guidance of a physician.
Injected Corticosteroids
If you have severe chronic sinus issues, you may find a physician who still performs injectable corticosteroids. These shots help reduce nasal inflammation and sinus problems. The issue with these treatments is that they are temporary and invasive with significant risks when compared with other modes of treatment available.
Antibiotics
Sometimes a prolonged infection could be the cause of chronic sinusitis. In these cases, the best thing that you can do is get antibiotics to treat the infection. A common sinus infection is called acute bacterial sinusitis and antibiotics should work to clear this type of infection. In chronic sinusitis, antibiotics may only alleviate inflammation providing temporary relief. If antibiotics fail to relieve your symptoms or sinusitis recurs frequently, then evaluation for chronic sinusitis and blocked sinuses is indicated.
Immunotherapy
It’s no secret that allergies can easily cause chronic sinusitis. Those sniffles and coughs irritate nasal passages, which in turn, can be the very reason why you are having a hard time with your sinuses. Doctors who link your sinusitis with allergies may prescribe immunotherapy or allergy medication as a way to alleviate your sinus problems.
Surgery
Perhaps one of the only permanent solutions for chronic sinusitis is surgery, and this is typically reserved for recurrent or unresolved cases of sinusitis. This is an option that is mostly used for structure-based sinus problems, such as a deviated septum or tight sinus anatomy.
Depending on what’s causing the chronic sinusitis, the doctor may choose to straighten out your septum, remove nasal polyps, or perform balloon sinuplasty to dilate and flush your sinuses. Surgical procedures aren’t always deeply intrusive; many don’t even require general anesthesia and can be performed in the office setting.
Want Help With Your Sinus Problem?
Chronic sinus pain and headaches can seriously drain your lifestyle, and it can affect your quality of life in ways that you didn’t even imagine. If you want to breathe better during sports, have better sleep quality at night, and also have fewer allergy symptoms, looking into the proper treatment for your sinusitis is a great idea.
At the office of Dr. Monica Tadros, we are proud to offer a wide range of different treatments for chronic sinusitis. To find out how you can breathe easier and improve the quality of your life, give our office a call for a consultation. We are here to help make your life easier.
Check out his informative video on balloon dilation: