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Sinusitis
How to treat sinusitis?
The treatment of sinusitis is mainly divided into three categories. The first category is observation and follow-up; the second category is medication treatment; the third is surgical treatment. If the sinusitis is very mild and does not have obvious clinical symptoms, and the nasal cavity is relatively clean, most of these cases can be considered for observation without particular treatment. If the inflammation is more pronounced, accompanied by nasal congestion, a runny nose, headache, and dizziness, most of these cases should consider medication treatment, which usually involves oral medications and nasal sprays. Additionally, rinsing the nasal cavity with saline can be considered. If the inflammatory response is particularly severe and symptoms are pronounced, and if standard medication treatment is ineffective, surgery may need to be considered. Currently, the main surgical option is endoscopic sinus surgery. Generally, this approach is quite effective, causes less damage, and allows for a relatively quick recovery.
What are the symptoms of sinusitis?
The clinical symptoms of sinusitis vary widely among individuals, and in general, it is considered a common illness. The most frequent clinical manifestations include nasal congestion, purulent nasal discharge, reduced sense of smell, headaches, and dizziness. Some patients may also experience facial pain and numbness; however, specific symptoms vary from person to person. Some may exhibit only one symptom, while others may experience two to three, or even multiple symptoms, with the disease demonstrating recurrent and fluctuating patterns. In terms of treatment, medication remains the primary approach, supplemented by nasal irrigation. Only a small fraction of patients, whose symptoms do not improve with conservative medication treatments or who suffer from particularly severe inflammatory reactions like fungal sinusitis, may consider surgery.
Treatment of Chronic Rhinitis and Sinusitis
Chronic rhinitis and chronic sinusitis are due to persistent inflammation following acute inflammatory stimuli or recurrent attacks, leading to nasal and systemic symptoms. Patients may experience facial swelling and pain, headaches, and nasal congestion, generally bilateral and progressively worsening. Additionally, there may be yellow purulent discharge from the nasal cavity, sometimes accompanied by an odor. The examination can reveal congested and edematous bilateral nasal turbinates and abnormal secretions in the nasal cavity. For treatment, patients initially need a sinus CT scan; if sinusitis is confirmed, symptomatic anti-inflammatory treatment is necessary, including oral antibiotics, such as cephalosporins, which are relatively effective. Saline nasal irrigation is also required. If conservative treatment fails, the patient may need endoscopic sinus surgery and partial resection of the bilateral inferior turbinates to recover.
How to treat sinusitis?
The treatment for sinusitis primarily involves conservative medication, as well as surgical procedures. Generally, conservative medical treatment is the standard first-line method. In terms of treatment methods, antibacterial therapy is mainly used, along with the oral administration of traditional Chinese medicine preparations, and mucolytic agents, which help alleviate sinus inflammation and facilitate the discharge of secretions from the nasal and sinus cavities. Additionally, nasal irrigation with saline solution can be considered to further improve the condition. If standardized medical treatment is ineffective, or in cases of fungal sinusitis, we may consider conducting minimally invasive sinus surgery using nasal endoscopy. Overall, the outcomes of surgical treatment are usually quite good, but regular follow-up examinations are needed to check for any recurrence of the condition.
How to treat sinusitis?
In clinical practice, the treatment for sinusitis depends on the patient's symptoms, whether it is acute or chronic sinusitis, and whether there are any complications associated with acute sinusitis. Generally, for sinusitis, the main treatment involves the local use of nasal corticosteroids sprays such as mometasone furoate. Additionally, oral anti-inflammatory drugs are used, mainly macrolide antibiotics such as erythromycin and clarithromycin. Some Chinese patent medicines that open orifices aromatically can also be used, such as Bi Tong Jing Granules and Dan Xiang Bi Yan Tablets, to provide auxiliary treatment. Of course, a CT scan of the sinuses can also be performed to assess the extent of the lesion and determine if the problem can be resolved through surgery. (Please use medications under the guidance of a doctor.)
How to treat nasal congestion caused by sinusitis?
