Sinusitis
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Lawrence Otolaryngology Associates
Otolaryngologists and Head & Neck Surgeons located in Lawrence and Ottawa, KS
We know how you feel when sinusitis causes nasal congestion and pain, so let our experienced team at Lawrence Otolaryngology Associates help with personalized treatment that provides symptom relief. We encourage you to see us when your symptoms don’t go away because we can sort through all the possibilities for you and get to the bottom of things sooner for you. If you have any questions about your sinusitis, call one of our offices in Lawrence or Ottawa, and request an appointment.
Sinusitis Q & A
What causes sinusitis?
Sinusitis is caused by an inflammation of the lining tissue of your sinuses. Sinusitis is usually caused by an infection, either viral or bacterial, leading to swelling that stops your sinuses from draining into your nose the way they usually do.
In most of our patients, one of four problems is behind their sinusitis:
- Common cold
- Allergies
- Nasal polyps
- Deviated septum
What are the symptoms of sinusitis?
Sinusitis can feel as if it affects your entire face because the paranasal sinuses are located along both sides of your nose, running from the bottom of your nose up to an area slightly above your eyebrows. As a result, you may have pain over a wide area.
Other symptoms of sinusitis include:
- Headaches
- Nasal congestion
- Facial tenderness or pain
- Discolored, thick discharge from the nose or down the throat
- Loss of sense of smell and taste
- Sore throat
- Cough
- Fatigue
If your symptoms last longer than 7-10 days, or you feel progressively worse, call us so that we can give you a personalized treatment. When your sinusitis drags on for more than 12 weeks, it’s a chronic problem that can be more difficult to diagnose and treaat.
How do you treat sinusitis?
At Lawrence Otolaryngology Associates, our team customizes your treatment based on the cause of your sinusitis and the severity of your symptoms:
- Acute sinusitis: Treatment focuses on relieving symptoms. Decongestants, nasal irrigation, and over-the-counter pain relievers help keep you comfortable until the infection heals. Antibiotics can shorten the time needed for healing.
- Chronic sinusitis: After running tests to determine what’s causing your sinusitis, we recommend treatment that relieves symptoms and targets the underlying problem.
We may recommend treatment with mucus-thinning medications or steroids. Allergy testing followed by injections may also be appropriate.
Conservative treatment is the first choice, but if it doesn’t relieve your symptoms, we might recommend surgery.
How does sinus surgery treat chronic sinusitis?
As ENT specialists, our physicians can safely remove nasal polyps or repair a deviated septum if those are what are causing your blocked sinuses. We protect your health by performing minimally invasive surgery, which causes less pain and promotes faster healing.
Many of our patients suffering from prolonged inflammation find relief from balloon sinuplasty. During this minimally invasive procedure, our doctors use a small balloon to restructure the shape of the passageway. Then we deflate and remove the balloon, so your sinus stays open and drains properly.
We want you to experience relief just as much as you do. To get relief from sinusitis and learn more about your treatment options, we invite you to call our office and request an appointment.
