Health & Fitness
When Every Breath You Take is a Chore: Dealing with Chronic Sinus Issues
Can't shake your cold symptoms? It could be something more serious.
Chronic Rhino-Sinusitis can feel as painful as it sounds. Also known as CRS, it’s a condition that may start out feeling like a common cold before turning much worse.
CRS may begin with a runny nose sparked by nasal congestion before inflamed sinuses lead to facial pain, headaches, losing sense of smell, snoring and even bad breath. Since it feels like you caught a cold at first, sufferers may rely on normal remedies such as nose drops or nasal sprays for treatment. But when those don’t seem to do the trick and you end up suffering for several weeks, it could be time to see an ENT specialist.
“When we are healthy, our sinuses are filled with air,” said Dr. Benjamin C. Johnson, M.D., an otolaryngologist with Lake County ENT/Head & Neck Specialists in Libertyville. “But when inflammation in the nose lining causes sinus openings to become blocked, the sinuses fill with mucus which gets infected by bacteria. Once this cycle starts, it could become a chronic condition that requires more than over-the-counter medicines or prescription antibiotics.”
Find out what's happening in Buffalo Grovewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Most patients only require a prescription or other medical therapy to treat CRS, but others enduring symptoms for an extended period of time may have to undergo what’s called endoscopic sinus surgery. In that procedure, tiny telescopes are used to look into the nose. The natural openings are found and made larger. This prevents the openings from swelling shut from allergies or viral infections.
Newer medical technology has made endoscopic sinus surgery less invasive and more effective than previous procedures. Also, new dissolvable nasal packing is used after sinus surgery. This is can just be gently suctioned out as it dissolves which is much less painful than removing solid packs.
Find out what's happening in Buffalo Grovewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
“Because early stages of CRS in adults and children mirror the common cold, many patients will probably start out by taking the usual cold medications and putting up with it for a while,” added Dr. Johnson. “But after several weeks go by and nothing seems to be working, that’s when it may be time to see a specialist who can accurately diagnose a chronic condition and prescribe treatment for infection that leads to a quicker recovery and clearer days ahead.”
To learn more on how ENTs can help patients of all ages and about Lake County ENT/Head & Neck Specialists in Libertyville, please visit www.lakecountyent.com or call 847-367-5770.
