Chronic sinusitis happens when the spaces inside of your nose and head (the sinuses) become swollen and inflamed. This condition can last for months at a time, even with treatment. This condition is common, and it interferes with the way that mucus typically drains form your sinuses, making your nose stuffy and breathing difficult. The area around the eyes might be painful and swollen as well.
This condition can happen due to an infection, nasal polyps that have grown in the sinuses, or due to inflammation of the lining of the sinuses from recurring infections or allergic reactions.
The most common symptoms of chronic sinusitis are:
This condition is different from acute sinusitis, which is related to a sinus infection. Chronic sinusitis can last for weeks or months and should not cause a fever or increasing pain over time.
There are a few common causes of chronic sinusitis:
You are more at risk for chronic sinusitis if you have the following health concerns:
Chronic sinusitis is diagnosed through a variety of different methods. Your doctor will do a physical examination to look for tenderness in the nose and the face and might look into your nose during the exam. They might also order an allergy test to see if you are allergic to specific allregen that you can avoid in order to help your sinuses to heal.
Your doctor might also take samples of your mucus to look for bacterial or fungal infections that are causing your sinusitis. They can also order a scope test where a thin, fibre-optic light is inserted into the nose so that your doctor can see into your sinuses. This is how deviated septum and polyps are usually identified.
Treatment of this condition is based on the cause of chronic sinusitis. If you are allergic to something in your environment, you might be given allergy medications to take. Those suffering from chronic sinusitis will also usually be given a nasal corticosteroid to help reduce the swelling in their sinuses.
Oral or injected steroids can have an impact on swelling and inflammation, and you might be given a course of these medications to take. If your sinusitis is related to bacterial or fungal infection, you will be treated for these conditions as well. In some cases, surgery is needed to repair a deviated septum or to remove polyps. Your doctor will refer you to a specialist for this kind of procedure.
Prevention of sinusitis involves avoiding the things in your environment that you might be allergic to. You should also quit smoking if you are a smoker. You will want to be sure to irrigate your sinuses with saline water when you have been exposed to something that you are allergic to in order to prevent increased inflammation. Always be sure that you finish your full course of antifungal drugs or antibiotics so that you do not end up with secondary sinusitis after an infection.