Wondering how many sinus infections are too many?
It isn’t always easy to tell whether you’re coming down with a cold or sinus infection; however, if symptoms such as a runny or stuffy nose, post-nasal drip, and facial pressure don’t go away after 10 days then it could be a sinus infection. While sinus infections will usually go away on their own, if you’ve been dealing with sinus infections more than three times a year or you have symptoms that last more than 12 weeks, you might want to talk with our Chesterfield, MO, ENT doctor Dr. Paul Burk about chronic sinusitis.
Why am I dealing with recurrent sinus infections?
Most of the time, acute sinus infections occur after an illness such as a cold or flu. These infections typically will resolve themselves; however, if you’re dealing with chronic or recurring sinus infections it could be caused by,
- Allergies (e.g., hay fever)
- Asthma
- Structural abnormalities and deformities in the nose (e.g., deviated septum)
- Nasal polyps
How can I alleviate my symptoms?
With acute cases, you can manage symptoms through simple home care such as warm compresses, steam showers, and nasal sprays; however, with chronic cases, you’ll want to turn to our Chesterfield, MO, otolaryngologist to find out why recurring sinus infections keep happening to you. We will need to determine the cause so that we can decide which treatment option is the best one.
For example, if allergies are causing inflammation and leading to recurring sinus infections then we will need to create a treatment plan that addresses ways to avoid allergy triggers while also providing you with medications that get your symptoms under control. Those with severe allergies may benefit from immunotherapy. When allergies are properly managed you should see relief from your sinus infections.
Those with structural abnormalities such as a deviated septum may benefit from a corrective procedure that will help the nasal passages properly drain to prevent blockages. Here at our practice, Dr. Burk and his team provide balloon sinuplasty to alleviate symptoms of chronic sinusitis that haven’t responded to traditional and nonsurgical treatment options.
During this procedure, we guide a thin tube through the nasal passage. At the end of the tube is a deflated balloon. Once inserted, the balloon is carefully inflated to open up the nasal passages and keep them open so the blockage can properly drain. Most people experience relief for at least two years after this procedure.
If you’re dealing with chronic sinusitis that isn’t responding to medications and other conservative treatment options, then it may be time to talk with our Chesterfield, MO, otolaryngologist about whether you could benefit from balloon sinuplasty. To discuss your treatment options with us, call (314) 477-4995 today.