Breathe Better and Feel Better
At Janning ENT Center, we know how sinus problems can affect your day-to-day life. Our providers will diagnose and treat your sinus and nasal disorders and improve your quality of life! Sinuses are air cavities in your face that are part of your respiratory system. Sinus disease has many presentations and solutions. Nasal obstruction and facial pressure are also very common symptoms that we treat daily.
Common Sinus Problems
Sinusitis
The cause of a sinus infection is usually bacterial. Sinusitis most commonly occurs after an upper respiratory infection (URI) but can also occur with allergy attacks, trauma, a septal deviation, nasal polyps and so on. A sinus infection is typically worsening symptoms (facial pain, pressure, pus draining, congestion, headache, teeth pain, and so on) after 5-7 days. Antibiotics are the usual treatment, along with other considerations related to management of rhinitis (see below).
Rhinitis
Rhinitis is swelling in the nose and often presents with congestion, runny nose, sneezing, facial pain and pressure, and itchy eyes. The most common types of rhinitis include allergic (related to allergens like cat dander, mold, trees, grass) and nonallergic or vasomotor (triggered by smoke, perfume, weather changes), but there are also others. Sinusitis is secondary to rhinitis, so it is always important to be aggressive in management of rhinitis. Medical therapy involves avoidance of allergens (pets with hair, mold, dust, and so on), saline nasal rinse, intranasal steroids, antihistamines, and other medications. Allergy evaluation is sometimes helpful.
Nasal Deviation/Trauma
Nasal trauma and external abnormalities of the nose can cause nasal obstruction, sinusitis, pressure and other symptoms. We will guide you with various treatment options, which can sometimes be complicated. But fear not, there are solutions!
Janning ENT Solutions
We are the experts at solving your sinus and nasal obstruction concerns. We care about your health and will work with you for the best solution. If medical therapy fails, we have many options to guide you toward improved nasal health.
Septoplasty
Septoplasty is the surgical correction of the septum, which is the cartilage and bone dividing the nose into the left and right sides. Turbinate resection usually helps as well, since these projections often are engorged and large and exacerbate nasal obstruction. Ask about newer surgical options like Latera and Clarifix to treat nasal obstruction!
Endoscopic Sinus Surgery
This is surgery to improve sinus disease and is very successful at ameliorating facial pain, pressure, congestion, drainage, sore throat and other symptoms related to sinusitis. This surgery has been performed for decades under general anesthesia and success rates are very good. Surgery is performed with a small endoscope and all instrumentation is done through the nose. Patients with nasal polyps are a small subset of sinusitis patients. We have several other treatment options for you that are safe and effective!
Balloon Dilation Sinuplasty
This newer technique is sometimes office based so you are not under general anesthesia. A small balloon is inserted into each sinus and inflated, remodeling the opening and offering long term resolution of sinus pressure and infections. The recovery is much faster after balloon sinuplasty surgery and bleeding and narcotic use for pain are reduced as well. Overall costs can be significantly reduced in many patients. Image guided sinus surgery (with CT scan) can often be performed. Image guidance allows accurate localization of the sinuses.
Image Guided Surgery
Using CT scans and 3D mapping, image guided surgery can also be done for those with chronic sinusitis. While you are asleep, the specialist will be able to accurately guide small instruments through your sinuses to relieve pressure and clear out the cavities to health you breathe better.
Pediatric Sinusitis
Children are special, but we all knew that. The facial sinuses are not all present at birth and continue to grow into the teenage years. Pediatric sinusitis has a special presentation, often involving nighttime cough but no facial pressure or pain. Congestion is very common. Surgery can be considered in children (just as in adults) if medical management has failed. Allergy evaluation and treatment are very important for most children who present with sinus disease. Adenoid enlargement (behind the nose) is usually a significant contributor to pediatric sinus disease, and adenoidectomy might be the first surgical treatment option.