What it is
The sinuses are air spaces in the bones of the face, lined with the same moist lining as the nose. They drain into the nose through small openings. When the lining stays swollen, the openings block, mucus collects, and the swelling continues.
Doctors call it chronic rhinosinusitis when it has lasted twelve weeks or more. In some people the swollen lining forms nasal polyps: soft, painless swellings that grow from the sinuses into the nose. Polyps are not cancer, but they can block the nose completely.
Symptoms
The usual pattern is a blocked or stuffy nose, thick discharge from the front of the nose or down the back of the throat, pressure or fullness in the face, and a reduced or lost sense of smell. Many people also sleep poorly, snore and feel tired.
Symptoms on one side only, bleeding from one nostril, or a nose that is steadily getting worse on one side should always be examined, because a small number of these have another cause.
Who gets it
Chronic sinusitis is common. It is often linked to allergy, asthma and smoking, and in some people to a sensitivity to aspirin and similar painkillers. A bent septum can make drainage worse but is rarely the whole story. An infected upper tooth can cause sinusitis on one side.
How it is treated
Most people improve with medical treatment used properly and for long enough: saline rinses to wash the nose, and a steroid nasal spray every day. A short course of steroid tablets or antibiotics is sometimes added. Technique matters, and Dr Kana will show you how to use rinses and sprays so that they reach the right place.
When symptoms remain despite this, or polyps block the nose, endoscopic sinus surgery opens the natural drainage pathways and removes polyps. Sprays usually continue afterwards to keep the lining healthy.
Common questions
Do I need a CT scan?
Not always for the first visit. A CT scan is needed before sinus surgery, to map the sinuses, and is sometimes used to confirm the diagnosis.
Will polyps come back after surgery?
They can. Continuing a steroid spray after surgery reduces the chance, and follow-up visits check for early regrowth.
When is sinusitis urgent?
Swelling or redness around the eye, double or reduced vision, a severe headache, a stiff neck or confusion during a sinus infection need emergency care the same day. These complications are rare but serious.
This page is general information, not medical advice for your situation.
