Sinus Problems

A lot of people are plagued with sinusitis, as this is the most common respiratory infection known to man. In fact, research shows that around 50 million Americans suffer from sinus problems every year. Although such condition is far from posing a serious threat on one’s health, it can be a cause to loss of productivity and needless discomfort, such as facial pain and congestion.

A sinus problem can be greatly attributed to exposure to nasal allergens, which normally includes strong chemicals, pollution, smoke and fumes along with dusts and pollen. In order to fully understand sinus problems, one has to fully grasp the body’s reaction to certain stimuli or in this case causal allergen. When a hypersensitive person is in close contact with harsh chemicals or other substances that can trigger nasal infection, the sinus or the small cavities in the face and head and becomes congested that will ultimately lead to sinus shutdown. Such condition would usually result to a swollen sinus lining or damaged cilia. Interestingly enough, allergens are not the only identified culprits for sinus problems, since stress and physical obstructions in cases when a person is suffering from cold can also result to a sinusitis bout.

A person normally has four sinuses – the ethmoid, frontal, maxillary and the sphenoid. Sinuses, as mention earlier as air filled spaces that are found in the face, it produces mucus to constantly cleanse the nose. Although one cannot really pinpoint the main function of sinuses, it is known to be the breeding site for infections. Through contact with allergens and other aforementioned factors, the sinuses respond by the swelling of the tissue and thickening of mucus – resulting to congestion and facial pains. There are two main types of sinus problems – the chronic and acute. Sinus problem symptoms are usually diagnosed as acute through green or yellow nasal discharges, facial pressure, high fever, upper toothaches, and congestion. The patient should have no less than four infections in a given year to be categorized as acute. On the other hand, chronic sinusitis are often characterized with continuous or recurring infections, nosebleeds and congestions, sore throat, headaches, bad breath and fatigue.

So what are the known cures for sinus problems? For acute sinusitis patients, health care providers usually prescribe antibiotics, some decongestants and antihistamines. On the other hand, chronic patients although treated similarly will have to undergo long-term treatment programs in order to attain maximum effectiveness. Some doctors would require a CT scan to effectively evaluate the sinus problems. A nasal endoscopy can also be administered, a technique that allows physicians to conduct full examination on the patient’s nasal cavity.

For people suffering from severe cases of sinusitis, an endoscopic sinus surgery can be done to eliminate recurring sinus problems and infections. This procedure helps improve the mucus drainage in the sinuses, which was first popularized in the United States. In this procedure, the surgeon simply removes the affected area of the sinus and creates small openings into the cavities in order to effectively improve the natural drainage of mucus. This is a relatively simple operation that can be done in 1-2 hours and is actually offered on an outpatient basis. The great thing about this type of surgery is the fact that it only causes minimal pain and relieves the person with having to deal with the annoying sinus problems in the future.

Recently, another popular surgery was offered to help people with sever and chronic sinusitis. Laser Turbinate Surgery is specifically designed to trim down the size of the turbinates - a quick and virtually painless procedure that doesn’t require administration of general anesthesia or any downtime period. CO2 and KTP lasers are often used to handle this type of laser surgery and can usually be efficiently accomplished in just 15-20 minutes. This is certainly a great relief for people who have suffered and beleaguered with sinus problems all their lives.