sinus

Sinusitis

Helping You Breathe Better in Richmond, VA

If you experience congestion that is accompanied by pain or tenderness and other classic flu-like symptoms, you may have sinusitis. Sinusitis occurs when your sinuses become inflamed and swollen, which can occur for a multitude of reasons.

Symptoms of sinusitis

When nasal passages become inflamed, it can block the opening of the sinuses, ultimately leading to infection. These types of infections typically happen after a cold or an allergy flare-up, and symptoms may vary depending on cause and age.

Several common symptoms of sinusitis include:

  • Congestion or difficulty breathing

  • Swelling and inflammation

  • Runny nose

  • Postnasal drainage

  • Yellow or greenish drainage

  • Pain and pressure on the face

Causes of sinusitis

There are two types—acute and chronic. Acute infections typically caused by the common cold, are treatable and eventually go away. Chronic infections persist for weeks to months. Respiratory infections are the most common cause of sinusitis, but other causes include:

  • Allergies

  • Deviated septum

  • Narrow sinus passage

  • Nasal polyps

Treating Sinusitis in Richmond, VA

Before beginning treatment, it is important to uncover the root cause of your symptoms. After performing a physical examination, reviewing your symptoms and discussing your overall health, your provider might order a CT scan to take a 3-D, in-depth look at your sinuses or perform a nasal endoscopy to check your sinuses for inflammation. The results of these tests will help your provider determine the pan for treatment.

Typically, our providers will suggest a series of standard therapies before turning to surgical methods to relieve your symptoms. These include:

  • A steroid nasal spray and salt water wash. This combination should help expel mucus, alleviate swelling and cut down the frequency of your sinus infections.

  • Allergy testing. Allergy testing can help you determine what environmental allergens to avoid and what medicine to take can help you to feel better.

Surgical Procedures For Chronic Sinusitis

If chronic sinusitis persists, you may need surgery. Our in-office sinus procedures are noninvasive and utilize the latest surgical technology to deliver optimal results and help patients recover as quickly as possible. The goal of sinus surgery is to enlarge the sinus passage so that sinuses can drain more effectively. These surgeries help to open up the sinuses so that you can breathe better.

This is a noninvasive procedure performed under general anesthesia. During the procedure, your surgeon carefully places a catheter through the sinus opening. A balloon filled with water is inflated and then removed, helping to create a larger opening for the sinuses to drain through. With no cutting of bone involved, patients recover quickly from the surgery.

Used in patients who suffer from severe sinusitis, endoscopic sinus surgery is used to remove bone and tissues that block the sinus cavity. Endoscopes are small telescopes that are inserted into the nose while the patient is under anesthesia. Tiny surgical tools are added alongside the endoscope that your surgeon uses to clear the sinus passages. With the passage cleared and enlarged, your sinuses will be able to drain more effectively. When removing polyps during endoscopic surgery, we use the dissolvable steroid PROPEL to improve results.

Recovering From Sinus Surgery

After surgery, patients may still feel congested for several weeks. This is normal, and over time, patients begin to feel relief. Following your procedure, you may experience some pain and discomfort, which can be treated with prescription pain medication. An important part of aftercare is nasal irrigation, or the use of a saline wash to rinse out the sinuses. Sinus irrigation helps clear your sinuses to prevent infection by using a mixture of salt and sinus rinse with a neti pot, syringe or bottle. Our team will guide you through the irrigation process before you leave the Surgery Center. You will need to flush your sinuses twice a day or as instructed by your surgeon.