Treatment of Sinusitis
Many people with sinus problems find relief with over-the-counter medications. These include nasal steroids, oral antihistamines and decongestants, saline nasal irrigation, and other drugs that help to thin mucus. If these treatments don’t work, allergy testing or sinus surgery may be options. Infections caused by viruses and bacteria cause the inflammation that leads to sinusitis. Symptoms include a feeling of pressure in the nose and forehead, facial pain, stuffiness, a sense of runny or blocked nose, and the discharge of thick mucus. Some patients also experience headache, a loss of smell and taste, or vision problems.후비루치료병원
Treatment of sinusitis depends on the cause of the infection, but generally focuses on medications that help to clear the sinuses, thin the mucus, and counter inflammation. Over-the-counter medications, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), can ease pain and discomfort, especially when used in combination with ibuprofen or naproxen (Advil, Motrin). Antibiotics are usually only prescribed for acute sinus infections that don’t improve after home care. With antibiotic resistance rates rising, doctors are trying to avoid overuse of these medicines when not necessary.
A health care provider can diagnose sinusitis based on the symptoms and a physical exam. He or she might look inside the nose with a narrow tube, called an endoscope, which has a light on it. A CT or MRI scan might be done to help get a closer look at the sinuses and nasal area. Your health care provider might also take a sample of the nasal fluid with a soft-tipped stick, then test it for viruses and other germs.
Chronic sinusitis is harder to treat, but medication can reduce the swelling that blocks the sinuses and prevents drainage. Medications include decongestants like pseudoephedrine (Stayfree, Pediaprep), phenylethyl iolethylamine (Prilosec) and sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim (Bactrim). Nasal irrigation with salt water and decongestant drops or sprays can thin mucus and help drain the sinuses. The mucus-thinning drug guaifenesin (Mucinex) is another option. Nasal steroids, such as fluticasone (Flonase) and beclomethasone (Beconase), can help with the inflammation of chronic sinusitis.
Allergy medicines might also help, and avoiding allergens can decrease symptoms. A doctor might also prescribe allergy shots, a long-term treatment that gradually makes you less sensitive to the things that trigger your symptoms.
If you’re at risk of complications, like a brain abscess, an ear, nose and throat doctor might do a procedure to relieve the sinus blockage and drain the pus that’s building up in your skull. This surgery isn’t often needed, but is done when other treatments don’t work. In some cases, your ear, nose and throat doctor might refer you to a specialist, known as an otolaryngologist, to do the surgery. A general surgeon might also be able to do the surgery. But a specialist is more likely to have the equipment and training to perform the surgery on your sinuses.라경찬한의원