Chronic / Recurrent Sinusitis

Dr. Rao is a Chronic / Recurrent Sinusitis doctor in Toledo, Ohio that is accepting new patients and has an allergy clinic located inside The Toledo Clinic.

Sinusitis (or a sinus infection) is simply the inflammation of the tissue in the sinuses.  When inflammation is present it can cause a blockage which makes the area favorable for fluid to accumulate which can then allow different infectious agents (bacteria, fungi, viruses) to accumulate. It can be a result of a cold, an infection, allergies, or a structural abnormality (nasal polyp/deviated septum) causing blockage of the sinuses.  There are three types of sinusitis.  1.) acute sinusitis: symptoms less than 4 weeks.  2.) chronic sinusitis: lasting more than 12 weeks.  & 3.) recurrent Sinusitis: four or more episodes of acute sinusitis in a year.

Symptoms can include facial pressure or pain mostly behind the eyes and/or cheeks, tooth discomfort (top teeth), nasal congestion and/or green/yellow nasal drainage, post-nasal drip, fatigue and a decreased sense of smell.

Usually sinusitis is self-limited, meaning symptoms will resolve on their own within 7-10 days.  Symptomatic treatment can many times help keep you comfortable while your body works to fight the infection itself.  However, if your symptoms have lasted past the 7-10 day mark, and are not improving or are becoming worse, you should seek medical treatment.

Treatments include:

Medications: Decongestants and antihistamines can be used to help decrease the swelling in the sinuses and nasal passages.  Again, many times your body will be able to fight the infection on its own, however if symptoms have persisted for at least 10 days an antibiotic may be necessary.

Nasal Washes:  Washing the nasal passages with sterile salt water (via neti pot, or sinus rinses) has been known to help reduce frequency of infections.

Inhaled Nasal Steroids:  These nasal sprays work directly on the tissues of the nasal passages by reducing inflammation.  For people with recurrent and/or chronic sinusitis, this can help to prevent sinus infections, by keep the nasal and sinus passages open.

Surgery:  Surgical opening of the sinus cavities is sometimes necessary for someone with ongoing chronic sinusitis.

*Resources: WebMD