To diagnoses sinusitis, the doctors offer advanced on-site testing at their offices in Grand Junction, Delta, Montrose, and Gunnison, Colorado. They tailor a treatment plan to your needs to reduce the severity of your sinusitis symptoms and prevent recurrent sinus infections. Whether you need medications to relieve inflammation or sinus surgery to improve your breathing, you can rely on the dedicated professionals at Colorado West Otolaryngologists. Call the office nearest you or book an appointment online today.
Sinusitis is a condition that describes persistent inflammation in your sinuses, the air-filled sacs behind your cheeks, forehead, and eyes.
Healthy sinuses produce mucus to clear debris out of your nasal passages and keep the membranes moisturized. If a virus or bacteria enters your nose and settles into your sinuses, it can lead to inflammation and infection.
Acute sinusitis describes inflammation that lasts for four weeks or less. If you have chronic sinusitis, you experience inflammation and related symptoms for three months or longer.
An infection can trigger a buildup of mucus that can’t properly drain out of your nasal passages due to persistent inflammation. Chronic allergies or structural abnormalities, like a deviated septum or polyps, can also cause sinusitis.
Symptoms of sinusitis can resemble a cold but tend to last longer than 10 days. You may experience a persistent runny nose or nasal congestion.
Other common symptoms of sinusitis include:
Chronic sinusitis causes the same types of symptoms as acute sinusitis, but the symptoms may be milder and last longer.
The board-certified otolaryngologists at Colorado West Otolaryngologists offer comprehensive diagnostic evaluations for sinusitis. They review your personal and family medical history and your symptoms and perform testing to determine if you have sinusitis.
You may need nasal endoscopy, a procedure that uses a flexible tube with an attached light and camera to view the inner structures of your nose and sinus cavity. The team also offers on-site computed tomography (CT) scans to get a closer look at your sinuses and evaluate the severity of the inflammation.
To determine if allergies are the root cause of sinusitis, you might benefit from allergy testing.
Your treatment plan for sinusitis depends on its underlying cause. Your provider customizes your care plan to help you find relief from your symptoms and prevent additional episodes of sinus inflammation.
When you have an active bacterial sinus infection, you may need a course of antibiotics to clear it. Viral infections typically need to run their course, and your ENT specialist can help you manage your symptoms.
If allergies are causing sinus inflammation, you may need to take an over-the-counter or prescription allergy medication. Saline nasal sprays can keep your sinuses moisturized.
When chronic sinusitis symptoms aren’t improving because of a deviated septum or other structural abnormality, you may need rhinoplasty or sinus surgery.
You don’t have to live with chronic sinus pressure and pain. Call the Colorado West Otolaryngologists, PC, office nearest you or book a diagnostic evaluation for sinusitis online today.