SINUSITIS

SINUSITIS

Sinusitis is an inflammation often caused by a bacterial infection. It can occur after a respiratory infection like a common cold. People with allergies or asthma are prone to suffer from chronic sinusitis due to the likelihood of their airways becoming inflamed.

Symptoms include:

• Thick nasal discharge
• Nasal congestion
• Postnasal drip, often with a bad taste
• Cough
• Headache
• Pain in teeth
• Decreased sense of smell
• Wheezing, if asthmatic

Symptoms disappear in about a week. Some people will develop a bacterial infection that requires antibiotics.

These symptoms might be a sign of sinusitis or caused by allergies. KCAA physicians are specifically trained to properly diagnose these conditions.

Chronic sinusitis occurs when symptoms persist over 8 weeks, despite treatment. We will examine a patient’s medical history and symptoms to diagnose chronic sinusitis. We might recommend a CT scan or allergy testing to determine what triggers the inflammation. Once we identify the triggers, we develop a treatment plan. Our plans typically involve:

• Saline irrigation
• Nasal steroid sprays
• Antihistamines/decongestants
• Antibiotics

Since allergies lead to chronic sinusitis, immunotherapy is often the most effective long-term treatment because it decreases sensitivity to allergens, thus reducing occurrence of sinusitis. Left untreated, chronic sinusitis can cause frequent sinus, ear, and upper and lower respiratory infections.