Sinusitis

Introduction

Sinusitis is a condition in which the sinuses (hollow spaces in your nose passage) gets inflamed. Due to the inflammation, the sinuses may fill with fluid or even get blocked. Most sinusitis do not require any treatment and often resolve on their own. Some of the leading causes of sinusitis include allergies and colds.

Sinuses comprise four spaces or cavities in your head. The narrow channels that connect sinuses helps to maintain a clean nose by secreting a thin mucus. This mucus drains out of your nose channels. Ordinarily, sinuses fill with air.

However, if the sinuses get blocked, a fluid replaces the air. Such a fluid acts as the perfect ground for bacterial growth. This will lead to an infection, such as bacterial sinusitis.

Types of Sinusitis

We have different types of sinusitis, depending on the causative agent, the signs and symptoms manifested, and their duration.

Bacterial sinusitis:

This type of sinusitis is characterized by a thick nasal discharge that may be yellow or green. With bacterial sinusitis, there is swelling in your nasal passage. The bacterial sinusitis can also present with facial pressure and pain.

Viral sinusitis:

This kind of sinusitis has similar symptoms to those of a cold. For example, you are likely to present with a sore throat and a running nose. There is also evidence of coughing, sneezing, or nasal congestion. Viral sinusitis presents with clear mucus, though there may be a slight coloration too.

Allergic sinusitis:

In this type of sinusitis, an allergy causes the inflammation of your nasal cavity. The mucous membrane swells, resulting in nasal congestion. This means they hinder the normal sinus drainage. Allergic sinusitis may also result in chronic sinusitis and present with such symptoms as nasal congestion, running nose and sneezing.

Treatment options

Sinusitis symptoms can really get uncomfortable, not to mention their negative effect on your overall productivity. Thankfully, we have various home remedies and homeopathy treatment options proven to be effective in managing the condition.

Home remedies

Some of the home remedies that you can try out to manage your sinusitis include:

• Steam: Dry air may worsen your sinusitis problem. This is because dry sinuses can elevate sinus pressure. This will lead to a throbbing pain and headache. A humidifier adds moisture to the air, thus relieving the pressure off your sinuses. You can also consider taking a hot shower as a remedy to dry sinuses.
• Hydration: Increased fluid intake helps to minimize the blockage in your sinuses.
• Elevation: Elevating your head with a pillow is also helpful in preventing sinus buildup. Propping your head with a pillow also enables you to breathe more easily.
• Physical activity: Exercise can also ease the congestion in your sinuses by promoting blood circulation.  

Homeopathy

Homeopathic remedies are also effective in treating sinusitis. Some of these remedies include:

• Kali bichromicum: The remedy is suitable for persons experiencing pain between their forehead and eyes. It is also suitable for persons feeling nauseated or dizzy, or have a stringy nasal discharge.
• Spigelia: This remedy is suitable for sinusitis that is characterized by sharp pain and in which movement or warmth exacerbates the symptoms
• Silicea: Suitable for chronic nasal congestion with a sharp pain that is exacerbated by movement, cold or mental focus

Allopathy

Some of the treatment alternatives available for sinusitis include:

• Nasal sprays: This remedy involves irrigating your nasal cavity with a saline solution. The goal is to wash away the allergies or irritants while also reducing the drainage
• Allergy medication: In case the sinusitis is due to allergies, your doctor is most likely to recommend allergy medication
• Nasal corticosteroids: This is also a type of nasal spray. There are various examples of nasal corticosteroids, including budesonide and fluticasone. They are effective in treating the inflammation of your nasal cavities.
• Antifungal treatment: In case the sinusitis is due to a fungal infection, your doctor will recommend that you take antifungal medication.

Procedures/methods available under surgery

Sometimes, home remedies, homeopathy or allopathy treatment may not be sufficient to manage sinusitis. This can happen when there is repeat infection, in case of a thickened lining of the sinus or polyps (growths). Some individuals are also born with a crooked nasal lining and this too affects breathing. For these reasons, it may be necessary to undergo a surgical procedure as a treatment for your sinusitis. Individuals with chronic sinusitis are also suitable candidates for surgery. There are two main surgical procedures to treat sinusitis: conventional surgery (also known as endoscopic sinus surgery) and laser surgery.

Endoscopic sinus surgery

Endoscopic surgery is the treatment of choice after the other alternative methods have failed to cure or improve chronic sinusitis. During this procedure, the doctor inserts an endoscope into your nose. This instrument allows the doctor to view the inside of your nose. The endoscope also contains surgical instruments with which the doctor can remove the material that causes blockage to your sinus opening. The surgical instruments further assists with the removal of any growth on your mucus membrane. The procedure takes place under general or local anesthesia. This is a quick procedure of about 1 hour. It can be administered at your doctor’s clinic or office.

Laser surgery

This is a quick, less painful, minimally invasive procedure that has proven effective in minimizing symptoms of chronic sinusitis. The procedure takes a very short time, about 15 minutes. While conducting nasal laser surgery, the doctor uses a fiberoptic wire attached to a laser. The doctor passes these instruments below the lining of your turbinate. The goal of this fiberoptic wire it to assist with the shrinking of any blood vessels in the turbinates that may have swollen due to infections or irritants. Swollen turbinates result in a narrowed nasal passage. This can in turn lead to congestion or breathing problems.

The procedure is associated with reduced drainage and congestion.

