What are the Treatment Options for Sinusitis?

Home Solutions

We all get sick every once in a while and indeed, it is not really advisable to rush to the doctor at the very first sign of illness. For a whole lot of health problems we may encounter, including sinus infections, we may benefit from general techniques like increasing oral fluid intake, having enough rest and sleep, and modifying our diet to include foods that are super-charged with vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants in order to help the immune system get back on track. Some of these foods include citrus fruits and vegetables. Even herbs and spices may help. Garlic and mint have antibacterial properties; while onions naturally contain substances that can help loosen the excessive mucus secretions in the nasal and sinus cavities. These benefits can also be achieved simply by doing steam inhalation with added pieces of crushed mint leaves, onion and garlic. Adding cayenne to food on the other hand can make it spicy enough to relieve congested nasal passages.

Medications

When home remedies fail, it is best to see your doctor who will prescribe medications to ease up your symptoms. The usual combination of sinus medications ordered are decongestants, antibiotics (or anti-fungal agents), nasal corticosteroids and analgesics. The dosage and duration of intake may vary according to the patients’ age, other existing health conditions and severity of symptoms.

Traditionally, sinus medication is taken orally or, in the case of nasal corticosteroids, is administered directly to the nasal mucosa through a metered dose spray. Currently however, alternative routes of administration have been made available for patients to provide faster relief and to prevent systemic side effects which could occur with improper and prolonged intake of oral medications. These alternatives are nebulisation and medicated irrigation. Both these techniques involve topical (or direct) administration of the drugs’ active ingredients right where the effect is intended. Medicated solutions are made to come in direct contact with the affected nasal mucous membranes and inflamed sinuses through a specially designed nozzle spray (in medicated irrigation) or a nebulizer (in nebulized therapy). Sinus Dynamics, a leading compounding pharmacy, is one of the providers of these alternative sinusitis and rhinitis treatments because it manufactures its complete line of medication for sinusitis, rhinitis and rhinosinusitis ready for use with its irrigators and nebulizers like ActiveSinus and SinusAero.

Breakthroughs

When medical management fails to improve sinusitis symptoms, the last resort is surgery. However, in recent years, another promising treatment has been developed - balloon sinusplasty. This new procedure provides all the benefits of standard sinus surgery, yet is less painful and causes much less bleeding because it is much less invasive. The recovery time is also a lot faster, as early as a day after the surgery.

Balloon sinusplasty works on blocked sinuses the way balloon angioplasty works on blocked arteries. It is performed with the patient put under mild anesthesia. The doctor will then thread a catheter into the nostril and on into the sinus cavity. At the end of the catheter is a wire followed by a balloon which will then be inflated to about a quarter of an inch to push aside any blockage in the sinus cavity. Then the balloon will be deflated and finally, the catheter, wire and balloon will be drawn back out of the patient's nostril.