When is sinusitis considered chronic

The first step in figuring out whether you have chronic sinusitis is to see a medical professional. Your primary care doctor or nurse practitioner will examine your sinuses, ask you questions about your condition, and conduct any other procedures that may be necessary.

After discussing your symptoms with you, your physician will typically need to visually examine your sinuses to confirm that you have sinus inflammation. To do this, they often insert a small camera, called an endoscope, up your nose to get a better view of your sinuses. They might also order a type of X-ray called a CT scan to assess the level of inflammation. If you have chronic sinusitis, your care provider will likely advise you on the next step to take.

If you do have chronic sinusitis, your care provider may provide you with other recommendations, depending on the details of your unique case. Many treat chronic sinusitis only when symptoms flare up, particularly when it occurs due to a cold or allergies.

If you suffer from chronic sinus infections , you may need to see an ENT specialist, also called an ear, nose, and throat doctor or an otolaryngologist. These specialist physicians are experts in the medical and surgical management of chronic sinusitis , and are well qualified to determine the cause and appropriate treatment of your sinus condition.

Sinus surgery can be an effective treatment for chronic sinusitis because the diseased or obstructive tissue is removed from the sinuses. However, ongoing inflammation and scarring following surgery can block sinuses again, necessitating further treatment. It is very uncommon for such a situation to develop. Chronic sinusitis cannot cause cancer.

However, cancer can develop in a sinus and early symptoms can mimic those of chronic sinusitis. Guidelines for the management of rhinosinusitis and nasal polyposis ; British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology Am J Rhinol Allergy.

Noon E, Hopkins C ; Review article: outcomes in endoscopic sinus surgery. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. Epub Dec 1. Malays Fam Physician. Hoffmans R, Wagemakers A, van Drunen C, et al ; Acute and chronic rhinosinusitis and allergic rhinitis in relation to comorbidity, ethnicity and environment. PLoS One. Hi All,I've been having issues with constant blocked nose, pressure in my face and behind my eyes also when I look up and move my eyes around around as far as they go I get a little pain and Disclaimer: This article is for information only and should not be used for the diagnosis or treatment of medical conditions.

Egton Medical Information Systems Limited has used all reasonable care in compiling the information but make no warranty as to its accuracy. Consult a doctor or other health care professional for diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions. For details see our conditions. In this series. In this series: Acute Sinusitis. In this series Acute Sinusitis. In this article How do you get chronic sinusitis? What are the symptoms of chronic sinusitis?

Do I need any tests? How do you treat chronic sinusitis? Are there any complications from chronic sinusitis? Chronic Sinusitis In this article How do you get chronic sinusitis? How do you get chronic sinusitis? The following are causes of acute sinusitis that may progress into a chronic sinusitis: Cold or flu-like illnesses - in most cases, acute sinusitis develops from a cold or flu-like illness.

Colds and flu are caused by germs called viruses which may spread to the sinuses. The infection may remain viral before clearing, causing a viral sinus infection. In a small number of cases, germs called bacteria add on to an infection that started with a virus. This can cause a bacterial sinus infection which can make the infection worse, can last longer and may cause more damage or changes to the lining of the sinus. Dental infections - in some cases, infection spreads to a cheekbone maxillary sinus from an infected tooth.

Other risk factors for sinus infection - in a few people, one or more factors are present that may cause their sinuses to be more prone to infection. Nasal polyps Open pop-up dialog box Close. Nasal polyps Nasal polyps are soft, noncancerous growths on the lining of your nose or sinuses. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references AskMayoExpert. Chronic rhinosinusitis. Mayo Clinic; Bennett JE, et al. Philadelphia, Pa. Accessed April 30, Peters AT, et al. Diagnosis and management of rhinosinusitis: A practice parameter update.

Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Journal. Doctors have found that the following people are more prone to chronic sinus inflammation than others:.

If any of these situations apply to you and you're experiencing symptoms of sinusitis, you may need to see a doctor to work on clearing things up for good. There are a number of treatment options that can be used to get rid of chronic sinus inflammation. Some of the most common ones include:. Sometimes, doctors will also recommend lifestyle changes to help patients manage the symptoms of chronic inflammation.

Some simple lifestyle changes you can make to find relief from your condition include:. In more extreme cases, when none of the lifestyle treatments mentioned above seem to be working, your doctor may suggest surgery.

There are a few different types of procedures that doctors will recommend to combat chronic sinus inflammation. Listed below are two of the most common options:. When the sinuses have expanded, the doctor will deflate the balloon and remove the catheter. The whole procedure takes less than an hour, yields great results, and is less invasive than traditional interventions. Do you live in Scottsdale or Phoenix areas? Contact us today to request an appointment -- we'll figure out what's causing your sinusitis and you get you on your way to feeling more like your old self!

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