Chronic Sinusitis – Treatment Options

Transcript

Most treatments for chronic sinusitis will involve decreasing the inflammation and swelling. Sometimes an antibiotic is added if bacterial infection is suspected. Saline nasal rinses also help to reduce inflammation and clear the mucus in the nose. Evaluating a patient with chronic sinusitis involves looking for issues with their immune system, checking for allergies that are not controlled and evaluating their anatomy with a thorough physical exam and possibly a CAT scan of their sinuses. If medical therapy does not work and symptoms persist, then procedures are sometimes performed to improve the drainage of the sinuses. Minimally invasive procedures are now available that may be performed in the clinic setting without general anesthesia. These involve using special balloon devices to dilate the sinus openings without tissue removal. Even patients with nasal polyps can often have them removed in the office. For some patients with more severe disease, sinus surgery can be performed, which will remove tissue to enlarge the sinus openings, allowing for improved drainage, as well as allowing for your sinus cavities to be accessible to topical medications.