Treatment of Chronic Sinusitis

Chronic sinusitis is when the symptoms, pain and discomfort of sinusitis keep returning frequently. Chronic sinusitis treatments can because the symptoms can suggest possibly more serious ailments that trigger the chronic sinusitis condition. There could be another disease e.g. AIDS or diabetes, physical deformation or some obstruction in the nasal passage. Hence chronic sinusitis must be treated by finding the root cause which makes its treatment different from that of the acute sinusitis with its temporary effects.

Chronic sinusitis can be treated only after finding the actual cause of the sinusitis e.g. constant clogging of the mucus, frequent infection etc. There are several ways to detect the causes of sinusitis. The first is endoscopic surgery where the surgeon sends a fine tube with a light source and camera. This shows the doctor the actual reason for the sinusitis. Once that is determined, eliminating the cause isn't very difficult and often the problem is solved by a simple surgery. Some delicate issues like a crooked nasal septum, birth defect that causes obstruction in the nasal passage etc. could also be detected by computerized tomography scan or magnetic resonance imaging. A deep inflammation or some sort of hindrance in the nasal pathways shown by these scans can then be treated accordingly.

Allergy to certain things like dust mites, pollutants and pollen, animal fur and other irritants could be pinpointed by doctors using an allergy skin test. The allergic response of the body can spark excess mucus secretion or inflammation that may spoil the balance inside the delicate nasal passages and the narrow sinus cavities. In some cases, doctors even follow the method of tissue culture which will show the harmful effect of a bacterial pathogen that is affecting the mucous lining. All these methods of detection are relatively easy and pain-free and depending on the cause of the chronic sinusitis, the doctor can go about treating it. For example, a deformation inside the nose of the nasal septum or the turbinates could be operated upon and the obstruction cleared. The presence of nasal polyps which are nothing but overgrowth of the connective tissues can also obstruct the nasal lining which causes problem in free flow of air and mucus. These too can be removed by minor surgeries. There are various tools that can be used to shave away polyps or clear minor obstructions inside the nasal passages. Balloon sinuplasty is another form of surgery where a balloon is utilized to increase the size of the nasal cavities without harming or affecting any other part. The balloon once inserted is slowly inflated to apply the appropriate pressure.

Immunotherapy which involves taking allergy shots helps make the body more resilient towards the allergens that are sparking the chronic sinusitis symptoms. The use of antibiotics such as doryx, monodox or combination drugs like trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole are all directed against eliminating the bacterial or viral infection. The course of these antibiotics is usually around 10-14 days and one should be careful as to not stop taking antibiotics in the middle of the course. This will bring back the original symptoms as the bacteria will not be completely destroyed. Saline nasal sprays and corticosteroids like mometasone, budesonide etc. are also used to treat inflammation and clear the congestion inside the nose. Although one can use decongestants as well, it shouldn't continue for long as they inhibit the secretion of mucus which is not desirable.