Nasal, Sinus, & Allergy
At Brooklyn ENT & Allergy, we offer comprehensive, efficient, state-of-the-art care for all aspects of your nasal and sinus issues. Our services include environmental and food skin prick allergy testing, in-office CT scanning of the sinuses, and expertise in minimally invasive in-office sinonasal procedures including Balloon Sinuplasty and Septoplasty.
NASAL, SINUS, AND ALLERGY FAQS
What does a sinusitis feel like?
A patient with sinusitis usually sees symptoms like:
nasal congestion
nasal discharge or post nasal drip
pain or pressure in their face and sinus area
a decrease or loss of smell
How long does a sinus infection last? How can a sinus infection be treated?
A sinus infection can last anywhere from a few days to several weeks if left untreated or under treated.
Some infections can be treated with nasal decongestants and sinus irrigations, but some patients need to be treated with oral antibiotics and/or steroids. If you get sinus infections four or more times a year, we may recommend a procedure to open the sinuses to help reduce or completely eliminate the recurrence of sinus infections.
What is the difference between acute and chronic sinusitis?
The main difference between acute and chronic sinusitis is the length of time you experience symptoms.
Chronic sinusitis by definition is a condition where you experience some combination of symptoms including nasal congestion, frequent nasal discharge, facial pain and/or pressure and a reduction in your sense of smell for 3 months or more.
Another important difference is the type and source of inflammation that is taking place in the sinus cavity. Acute sinusitis is usually an infection caused by a virus or bacteria, whereas chronic sinus is usually a protracted inflammatory condition caused by blocked sinus drainage.
How do you treat chronic vs. acute sinusitis?
For acute cases, we usually recommend conservative treatment with antibiotics, sinus rinses and decongestants. For chronic sinusitis, while some patients can be managed with nasal sprays and sinus rinses, often patient will benefit from a procedure to open the blocked sinuses.
How do I know if my symptoms are related to chronic sinusitis or if I just have allergies?
A common misconception is that all nasal congestion and runny noses are caused by allergies. Allergies are common, but they’re not the cause of all sinus or nasal symptoms. Additionally, a lot of patients suffer from both allergies and chronic sinusitis at the same time. To truly differentiate between the two, patients will often have to undergo a comprehensive exam, environmental allergy testing and sometimes a CT scan of the sinuses.
What do you do if my symptoms persist even while being on medications for months?
Sometimes nasal steroids, antihistamines and saline irrigations can control symptoms of chronic sinusitis. However, some patients will encounter a plateau in the benefits of such treatments or find that they aren’t great for the long term. This is when we look to explore more definitive and long term solutions, using procedural or surgical interventions.
What kind of procedures are available for treating chronic sinusitis?
There are usually two options for treatment: sinus surgery or Balloon Sinuplasty.
What is sinus surgery?
Functional endoscopic sinus surgery or FESS is an outpatient procedure usually performed under general anesthesia in a hospital or surgery center. Surgeons use scopes and long thin instruments to visualize and open or widen the compromised sinus drainage pathways by removing a portion of the bony wall surrounding the pathway. This kind of surgery usually will take 2-3 hours to perform depending on how many sinuses need to be opened. The recovery for such a procedure will often take 2-3 weeks before returning to full physical activity with full healing requiring anywhere from 4 to 8 weeks.
What is Balloon Sinuplasty?
In the last decade a new and far less invasive approach has been developed to help treat select patients with chronic sinusitis that still effectively and usually permanently open the sinus drainage pathways but without the need to cut or remove any tissue. This procedure, called Balloon Sinuplasty, is most often performed in the office under local anesthesia.
The procedure employs a specialized instrument that has a rigid balloon at the end of it, that when placed within the sinus drainage pathway is inflated to dilate the space then deflated and removed. The procedure itself usually takes approximately 20 minutes with an additional 30 minutes for adequate administration of topical anesthetics. The recovery for this procedure is usually about 48 hours for most patients before they can return to their normal daily activities.