Most people suffer from minor nasal congestion from time to time.
However, when this congestion persists for weeks on end, it may evolve into a condition known as chronic sinusitis. You can seek treatment for chronic sinusitis at the best ENT clinic in the United States by knowing what this condition is and how doctors address it in patients today.
What is Chronic Sinusitis?
Chronic sinusitis is defined as nasal congestion that lasts longer than 12 weeks. It may begin as a simple cold or viral infection and evolve into a serious infection that endures for weeks on end.
People with this condition often suffer from swollen and inflamed nasal passages. Their noses are not able to drain, causing a buildup of thick, discolored mucus that either runs out of their noses or down the backs of their throats.
Chronic sinusitis sufferers also may find it difficult or impossible to breathe out of their noses. They may have no option but to breathe out of their mouths.
What are the Symptoms of Chronic Sinusitis?
Chronic sinusitis presents itself through a number of unmistakable symptoms. Some of the more obvious symptoms of chronic sinusitis include:
- Pain or tenderness around the eyes and nose
- Swelling around the eyes, cheeks, nose, and forehead
- Reduced sense of smell and taste
- Ear pain
- Pain in the upper jaw and teeth
- Coughing that is worse at night
- Sore throat
- Bad breath
- Fatigue
- Irritability
- Nausea
If you suffer from any of these symptoms, as well as difficulty breathing out of your nose and the presence of thick, discolored mucus, you may seek treatment from the best ENT clinic in the United States for chronic sinusitis.
Treatment for Chronic Sinusitis
When you go to the best ENT clinic in the United States for chronic sinusitis, you can expect to undergo any number of treatments. Most doctors will first attempt non-invasive, medicinal treatments that may include flushing out your sinuses with saline solution. Sometimes the saline solution will be enough to flush out viruses, bacteria, and other agents that are causing your congestion.
If saline solution flushing does not work, your doctor may then prescribe an antibiotic to treat an underlying bacterial infection. You may need to take the antibiotic for a week to 10 days to completely kill the infection.
As a last resort, the doctor at the best ENT clinic in United States may perform surgery for your chronic sinusitis. The surgery may include balloon sinuplasty,, which utilizes a balloon that is inflated in your sinuses to open the passages in your nose. You also may undergo endoscopic nasal surgery, which might include the surgical removal of tissue and polyps to open the nasal passages and make breathing easier.
Chronic sinusitis can be difficult to live with on a daily basis. Rather than wait for it to clear up on its own, you may benefit by undergoing treatment at the best ENT clinic in the United States. Your doctor may recommend a variety of treatments to help you breathe better.