Treating Pansinusitis
Pansinusitis creates a perfect storm of recurrent symptoms that hinder daily life. Since it can easily become a deep rooted issue, diagnosis and treatment is important to maintain quality of life. Treatments vary depending on the cause of the initial inflammation. Infection or allergies usually cause pansinusitis.
Medicinal Treatments for Pansinusitis
Infections can occur due to bacteria, viruses, or fungi. Certain medications can kill bacteria or fungi. Home remedies and OTC medications are used to manage viral infections. Medications can’t kill viruses, but make it easier for the immune system. These infections tend to last up to two weeks, but if they reach all four sinuses they can become chronic.
Allergic pansinusitis can develop when chronic allergies go untreated. Pollen, dust, and dander can all inflame the sinuses in an immune response. Nasal sprays, steroids, immunotherapy, and allergen avoidance manage allergies. Immunotherapy is the most effective as it allows your body to acclimate to allergens, so the immune response is less intense.
Surgical Options for Pansinusitis
After treating the source of the problem, we can target the inflammation. Chronic pansinusitis tends to require surgery to root out the inflammation. The most common surgery for sinusitis is endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). ESS involves cutting out inflamed or infected tissue. Severe inflammation requires removing much of the tissue. This can be troubling for some patients.
An alternative to ESS is balloon sinusitis. This procedure uses a balloon to widen inflamed sinus openings. And so, backed up mucus and debris to flow out of the sinuses. As a result of clearing out this build up, the sinuses can properly heal. Since it doesn’t remove tissue, patients with polyps would need incisive surgery instead. Balloon sinuplasty is a better option for patients who aren’t able to undergo invasive surgeries.
Getting Treatment
You may have pansinusitis if you have symptoms like facial pain, headache, or congestion for more than a week. Pansinusitis can develop into more severe complications if left untreated. Vision issues or infections in the brain or surrounding bone can occur. It’s important to speak to your doctor to nail down a diagnosis. After that, you can begin treatment for your pansinusitis and prevent any further complications.
