Treatment for sinus infection or chronic sinusitis – Are you the one who always get cold and allergy attack accompanied with a runny nose, sneezing, red, stuffy nose, facial pressure, facial pain and discomfort? Then, you could be at risk of having sinusitis or sinus problem – as the symptoms of sinusitis often mimic the symptoms of allergies or cold. Many a time, majority of us don’t see a doctor and let the condition get properly diagnosed and treated though the treatment for sinusitis is very much possible if it is diagnosed properly in time.
What is sinusitis?
In sinusitis, the tissue that lines the sinuses becomes inflamed and swollen when fluid builds up in the sinuses. The blocked sinuses become a budding ground for the microbes – as a result, microbes flourish and cause infection and disrupt the normal & smooth flow of air inside the sinuses.
Sinuses drain mucus into the nasal passages when they are normal, but due to allergy, cold or bacterial infections – inflammation of the sinuses does not allow the sinuses to drain mucus. As a result, they become inflamed, swollen and congested. Sinusitis is diagnosed in a person if he or she has purulent nasal discharge for up to four weeks, which is associated with facial pressure, pain, fullness and nasal obstruction.
What are the causes of sinusitis?
Sinusitis may result owing to several causes, such as viral infections – common cold, inflammation and swelling of the nose due to allergic rhinitis; nasal polyps – growth in the lining of the nose; and alterations or changes in the nasal cavity – deviated septum.
What are the types of sinusitis?
Acute sinusitis: This type of sinusitis usually begins like cold and the symptoms include facial pain, running & stuffy nose. The condition may continue as long as 15 days to a month.
Sub-acute sinusitis: This type of sinusitis may last for around one to three months.
Chronic sinusitis: The condition may last for about three months or longer.
Recurrent sinusitis can occur several times a year.
What is acute bacterial sinusitis?
If a sinus infection persists for more than 10 days or longer or when the symptoms exaggerate after improvement in the initial phase of the infection– then it is most likely to be a bacterial infection. Acute bacterial sinusitis is usually followed by a cold, viral or allergy attack – and sometimes by environmental pollutants as well. This type of sinusitis may warrant intervention by a physician for proper diagnosis and treatment and the treatment modality include antibiotics and nose blockage removal.
What are the symptoms of sinusitis?
Sinusitis symptoms: Loss of smell, runny nose, stuffed-up nose, facial pain or pressure, fatigue, sometimes dental pain, bad breathe, fever, cough or congestion are the symptoms of acute sinusitis. The patient may have acute sinusitis if thick yellow or green nasal discharge is associated with the above symptoms.
The symptoms associated with chronic sinusitis include facial pain, pressure and fullness with nasal blockage or obstruction, discoloured postnasal discharge, headache, bad breathe, fever and sometimes pus in the nasal cavity. These symptoms may persist for up to three months or more.
What is the treatment for sinusitis?
The best nasal spray for sinusitis or congestion is a nasal saline spray or nasal congestion spray. Though the prolonged usage of non-prescription nasal spray for sinus congestion or drops should be avoided, but if the spray is used for gaining temporary relief from congestion, then it is advisable.
Sinusitis Medication: Nowadays antibiotic resistance has become very common as the bacteria that are causing sinus infections are becoming antibiotics resistant which means they are becoming immune to the effects of certain antibiotics prescribed by the doctor. Therefore, infections like sinusitis are becoming challenging to treat. However, expert physicians and ENT specialists don’t prescribe antibiotics when you first see them and may advise you to wait for at least a week to see whether the mild sinus infection and its symptoms are getting better on its own – as the body will fight the infections naturally. Follow the instructions of the doctor, if he or she prescribes antibiotic to you; then take the medicines as per the instructions and follow the regimen even if you are relieved of symptoms prior to completing your therapy.
Sinus Remedies: Apart from sinus medicine usage sinus blockage treatment involves inhaling steam or using best saline nasal sprays or nose spray for sinus – which will help relieve sinus discomfort.
When does acute sinusitis become chronic?
If you have sinusitis, which is persistent with bouts of regular infections with associated symptoms for up to three months or more – then it is indicative of chronic sinusitis. The symptoms associated with chronic sinusitis are less severe than that of acute sinusitis – yet the damage caused due to chronic condition is more – and therefore, surgery becomes necessary to repair the damage.
What is theCure for sinus infection or Best Cure for sinusitis?
Chronic sinusitis treatment: If a person has a sinus infection and is presented with three to four symptoms of sinusitis, he or she must see the best doctor for sinusitis
The treatment for bacterial sinusitis involves sinus medication, i.e., antibiotics therapy. If the sinusitis becomes persistent & prolong, then the best cure for sinusitis is intensive antibiotic therapy; and therefore, your doctor may prescribe sinus medication to treat bacterial sinusitis or chronic sinusitis. Surgery may sometimes become necessary to remove physical obstructions that may contribute to sinusitis.
Is surgery required for sinusitis?
Surgery may become absolutely indispensable if antibiotic therapy for sinusitis fails owing to a nasal obstruction that cannot be removed by using medicines. The best sinus specialist doctor in Hyderabad will select an appropriate surgical procedure by considering the unique requirement of the patient and their condition.
Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (FESS) is one such procedure, which is recommended by an ENT specialist to treat a certain type of sinus condition. In this type of surgical technique, the surgeon directs an endoscope into the nose along with other instruments and removes diseased tissues and polyps to clean the narrow channels of the sinuses. The surgeon may use local or general anaesthetic depending on the condition of the patient and their individual preferences.
If surgery has been suggested to you by your surgeon, then ensure that you have realistic expectations about the course of the treatment – the possible outcomes, post-operative care, recovery and health. Good outcomes are possible with good understanding between the patient and his or her surgeon and cooperative efforts between them and also when the patient follows the pre and post-operative instructions of the surgeon diligently.