IN SHORT
Chronic sinusitis is a form of sinusitis that persists for more than three months and recurs at least four times a year.
Sinusitis is a disease that can cause facial pains, headaches, and fever.
The main treatments for chronic sinusitis aren’t curative. Most treatments are palliative and aim to mitigate or eliminate symptoms in the long term.
What Is Sinusitis?
Acute sinusitis and chronic sinusitis are infections that occur when the tissues inside the sinuses are inflamed or irritated. Sinusitis is sometimes caused by other ENT infections.
The body’s natural response is to produce a lot of mucus to fix the problem. However, this mucus sometimes stays stuck in the sinuses because of the inflammation.
This inflammation can lead to a buildup of mucus in the sinuses and cause the symptoms associated with acute sinusitis.
Acute sinusitis becomes chronic when the symptoms persist for more than three months even with active treatment or when it recurs more than four times a year.
What Are the Symptoms of Sinusitis?
LeThe symptoms of sinusitis, whether acute or chronic, are generally the same. It often displays at least two of the following symptoms:
- Nasal congestion
- Nasal discharge that may be purulent
- Pain or feelings of pressure, particularly around the face or the head
- Loss or reduced sense of smell
- Headaches
- Tiredness
- Fever
Of course, most of these symptoms can indicate other disorders or diseases. Therefore, it can sometimes be difficult to recognize sinusitis without a formal diagnosis.
Acute sinusitis is considered chronic sinusitis when the symptoms persist for at least three months.
What Causes Chronic Sinusitis?
Acute sinusitis is often caused by a viral infection, but the possible causes of chronic sinusitis are more varied.
Since chronic sinusitis is a chronic inflammation of the mucous membranes of the sinuses, a wide range of factors could cause or contribute to the inflammation. The following are the most frequent causes:
- Viral or bacterial infection
- Respiratory allergies
- Poor oral hygiene or untreated abscess
- Frequent exposure to irritants, including pollution, tobacco, and chlorine.
- Polyps (growths) that block the sinuses
Again, a formal diagnosis is often necessary to identify the causes and enables you to take proper measures to reduce or treat your chronic sinusitis.
How Is Chronic Sinusitis Diagnosed?
Doctors usually base their diagnosis of chronic sinusitis on the symptoms of the patient and the information they provide during a discussion. If the doctors suspect sinusitis, the following two exams can confirm their intuition:
- Computed tomography (CT scan)
- Nasal endoscopy
Computed Tomography
Computed tomography, more often known as a CT scan, is a procedure that uses X-rays to evaluate the structures of the sinuses and nasal cavities.
Since it can see the sinuses in three dimensions, it can easily detect the presence of polyps or foreign bodies that are blocking the sinuses.
Nasal Endoscopy
Endoscopy is a more direct procedure where a small tube with a camera is inserted into the nose.
This tiny camera enables the doctor to examine your sinuses and nasal cavities in real time to evaluate their condition. The instrument is also able to collect a sample of mucus for laboratory analysis.
The two procedures are complementary. It’s not rare that a doctor will ask for a CT scan and an endoscopy when the scan reveals a possible case of sinusitis.
What’s the Treatment for Chronic Sinusitis?
There’s no treatment that can definitively cure chronic sinusitis. However, it’s possible to ease the symptoms and improve the patient’s quality of life.
Daily Nasal Rinces
Nasal rinses, once or twice a day, can help you reduce irritation and inflammation by eliminating some of the mucus.
Corticosteroid Medications
Corticosteroids may also be prescribed. These medications reduce the inflammation of the mucous membranes that line the sinuses, which reduces the production of mucus.
They’re generally available as nasal sprays, but they can also be administered orally.
Long-Term Care
It’s often possible to relieve or eliminate long-term symptoms of chronic sinusitis by identifying the cause and modifying your lifestyle.
A doctor may recommend that the patient does everything they can to avoid allergens or stop smoking, for example. Everything depends on the identified cause.
If, despite corticosteroids, lifestyle changes, and regular nasal rinses, the chronic sinusitis persists, there’s also the possibility of a surgical procedure.
This measure is used as a last resort, since most cases of sinusitis are eventually treated without surgery.
When Should I See an ENT Specialist?
If your sinusitis symptoms last for more than three months or recur at least four times a year, you’re likely to be suffering from chronic sinusitis.
For long-term treatment adapted to your situation, you can count on ENT specialists.
Make an appointment with Clinique ORL 1851 in Montreal today and we’ll take care of your chronic sinusitis.
