Sinusitis
Otolaryngology & Facial Plastic Surgery located in Scottsdale, AZ & Fountain Hills, AZ
Sinusitis FAQ
The eight sinuses located in the air-filled spaces of your facial bones are lined with mucus-producing membranes. The mucus leaves the sinuses through a small opening and drains into your nose, where it moistens and warms the air you inhale.
Sinus membranes block the opening when they become inflamed and swollen. As a result, mucus accumulates inside the sinus and an infection called sinusitis develops.
The top causes of sinusitis are:
Allergies
Seasonal and year-round allergies such as hay fever frequently cause nasal congestion, which in turn blocks the sinus opening and causes sinusitis. Common allergens likely to cause sinusitis include mold, dust mites, and pollen from grasses and trees.
Viral infection
Sinusitis is usually caused by the same virus that’s responsible for the common cold. It’s unusual for bacteria to cause sinusitis, but you may develop a bacterial infection when your sinusitis persists. In rare cases, sinusitis begins due to a fungal infection.
Chronic inflammation
You have chronic sinusitis when your symptoms last for 12 weeks or longer without relief. This type of sinusitis is caused by ongoing inflammation without an active infection.
The three most common symptoms of chronic sinusitis are:
- Nasal congestion
- Green or yellow nasal discharge
- Pain, tenderness, or pressure in your face around your sinuses
You may also experience symptoms such as:
- Decreased sense of smell
- Aching in your jaw or teeth
- Postnasal drainage
- Headache
- Earache
- Bad breath
- Cough
- Fatigue
Allergies are a common health problem. Hay fever alone affects about 8% of all children and adults, and many more have food, skin, and respiratory allergies. Franklyn Gergits, DO, MS, at Sinus & Allergy Wellness Center has years of experience performing allergy testing and developing customized treatments to relieve your symptoms. If you suffer with allergies, call one of the offices in Fountain Hills or Scottsdale, Arizona, or schedule an appointment online. Some patients develop a fever, but that’s not typical with chronic sinusitis.
The first line of treatment begins with nasal irrigation and corticosteroids delivered in a nasal spray, orally, or by injection. Corticosteroids are used for a short time to significantly diminish inflammation.
You may need antibiotics if a bacterial infection develops. When your symptoms persist despite conservative treatment, Dr. Gergits may recommend a balloon sinuplasty.
Dr. Gergits has extensive experience performing balloon sinuplasty using the OPEN Procedure™. Balloon sinuplasty is a minimally invasive procedure performed in the office using local anesthesia and a nasal endoscope containing a camera and a medical-grade balloon.
Dr. Gergits guides the narrow, flexible endoscope through your nostril to the blocked sinus. When the endoscope is at the sinus, the balloon is inflated to clear the blockage. Then he rinses away the mucus inside the sinus and deflates and removes the balloon.
You get long-lasting results because pressure from the inflated balloon gently restructures the shape of the opening, a change that remains even after the balloon is removed. As a result, normal sinus drainage is restored, and your chronic sinusitis goes away.
If you need relief from ongoing sinusitis, call Sinus & Allergy Wellness Center or book an appointment online.
