How to Diagnose Sinusitis and Do Treatment?

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It may be difficult to live with chronic sinus problems. This disease has several effects on your daily life, which means that it is crucial to seek the treatment you need and deserve, from an abundance of pain and sorrow in the face and the temples.

Think you might have sinusitis? You may be able to obtain a professional diagnosis by scheduling an appointment for an ear, nose and throat doctor (ENT) for acute sinusitis treatment. The symptoms and how the disease can be diagnosed and treated are described below.

What Is Chronic Sinusitis?

When our sinuses become infected for a long time, chronic sinusitis occurs. The areas between ears, nose, and mouth are our sinuses-when they are swollen, they produce a cumbersome feeling. Mucus can have trouble draining, nose breathing can be difficult and eyes can be swollen. It may also affect smell and taste. In certain cases, the ears or throat may suffer from pain and discomfort.

Behind chronic sinusitis there are many possible causes. Nasal polyps or tissue growths can block the sinuses. A deviating nasal septum can also occur – in other words, the nasal wall can crumble or collapse partially. This may even be caused by persistent allergies like hay fever or pet allergy. In many cases, however, the cause is probably a sinus infection.

A number of lifestyle and conditions can make you more likely to develop chronic sinusitis. Smoking or regular contact with pollutants are lifestyle factors. In the interim, chronic sinusitis can increase its risk including HIV, cystic fibrosis and asthma.

Symptoms:

Common symptoms and signs of sinusitis include:

  • Inflammation of the nose

  • Dense, colorless nose discharge

  • Postnasal drainage down the back of the throat

  • Nasal obstruction or congestion, which can cause nasal difficulty

  • Bleeding, sensitivity, swelling, palsy, nose or front

  • Smell and taste reduced

Other symptoms and signs may contain:

  • Ear pain

  • Jaw and teeth ache

  • Cough

  • Sore throat

Chronic sinusitis and acute sinusitis have similar symptoms, but acute sinusitis often is a temporary, cold-related sinus infection. The symptoms and signs of chronic sinusitis last a minimum of 12 weeks, however, before you develop chronic sinusitis there may be several acute sinusitis episodes. Fever is not a common sign of chronic sinusitis, but one with acute sinusitis might be present.

What is the diagnosis of chronic sinusitis?

Sinusitis is chronic if more than three months persist, with almost daily symptoms. It is highly recommended that you see an ENT physician for 12 weeks to get a test and receive an official diagnosis, if you have sinusitis-like symptoms.

An ENT doctor might recommend a CT scan or the MRI scan if the disease is not clearly an infection to examine for structural problems. In other instances a small flexible instrument can be employed to examine the nose and sinuses. In this case an endoscope can be used.

It could be important for the correct treatment to find the exact cause and condition. Various questions regarding your lifestyle can be asked in order to better understand possible reasons. Contact us at OKOA for acute sinusitis treatment.

**Disclaimer: The information on this page is not intended to be a doctor's advice, nor does it create any form of patient-doctor relationship.