How Sinus Surgery Can Give You Lasting Comfort

Do you often suffer from allergies? The incidence of sinusitis and allergic rhinitis is high in areas of high pollution and smog. Sinusitis results in constant headache, facial pain, nose drips, and inflammation. Between 24 and 31 million Americans suffer from sinusitis every year. Acute sinusitis requires medication and sometimes nasal spray. Acute conditions may be a result of fungal infection or as a result of poor immune systems caused by viral infections. Medication for chronic sinusitis may include allergy shots, antibiotics, nasal corticosteroid sprays, antihistamines or even surgery. Over-the-counter treatments like nasal decongestant sprays may work initially, but over longer period of usage may actually worsen the condition and should not be taken without proper medical advice. The way to counter such condition is to undergo a sinus surgery.

If you are allergic to pollen that triggers allergic rhinitis you know how the attack can weaken you and ruin your schedule. Antihistamines are commonly used to ease the condition. Some medication for rhinitis makes you drowsy. Sometimes vasomotor rhinitis contributes to chronic sinusitis. Deviated septum is another factor for aggravating chronic conditions. If the sinus cavities are abnormally small they do not facilitate drainage from the cavities causing their inflammation. If the patient is sensitive to allergens regular bouts of sinusitis may cause the patient to develop even more serious conditions like abscess, bone infection, meningitis, and skin infection around the eyes. Chronic conditions are accompanied by heavy thick nasal discharge. The nasal discharge may be greenish and have pus or blood in it. The patient will experience localized headache that may increase if the patient lies down or bends over and sometimes a toothache accompanies a dull headache. The patient might also experience some fever and halitosis.

Diagnosis of sinusitis is done usually by an ENT specialist using a nasal endoscopy (rhinoscopy) device. The doctor may use other methods including viewing the nose for polyps and using CT scan or MRI. Presence of polyps or having other structural defects like a deviated nasal septum may make a patient prone to chronic rhinitis or sinusitis. After assessing the condition of the patient, the ENT specialist might advise sinus surgery. When optimal medication fails to improve the condition of the patient, surgery may be advised. Recent methods of surgery like Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (FESS) and balloon sinuplasty are useful for alleviating symptoms. An otolaryngologist is a doctor who specialize in performing sinus surgery. Such delicate procedures should always be performed by experienced professionals specializing in the field.