How do you treat chronic rhinosinusitis?

How do you treat chronic rhinosinusitis?

Treatment

1. Nasal corticosteroids.
2. Saline nasal irrigation, with nasal sprays or solutions, reduces drainage and rinses away irritants and allergies.
3. Oral or injected corticosteroids.
4. Allergy medications.
5. Aspirin desensitization treatment, if you have reactions to aspirin that cause sinusitis and nasal polyps.

How do you prevent chronic rhinosinusitis?

Primary prevention of CRS focuses on the avoidance of exposure to environmental factors associated with increased incidence of disease. This includes avoidance of tobacco smoke and occupational toxins.

What is the drug of choice for chronic sinusitis?

Corticosteroids can be administered in the form of nasal sprays or solutions. Topical steroids along with systemic antibiotics are now the key components of the medical armamentarium in the management of chronic sinusitis.

How common is chronic rhinosinusitis?

Chronic rhinosinusitis is an inflammatory condition of the paranasal sinuses that most often causes chronic sinonasal symptoms. In the United States, chronic rhinosinusitis has an estimated prevalence of 1% to 5%.

How long does chronic rhinosinusitis last?

With chronic sinusitis, the tissues inside your sinuses become inflamed and blocked for a long period of time due to swelling and mucus buildup. Acute sinusitis only happens for a short time (usually a week), but chronic sinusitis can last for months. Sinusitis is considered chronic after at least 12 weeks of symptoms.

Do antihistamines help chronic sinusitis?

Along the same lines as OTC options, antihistamine medications, such as Sudafed, Claritin, Zyrtec or Benadryl, can also offer sinus infection symptom relief. While these medications specifically target allergy symptoms, sinus infection symptoms can be similar, making antihistamines worth a try.

Is rhinosinusitis the same as sinusitis?

Rhinosinusitis (RS) is inflammation of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. The term “rhinosinusitis” is preferred over “sinusitis” because inflammation of the sinus cavities is almost always accompanied by inflammation of the nasal cavities.

What triggers chronic sinusitis?

In adults, chronic sinusitis most often is linked to nasal swelling caused by allergies, especially allergies to inhaled dust, mold, pollen, or the spores of fungi. These allergies trigger the release of histamine and other chemicals that cause the inner lining of the nose to swell and block sinus drainage.

Can chronic sinusitis be cured?

In short, chronic sinusitis can be cured but is likely to require some sort of ongoing medical treatment or plan. To find out if a patient has chronic sinusitis, a doctor will first have to do a diagnostic work-up.

Can you live with chronic sinusitis?

The vast majority of patients can be treated on an outpatient basis and are nearly or completely symptom-free within weeks. “Many patients feel better than they have for decades — if not their entire lives — after sinus surgery,” Dr. Suh says.

What is the difference between chronic sinusitis and chronic rhinosinusitis?

Chronic sinusitis can be brought on by an infection, by growths in the sinuses (nasal polyps) or by swelling of the lining of your sinuses. Also called chronic rhinosinusitis, the condition can affect both adults and children.

What happens if chronic sinusitis goes untreated?

If chronic sinusitis goes untreated for a length of time, it is possible the infection can spread to vital parts of your body, including to the bones, spinal fluid, and the brain. These complications, meningitis and brain abscesses, are life-threatening and require immediate emergency surgery.