Treatment For Sinus Infections

Sinus infections, or sinusitis, are the swelling of the nasal passageways effectively blocking the opening of the sinuses, which causes the accumulation of mucus eventually leading to an infection within the sinus cavities. The initial inflammation, or swelling, can be caused by a cold or viral infection, allergies, a deviated septum or could even be caused by the conditions of a persons living environment. Depending on the severity of the infection, treatment for sinus infections varies from simple home remedies to surgery.

What are the symptoms of sinusitis? The symptoms of acute sinusitis (lasting 7 to 10 days) include:

  • Thick greenish-yellow phlegm
  • Nasal discharge Postnasal drip
  • Headache Pressure around the effected sinus

If the symptoms persist for longer than 7 to 10 days, it could be considered chronic sinusitis and can last as long as 12 weeks. The symptoms of chronic sinusitis include:

  • Thin, clear discharge
  • Nasal congestion
  • Fatigue
  • Pain in the upper teeth and jaw
  • Pressure around the eyes, nose and ears
  • Loss of smell and taste
  • Irritability and mood swings

How do you treat acute sinusitis?

Acute sinusitis is relatively to treat and can be done so with a variety of home remedies. More often than not you will not need to see a doctor unless the symptoms progress or they last longer than 7 to 10 days. Treatment for acute sinusitis includes:

  • Use of a humidifier at night
  • Over the counter medications
  • Nasal irrigation
  • Bed rest Drink plenty of fluids

Using a humidifier while you sleep can help keep the nasal passageways moist which helps mucus and discharge flow easier from the nose. Irritability and inflammation is caused by dry passageways and bacteria and debris that get caught within them. If you do not have access to a humidifier you can also take long hot showers or breathe the steam from a pot of hot water. Drinking plenty of water also helps thin the mucus, making it easier to drain.

Over the counter medications can be used to ease congestion and symptoms while your body fights off the infection. Nasal decongestions come in either nasal sprays or in pill form and they work by decreasing blood flow to the nasal passageways effectively reducing inflammation and increasing airflow. Antihistamines will also help drain the sinuses and make it easier to breathe.

How do you treat chronic sinusitis?

Chronic sinusitis can be much more difficult to treat than acute sinusitis as the infection has had longer time to take hold and spread. The treatment options for chronic sinusitis include:

  • Physician prescribed antibiotics, antifungal and anti-inflammatory medications
  • Surgery: FESS or Balloon Sinuplasty
  • Aerosolized, Atomized and Nasal Irrigation Treatments

It is highly recommended to see your physician if your symptoms have persisted longer than 10 days. The first line of action that they will take is prescribing a combination of antibiotic, antifungal or anti-inflammatory medications depending on what type of infection that you have. It is important to take all of your medication as well, even if the symptoms drop, because the infection could still come back even stronger than before.

If medication does not solve the problem, the physician can refer you to an ENT, an Ear Nose and Throat doctor who will perform one of two surgeries. FESS, functional endoscopic sinus surgery, is the act of shaving bits of bone and tissue to enlarge the opening of the sinus. Balloon sinuplasty is the act of feeding a balloon into the nasal passages with a wire and inflating it to increase the opening of the sinus. Both have immediate effects, but they do not treat the infection itself so many patients have to have surgery many times in their life.

There are alternatives to both oral medications and surgery, and they are aerosolized, atomized and nasal irrigation treatments. Sinus Dynamics specializes in three types of topical treatment that are safe and risk free. They eliminate the risk of developing resistance to oral medications, while having better results than FESS or balloon sinuplasty.

FINAL NOTES

If you are having trouble finding the relief you need from sinus please contact us now. We will be happy to discuss the different options for the treatment of sinusitis we offer, finding the perfect one for you. Imagine being able to breathe freely once again, Sinus Dynamics can help you reach that once again.

If you would like to know more about our styles of treatment please feel free to contact us using this site, or you can call us at 1.877.447.4276, and one of our friendly staff members will be happy to answer any questions that you may have. Let us get you the relief you’ve been so desperately seeking! Call now!


 
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