When to go for surgery

We recommend sinusitis surgery under the following conditions:

• If you are diagnosed with chronic sinusitis

• If there is no improvement after 4-6 weeks of “maximum medical treatment”

• In case a CT scan reveals nasal blockage because of nasal polyps

• In case of fungal infection which is hard to treat with antibiotics

Surgery options for your Sinusitis

After your doctor has established that surgery is the only option available to treat your sinusitis, you can choose to have the procedure at a small clinic or a hospital. Each of these options has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Small clinic

One benefit of having sinusitis surgery at a small clinic is that you receive personalized medical attention and care. The wait time at a small clinic is also shorter as there are few patients compared to a large hospital. You can also conveniently access small clinics as there is less bureaucracy involved in care provision.

However, small clinics have a few experts and in case of any complications, you may have to be referred to a larger healthcare facility. Also, some of the small clinics may only accept cash for such a procedure.

Hospitals

You may also elect to undergo sinusitis surgery at a large government or private hospital. One benefit of this option is that the fees paid may be less than what you would pay at a small clinic. Large hospitals attend to many patients each day, meaning they spread out their operational costs to a larger number of patients. There is over one expert at the larger hospitals and this helps to minimize delays during the procedure.

Having over one expert also improve the decision-making process while also reducing the risk of complications. On the other hand, large hospitals might experience delayed procedures due to a backlog of related operations. Besides, large hospitals may not deliver personalized patient care like small clinics do.  

Cost of sinusitis surgery in different setups

The cost of endoscopic sinus surgery is cheaper than laser surgery. Other factors that may impact the cost of sinusitis surgery are:

• The level of experience of the doctor
• Whether it takes place at a private, public hospital or a small clinic
• Availability of insurance cover

Small clinics are likely to charge more for the surgical procedure as there are fewer patients to absorb the running costs. Also, private hospitals charge more than government hospitals because they do not receive any funding from the government.  

For an endoscopic sinus surgery, the costs varies from Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 30,000. In case complications develop, the cost will increase. The cost of laser sinus surgery in India is higher than that of conventional surgery. It ranges between Rs. 36,100 and Rs. 80,000. The difference in cost varies depending on the city, the setting of the surgery (that is, whether at a private clinic, a private hospital or public healthcare facility).

Post-op care

Recovery after sinus surgery is determined by an individual’s overall state of health and the kind of procedure they have undergone. Most people will only take a few days to several weeks to recovery fully from the procedure. You are likely to have tenderness and swelling inside your nose following the procedure, you need not worry about it as this is very normal. Other patients are likely to have a sinus infection or suffer from a severe cold as a result of dry blood and swelling in the nose. Your doctor is likely to prescribe antibiotic lubricants and nasal irrigation to correct this.

You are advised to take care of your sinuses and nose following surgery. This will not only avoid the formation of scars, but also promote proper healing.

Simple tips

Make sure your head is elevated while going to bed. The goal is to minimize swelling and bleeding. You can use a recliner or additional pillows to achieve the desired elevation

In case of splints and packing materials in your nose, ensure they remain in place

In case of clogged packing, make sure to breathe via your mouth

You may experience bleeding for about 2-3 days after surgery. This is normal. However, if you experience excessive bleeding make sure to contact your doctor immediately

Avoid blowing your nose for about a week following surgery

Avoid engaging in any strenuous activity or lifting heavy objects as such activities may might cause bleeding

If you feel like sneezing, ensure to do so with your mouth wide open

Avoid taking aspirin is it may cause additional bleeding

In case of a mouth incision, you are advised to chew food on the opposite side with no incision. Make sure to gargle your mouth using warm water after every meal

Avoid driving for at least 24 hours due to the effects of anesthesia. If your are on prescription pain medication, avoid driving,as this could impair your driving

Make sure to call your doctor immediately in case you develop the following signs:

• Change in vision
• High fever
• A stiff neck or severe headache
• Heavy blood clots from your mouth or nose

Best option for sinusitis surgery

If you are considering sinusitis surgery, you are better off undergoing a laser procedure as opposed to endoscopic sinus surgery. This is because laser sinus treatment is a quick procedure taking about 15 minutes. With endoscopic sinus surgery, the procedure can take up to 90 minutes. The procedure is also less invasive, which means there is no bleeding involved. You are also more likely to recover quickly after laser surgery as opposed to conventional surgery. Besides, laser sinus treatment has proven to be a very effective procedure in treating chronic allergy.

For your sinusitis surgical treatment, a patient is always on the lookout for a service provider who will perform a quick diagnosis of the condition. You also want a service provider who can provide healthcare as a package that includes transporting you to the healthcare facility for surgery and back home. It is important also to get help with your insurance claim as this will ensure the procedure is less stressful. A good healthcare provider must also ensure the patient gets to see specialist doctors who will conduct an effective diagnosis and recommend a timely and suitable treatment program.

goficure is one such company. We will take care of all this so that you can look forward to your recovery. Further, we help you access specialists in sinusitis surgery who will recommend the most appropriate surgical procedure for your condition. We also help to book appointments with the specialists at a discounted price, including booking all the diagnostic tests.

goficure  assists you in filling necessary paperwork, including making your health insurance claims. Finally, we will assist you with post-op recovery by connecting you with specialists who will be by your side as you walk through the road to recovery and restoration of your health.  

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