About Sinus Problems and How They're Treated

About Sinus Problems and How They're Treated

Is Surgery the Right Treatment for You?
You don't usually think about your sinuses, those little pockets of air inside the hollow spaces between the bones of your skull, until you've developed a sinus problem. Suddenly, the pain and pressure of a sinus infection are excruciating and you want nothing more than to find relief. The experienced surgeons at miVIP can help with severe sinus problems.

Everyone has sinus issues from time to time, whether they’re from seasonal allergies or colds and flus. While periodic sinus pain and pressure eventually go away, there are some people who suffer from chronic sinus problems, leaving them in pain and discomfort almost all the time. If sinus issues become a daily struggle, and medications and home treatments don't help, it may be time to discuss treatment options with an ENT specialist.

Common Causes of Sinus Pain and Pressure and Their Symptoms
Most of the time, sinus discomfort is caused by allergies or illness. However, many people are born with or develop more serious, chronic problems with their sinuses. Here are a few of the most common reasons people can suffer from sinus pain:

Narrow sinuses, a genetic trait that can cause them to become blocked more easily or have difficulty draining.
A deviated septum, which can be inherited or caused by an injury, and may cause sinus problems, snoring, and trouble breathing.
An extra sinus, which about 10 percent of the population has, and narrows the space for sinuses to drain.
Other factors, such as food and living environment, can contribute to sensitive sinuses. Symptoms can range anywhere between mild pressure and discomfort to extreme pain, a feeling of the face and head being "stuffed," swelling, and pain radiating throughout the jaw and teeth and down the neck.

Effective Sinus Pain Treatments
When common treatments such medications, nasal sprays, humidifiers, and warm compresses fail to relieve chronic sinus pain, you may wish to consider surgery for a more permanent and effective solution. Two minimally-invasive techniques have had great success in treating chronic sinus sufferers.

Sinus Image-Guided Surgery – This outpatient procedure uses an endoscope with a lens and camera to allow the surgeon to accurately perform the surgery without damaging healthy tissues, and results in minimal pain and recovery time.
Ethmoidectomy – When the ethmoid sinuses between the eyes and the bridge of the nose are blocked, the infection can spread to other sinuses, compacting the problem. An ethmoidectomy removes the infected parts of the sinuses using an endoscope and a surgical instrument called a microdebrider. This minimally-invasive surgery allows the sinuses to drain more freely and reduces the chances of further infection.
The Long-Term Outcome of Sinus Surgery
With today's cutting-edge sinus procedures, the chances are very high that you will suffer little to no recurring sinus infections in the future, allowing you to enjoy life and breathe freely. Give the caring staff at miVIP a call at 855-496-4847 to discuss your options or set up an appointment.