Sinusitis Symptoms and Treatment Most of us may have experienced Sinusitis at some point in our lifetime, with symptoms like debilitating headaches, fever, nasal congestion and obstruction. Sinusitis is more widespread than diabetes, asthma or coronary heart disease in India, with an estimated 134 million suffering from the disease as per National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases' (NIAID). Most people delay in consulting a doctor until the symptoms begin to affect their productivity. Often patients ignore the initial symptoms which starts off with a mild sinus infection until it eventually develops into acute sinusitis ( over a period of 12 weeks). Before it's too late (beyond a week), schedule an appointment with our ENT specialist, at BSR ENT hospital, and get a complete evaluation done, before taking on the treatment plan. Call : 040-27848166 / 9059311554.

Overview of Sinusitis Sinusitis is a common condition in which the lining of the sinuses becomes inflamed due to infection, bacteria or fungus. It's usually caused by a viral infection and often improves within two or three weeks. Sinuses are hollow, air-filled spaces behind the cheekbones and your forehead. These spaces or cavities are interconnected and open into the nose through tiny openings. The mucus produced by your sinuses usually drains into your nose through small channels which get blocked when the sinus linings are inflamed by infection. The mucous membrane in the nose and sinuses have the same mucous lining, therefore one leading to the other. There are four pairs of sinuses which are: Frontal sinus (in forehead)

Maxillary sinus (behind cheeks)

Ethmoid sinus (between eyes)

Sphenoid sinus (deep in the head at the back of the nose)

Signs of Sinusitis Sinusitis is usually triggered by upper respiratory tract infection, such as a cold. A persistent cold and the below symptoms indicate you have sinusitis. Symptoms include: A green or yellow discharge from your nose

A blocked nose

Pain and tenderness around your cheeks, eyes or forehead

A sinus headache

High temperature (fever)

Toothache

Bad breath and

Diminished sense of smell The symptoms often clear up within a few weeks (acute sinusitis), although sometimes they can last beyond 3 months ending up with chronic sinusitis. Both sinuses and the nose are lined with the same soft tissue called mucous. any infection that affects one affects the other too. When to see your doctor? Severe or getting worse

Continue beyond a week or 10 days

Repetitive frequently

Treatment If your symptoms don't get better - even after trying treatments like decongestants, over-the-counter-painkillers, application of warm packs to the face, antibiotics, nose sprays or cleaning your nose with saline water - you may be referred to an ENT specialist for Sinus surgery to improve the drainage of your sinuses. Your ENT physician may prescribe medication for acute sinusitis. In the event of chronic or recurrent , sinusitis, a thorough investigation is made to eliminate underlying conditions such as allergies and asthma. After a physical examination and CT Scan, your doctor will decide, if an endoscopy is needed and which sinuses need to be operated on. Sinus openings are enlarged for drainage of sinusitis. The surgery also involves removing blockages to eliminate the mucus out of the openings. Chances of a recurrence are thereby minimized due to surgery.

Treatment Cost Chronic sinusitis is often treated with an endoscopic procedure called FESS or functional endoscopic sinus surgery, under general anesthesia to improve the drainage of mucus from your sinuses. Chronic conditions are presumed to be caused by allergies and related conditions, including allergic rhinitis, asthma, nasal polyps, smoking and weakened immune system. The treatment cost will vary upon individual case and the exact cost can be determined after reviewing the individual case. It will also depend on the experience and expertise of the specialist, the technologies used, and severity of the condition.