Nasal congestion caused by sinusitis requires symptomatic anti-inflammatory treatment as the initial step, because sinusitis, which includes inflammation of the paranasal sinuses, is caused by acute inflammatory irritation leading to nasal symptoms. This condition can result in nasal congestion due to the repeated stimulation of the nasal conchae by yellow purulent secretions. Additionally, patients may experience discharge of yellow purulent material from the nasal cavity, facial swelling and pain, headaches, and fever among other symptoms. Examination with an endoscope may reveal bilateral congested and swollen nasal mucosa, and yellow purulent secretions in the nasal passages. Treatment initially requires symptomatic anti-inflammatory measures to reduce inflammation. Since it is a bacterial infection, patients can use antibiotics. Also necessary is the use of saline nasal irrigation and nebulized inhalations to contract the nasal conchae and alleviate congestion. Once the inflammation is reduced, nasal congestion will gradually improve. (The use of medications should be under the guidance of a doctor.)
Does sinusitis affect the eyes?
Sinusitis is a relatively common otorhinolaryngological disease. A small percentage of patients may experience effects on their eyes, leading to decreased vision, orbital abscesses, eye swelling and pain, or visual field defects. There is significant individual variation in clinical symptoms. After the onset of the disease, it is necessary to visit the otorhinolaryngology and ophthalmology departments to assess the severity of the condition. In terms of treatment, some patients may opt for conservative medical treatment. However, for others with more severe conditions where conservative medical treatment proves ineffective, surgical treatment should be considered, followed by regular follow-up exams to observe the outcomes of the surgery.
Is hot compress useful for sinusitis?
Sinusitis is a relatively common otolaryngological disease. Hot compresses do not have a clear therapeutic effect on the condition itself, but they may help relieve symptoms of nasal congestion and runny nose. Patients with sinusitis should visit an otolaryngology clinic after the onset of symptoms for examinations such as nasal endoscopy and sinus CT scans to assess the severity of the disease. Most patients need to consider treatment with oral medications and nasal sprays. During the treatment process, it is necessary to have regular follow-ups to observe the effectiveness of the treatment. If the results of standardized medication treatment are not satisfactory and the clinical symptoms are severe, then surgical treatment should be considered. After surgery, regular follow-up visits are also necessary to monitor for any recurrence.
How to check for sinusitis?
The examination for sinusitis is mainly divided into three major categories. The first category is visual inspection. The second is endoscopic examination, and the third is radiologic examination. Visual inspection mainly involves directly observing with the naked eye the mucosa inside the nasal cavity, the inferior turbinate, and assessing the presence of thick nasal mucus. For some patients, a basic diagnosis can be made through visual inspection alone. However, for other patients whose conditions are not very clear, it becomes necessary to use endoscopic examinations, such as nasal endoscopy or fiberoptic nasopharyngoscopy, to visually inspect the interior of the nasal cavity and the nasopharynx for any abnormalities. If the inflammation is severe and conservative medical treatment is ineffective, it may also be necessary to consider a CT scan of the sinuses to make a clearer and more accurate diagnosis.
What medicine is good for sinusitis?
Sinusitis is mainly caused by acute inflammatory infections, such as Staphylococcus aureus or Streptococcus pyogenes. When a patient's immunity and resistance are low, these bacteria can invade the sinuses through the sinus openings, leading to congestion, swelling, proliferation, and exudation of the sinus mucosa. Patients will experience persistent nasal congestion and discharge of yellow purulent secretions from the nasal cavity. Additionally, patients may also experience fever, facial swelling and pain, headaches, dry mouth, coughing, and other related symptoms. Upon examination, bilateral nasal turbinate mucosal congestion and swelling can be found, and yellow secretions may be seen adhering in the middle nasal meatus or common nasal passage. In terms of treatment, as it is a bacterial infection, patients firstly need symptomatic anti-inflammatory treatment. Oral cephalosporin antibiotics are effective. Moreover, using saline to rinse the nasal cavity also provides very good results. If necessary, patients may require endoscopic sinus surgery for recovery. (Please use medication under the guidance of a professional physician.)