It can be difficult to tell if you have a cold, allergy attack, or sinus infection, but one thing you know for sure, you are miserable!
The lingering symptoms for all three can be very similar. Congestion, stuffy or runny nose, facial pain and pressure, headaches, and irritated eyes, the list goes on and on.
When is it time to see a Specialist?
If the symptoms don’t improve in a few weeks or doesn’t get better with medication…… it is time to make an appointment with an Ears, Nose, and Throat Doctor.
There are many treatments on the market to reduce the symptoms, but not all chronic sinus infections are not successfully treated with medication, as Acclarent explains;
- Sinusitis can be treated non-surgically with natural therapy such as inhaling steam or using saline nasal sprays, or ENT doctors can prescribe medications such as antibiotics or nasal steroid sprays. However, clinical studies show at least 20% of chronic sinusitis patients are not successfully treated with medical therapy. For patients who do not respond adequately to medications, an ENT doctor may recommend sinus surgery.
- Traditional sinus surgery removes bone and tissue to enlarge the sinus opening with the aim of clearing blocked sinuses and restoring normal sinus drainage. With this procedure, sinus surgery recovery is often associated with pain and scarring.
Balloon Sinuplasty is a breakthrough, minimally invasive procedure that ENT doctors use to treat patients with chronic sinusitis. A tiny balloon is placed into the nose to reach the blocked sinuses and then inflated to restructure the sinus opening. The procedure is safe, effective and has a quick recovery.
Take it from me, I suffered for years with sinus issues. I tried just about every over the counter medication to try and get relief, but my symptoms keep coming back. That’s when I found out there are more permanent solutions.
Getting relief for me started when I visited Orlando Ear, Nose & Throat. With an exam, diagnosis, and treatment, I am breathing easy and pain free!
