Sinusitis can cause nasal congestion, sinus pain, fever, weakness, fatigue, post-nasal drip, and coughing. If these symptoms are present for more than 10 days, a patient likely has a case of sinusitis and should contact their health care provider. If after treatment, symptoms persist, or if the condition is chronic or recurrent please call Ear, Nose and Throat Specialists of Connecticut for an appointment.
Typically congestion doesn't mean someone has sinusitis. When a patient visits Ear Nose and Throat Specialists of Connecticut for congestion problems, Dr. Astrachan or Dr. Hecht conduct a thorough evaluation of the nose and face. This, combined with the patient's symptoms, determines if they have sinusitis.
For patients who have sinusitis, often a course of antibiotics clears the infection. In more complicated cases other medications may be required to reduce inflammation and promote drainage It is also very important to make sure you have the correct diagnosis as other conditions can mimic sinusitis and need to be excluded.
Patients who have multiple sinusitis infections in a short time may have an underlying condition, like a deviated septum or other anatomical condition, that needs to be addressed. Less commonly, there may be a mild deficiency in the immune system that can be treated as well. Ear Nose and Throat Specialists of Connecticut performs a detailed evaluation to determine what the underlying problem is for those who have recurring sinusitis.
Chronic sinusitis is sinusitis that occurs for more than 12 weeks. Chronic sinusitis is due to inflammation of the sinuses, not just an infection. For this reason, it's treated differently. Controlling the inflammation often requires the use of nasal steroid sprays, nasal irrigation and other therapies.
Those with underlying conditions, like allergies or asthma, have a tendency to have inflamed airways. This can lead to chronic sinusitis. Nasal polyps and immune system diseases also increase someone's risk of developing this condition. Addressing these types of underlying problems helps prevent the development of sinusitis.
If other treatments for the inflammation or infection don't work, or if an anatomical abnormality is causing sinusitis, then a patient may need surgery. An endoscopic sinus surgery is the most common option. This surgery uses a small scope to assist in widening the sinonasal drainage pathways to prevent recurring infections. This is only considered when no other treatments work, but it's minimally invasive and quite effective when needed. The team at Ear Nose and Throat Specialists of Connecticut helps patients determine if surgery is right for them.