Sinuses-Types and Treatments

 

What are Sinuses?

Sinuses are a group of air-filled spaces which surrounds the nasal cavity. It performs multiple functions related to the respiratory system and require the free flow of gases and secretions into the nose. When the pathways connecting the sinuses and the nose get blocked, the mucosa lining of the sinuses gets unhealthy, leading to inflammation and infections. This leads to unhealthy secretions, pus, and polyps in the sinus, causing the development of sinusitis which has symptoms such as, a plugged nose, and pain in the face, headaches, cough, sore throat etc. This can prove to be highly painful for the patients and the ENT specialist in Jaipur prescribe some medications for the patients.

Types of Sinusitis

Acute sinusitis- It has symptoms that are similar to a cold/fever, such as a runny nose, cough, sore throat etc. They develop rapidly and last for around 4 weeks.

Chronic sinusitis - It produces the same symptoms as the acute sinusitis, but for longer than 8 weeks.

Subacute sinusitis - It has the same symptoms, and can trouble one for 4 weeks to 8 weeks. It can be referred as a form of transition from acute to chronic sinusitis.

Recurrent sinusitis- It has the same symptoms as any other sinusitis, but it recurs several times in a year. It can also be identified with four or more full episodes of acute sinusitis that occur within one year.

Treatments Available

Medication

An ENT doctor in Jaipur suggests certain medications to put your pain at ease. Antibiotics are also prescribed if the symptoms persist beyond a week. There are various kinds of drugs and medications which are prescribed to deal with different kinds of sinusitis, like decongestants which reduce swelling in the mucous membranes, analgesics which reduce pain, corticosteroids which reduce inflammation in the nasal passages etc.

Surgery

If these treatment options are unsuccessful in dealing with or reducing the severity of the condition, surgery is performed to treat this condition. Based on the effectiveness of the medical treatment, the ENT surgeon in Jaipur can recommend surgery. Advanced sciences have made these surgeries minimally invasive and highly effective. For instance, FESS (Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery), which is performed using an endoscope to clear the natural pathways of the nasal cavity and the sinuses to improve nose functions and enable easy respiration. Balloon Sinuplasty, which is performed to open up blocked sinuses by enlarging the natural openings. It is effective in relieving the patient from various symptoms like a headache, facial pain, nasal discharge, etc. Depending upon the type of sinusitis and extent of damage, the ENT specialist will recommend solutions.