Sinusitis is inflammation of the nasal passageways. It can be acute or chronic.
Chronic sinusitis typically lasts longer that 3 weeks and is a chronic inflammatory disorder.
Allergies are frequently the cause of chronic sinusitis
- Headaches
- Facial pain and congestion
- Post nasal drip
- Chronic runny nose
- Sore teeth
- Loss of smell
- Pressure when leaning forward
Around half of sinus infections will resolve without antibiotics. In people with recurrent “sinusitis” it is important to exclude an underlying inflammatory condition such as allergy
Allergies can often flare after nasal or sinus surgery. While surgery is often indicated to fix structural issues, it doesn’t fix underlying allergies.
Effective treatment of sinusitis depends of the correct diagnosis. Many sinusitis infections can resolve without antibiotics.
In fact, allergy is often mistaken for sinusitis
Allergies can also cause chronic inflammation of the sinus lining. The inflammation prevents clearance of mucus predisposing to secondary bacterial infections.
Managing chronic inflammation of the sinus often needs multiple approaches. Avoiding irritants such as smoke can also help symptoms.
If you suffer from regular sinus discomfort then considering allergy testing can mean you can identify your triggers, avoid or eliminate those triggers and prevent over treating your sinusitis.
Firstly by seeing a trained Doctor we can help diagnose chronic rhinosinusitis and polyps, assess the severity of your sinusitis and whether you’re suffering from any underlying allergies or structural causes such as polyposis or deviated nasal septum to help you manage sinusitis comprehensively.
We can start by helping you avoid triggers or allergens by finding out what you’re allergic to and how you can reduce your exposure to these triggers.
We can offer you medical treatments, monitor your progress and identify whether you need to see an ENT surgeon regarding surgical options for underlying structural problems such as deviated nasal septum or polyps or sinus surgery.
We can consider how other complementary treatments like the ones below might be added to your treatment plan:
- Immunotheraphy,
- Acupuncture, accupressure and sinus drainage support
- Aromatheraphy,
- Salt washes,
- Steroid washes,
- Ultrasound sinus treatments
- Nasal rebreathing classes
We can look after your allergic sinusitis long term and ensure you don’t suffer from complications of your treatments such as long term steroid use.