Sinusitis symptoms that last for more than 12 weeks could be chronic sinusitis. In addition to frequent head colds, your risk for chronic sinusitis also goes up if you have allergies. "Chronic sinusitis can be caused by an allergy, virus, fungus, or bacteria and can go on for months or even years," says Dr. Flores.
Chronic sinusitis can lead to lifelong medical issues if not treated. Untreated sinusitis can cause chronic cough, throat infection, ear infections, asthma, and bronchitis. If you already have asthma, you are in danger of the condition worsening if your sinusitis is not treated.
Chronic sinusitis is a long-lasting infection or inflammation of the sinuses. It lingers longer than subacute sinusitis. Those with chronic sinusitis have sinusitis that lasts over 12 weeks. It may even persist for years.
Chronic sinusitis is diagnosed when at least two of the following four symptoms are present and occur for more than 12 weeks: (1) purulent drainage, (2) facial and/or dental pain, (3) nasal obstruction, (4) hyposmia.
If your sinus infection just won't go away or keeps coming back, it may be time to see an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist. An ENT treats conditions of the ear, nose, throat, head, face, and neck. It may be time to see an ENT if: You've completed several courses of antibiotics without success.
Often, it takes a combination of several methods, including nasal irrigation, decongestants, or antibiotics. Patients who do not find relief from those methods may require treatments such as endoscopic sinus surgery or balloon sinuplasty.
Blocked or stuffy (congested) nose causing difficulty breathing through your nose. Pain, tenderness and swelling around your eyes, cheeks, nose or forehead. Reduced sense of smell and taste.
Chronic sinusitis can be brought on by an infection, by growths in the sinuses (nasal polyps), or by swelling of the lining of your sinuses. Also called chronic rhinosinusitis, the condition can affect both adults and children.
In adults, chronic sinusitis most often is linked to nasal swelling caused by allergies, especially allergies to inhaled dust, mold, pollen, or the spores of fungi. These allergies trigger the release of histamine and other chemicals that cause the inner lining of the nose to swell and block sinus drainage.
An “acute” sinus infection lasts anywhere from ten days up to eight weeks. A “chronic” infection lasts even longer. It is ongoing — it may seem like it's improving, and then it comes right back as bad as it was at first. Chronic sinus infections may drag on for months at a time.
A 10 percent disability rating is awarded for sinusitis manifested by one or two incapacitating episodes per year of sinusitis requiring prolonged (lasting four to six weeks) antibiotic treatment, or by three to six non-incapacitating episodes per year of sinusitis characterized by headaches, pain, and purulent ...
If left untreated, it can reduce the quality of life and the productivity of the affected person. Chronic sinusitis is associated with exacerbation of asthma and serious complications such as brain abscess and meningitis, which can produce significant morbidity and mortality.
Many individuals with sinusitis will stress to you chronic sinusitis is no minor thing at all. It's long-term symptoms can lead to fatigue with possible depression or can worsen depression in a few ways: As weeks of symptoms continue to drag on, the discomfort can really take a toll.
Allergic rhinitis, or hay fever, happens when you breathe in something to which you are allergic, and the inside of your nose becomes inflamed and swollen. Sinusitis is an inflammation of the lining inside the sinuses which can be acute or chronic.
Other disease processes can mimic sinusitis including the common cold, allergies, migraine headache, chronic daily headache, myofascial pain, temporomandibular joint or jaw pain, rhinitis medicamentosa, and even sleep apnea. Therefore an accurate diagnosis requires a thorough history and physical examination.
If chronic sinusitis goes untreated for a length of time, it is possible the infection can spread to vital parts of your body, including to the bones, spinal fluid, and the brain. These complications, meningitis and brain abscesses, are life-threatening and require immediate emergency surgery.
Fatigue: Sinusitis patients typically feel tired and achy. Getting plenty of rest and drinking lots of fluids can help to combat this symptom and get you on the road to recovery more quickly.
Can a sinus infection affect your eyes? A sinus infection (sinusitis) can cause pain around your eyes, eyelid swelling and other symptoms that can affect your vision. Get eye pain and vision changes checked out by an eye doctor as soon as possible to avoid vision loss and other eye health issues.
Certain conditions, such as having allergies, asthma or a respiratory infection, can make people more susceptible to getting chronic sinus infections, and it is important that these patients be evaluated to address the cause and not just the sinusitis symptoms. "There are many causes of chronic sinusitis.
Very few people need surgery for sinusitis. Most people can treat the problem with home care and medicines. Surgery may be a good choice for people who have long-term (chronic) sinusitis.
Endoscopic Sinus Surgery
Sinus surgery using a nasal endoscope is the most commonly recommended procedure for people with chronic sinusitis. The surgeon uses the same type of thin endoscope used during the diagnostic exam. This procedure requires no visible incisions, is performed under general anesthesia.
An ENT is uniquely qualified to diagnose and treat your sinusitis. They can also identify underlying conditions and advise you in how to keep sinusitis from recurring and becoming chronic.