Metro Lex News

Inflammation of the sinuses is a common ailment, but according to sinus inflammation specialist Dr. Daniel Mongiardo of the Dr. Daniel Mongiardo Sleep & Sinus Center, there are a variety of causes and treatment options.

Mongiardo explained that when he sees a patient with chronic sinusitis, he first tries to figure out how long it has been going on and whether it is acute sinusitis. He said the first round of treatment should be a course of antibiotics, as well as a saline irrigation to flush out the sinuses. He also recommends the use of steroids for treatment.

“And a lot of times, that’s all we need to do,” Mongiardo told Metro Lex News. “We don’t need to proceed any further than that."

According to SteadyHealth, sinusitis is an inflammation of the mucous membranes found within the sinus cavities. 

Sinuses are the hollow spaces located within the skull surrounding the nose. The frontal sinuses are over the eyes, maxillary sinuses are inside the cheekbones, ethmoid sinuses are behind the bridge of the nose and between the eyes, and the sphenoid sinuses are behind the ethmoids in the upper region of the nose and behind the eyes.

Common symptoms of inflammation of the sinuses include nasal congestion, a runny nose, sore throat, headache, loss of smell, a fever, pain in the eyes, swelling of the face, reduced sense of taste, coughing, tooth pain, bad breath and fatigue.

The most common causes include bacterial, viral or fungal infections of the upper respiratory tract, though it can be caused by a deviated septum, nasal polyps, chronic sinusitis and other medical conditions like cystic fibrosis or HIV.

Inflammation of the sinuses can also be brought on by allergies.

“Think of it as a big room and a very, very small door,” Mongiardo said. “Allergies will cause a shutting of that door so air doesn't flow, and if air doesn't flow, bacteria grows in absence of new oxygen. Usually you won't have recurrent sinusitis, unless you have some type of immunological issues. So we are always focused on how to keep that open.”

Mongiardo said that sometimes inflammation of the sinuses can be treated with medication that will open the sinuses to allow air to flow. However, another effective way to treat the issue is through balloon sinuplasty. This procedure takes less than 10 seconds per sinus in what he called a “very, very quick and virtually painless” process.

To evaluate your symptoms and see if you might need to see a sinus inflammation specialist, take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.