Understanding Chronic Sinusitis: Causes, Symptoms, and Management

What is it?

Chronic sinusitis is a condition in which the spaces (sinuses) around the nose are inflamed and congested over a long period of time (over 8 weeks). As a result, fluid in the nasal passages and sinuses does not drain properly, and thick mucus is formed. This condition is prone to infections, thus people with chronic sinusitis tend to suffer from recurrent upper airway infections. Chronic sinusitis tends to develop in people suffering from asthma, nasal polyps, crooked nasal septum or frequent allergic reactions.

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Additional names

This group contains additional names:
- Chronic Maxillary Sinusitis
- Oroantral fistula
- Chronic Frontal Sinusitis
- Chronic Ethmoidal Sinusitis
- Chronic Sphenoidal Sinusitis

Signs & symptoms

People with chronic sinusitis tend to suffer from a constant feeling of a stuffy nose and difficulty breathing through it. They have a thick, yellowish-greenish discharge from their nose and throat. A feeling of fullness in the face, headache, and pain around the eyes and cheeks are also common.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of chronic sinusitis requires an examination by a doctor, who will ask about the symptoms and perform a physical examination. In some cases, additional tests will be performed to find out the cause of the sinusitis. Possible tests are a CT scan of the face, or an endoscopy of the nose (a test in which a small camera is inserted into the nose).

Treatment

The treatment of sinusitis includes two main goals:
- Reducing inflammation in the sinuses and improving drainage through the nose. This goal is achieved by using various nasal sprays, steroids and anti-congestion medications. Antibiotics are not necessary except in cases of bacterial upper respiratory tract infection.
- Treatment of the cause of the disease. Appropriate treatment depends on the cause and may include surgery to remove polyps or repair the nasal septum, anti-asthma inhalers, anti-allergy medications and so on.

☝️ This is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult with your physician before making any medical decision.

Learn more about our editorial process for content accuracy.

Source of Information - We analyze big data of more than 23 million patients de-identified medical records from the following sources:

National Institution of Health ∙ World Health Organization ∙ University of Illinois hospital