Sinusitis Specialist
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Allergy and Asthma Treatment Center
Allergy Specialists located in Glendale, CA
Most cases of sinusitis begin as a viral infection. But when your stuffy nose, coughing, and pain around your sinuses don’t get better, chances are you have chronic sinusitis, a condition that’s notoriously resistant to treatment. At Allergy and Asthma Treatment Center in Glendale, California, board-certified physician Marine Demirjian, MD, is an expert in treating sinusitis, including chronic cases. If you need relief from your symptoms, call the office or book an appointment online today.
Sinusitis Q & A
What causes sinusitis?
Sinusitis occurs when the tissues lining your sinuses become inflamed. These tissues produce mucus that normally leaves the sinus through a small opening and flows through your nose.
When the mucus-producing membranes get inflamed and swollen, they block the opening. Then the mucus trapped inside the sinus develops an infection.
There are two types of sinusitis:
Acute sinusitis
Acute sinusitis begins when you have a cold and the virus travels from your nose or throat to your sinuses. This type of sinusitis should clear up within four weeks.
Chronic sinusitis
If your symptoms last 12 weeks or longer, you have chronic sinusitis. By the time your condition turns chronic, the infection has healed. You still have symptoms because the sinus stays inflamed after the infection goes away.
You have a high risk of developing chronic sinusitis if you have seasonal allergies that cause nasal inflammation and congestion. Structural problems inside your nose, such as nasal polyps, can also block the sinus opening and cause sinusitis.
What symptoms develop if I have sinusitis?
Sinusitis causes symptoms such as:
- Nasal congestion
- Nasal discharge
- Runny nose
- Postnasal drip
- Sneezing
- Coughing
- Headaches
- Itchy eyes, nose, and throat
- Pain and tenderness around your sinuses
You may also lose your sense of smell and taste.
How is sinusitis treated?
Viral infections usually heal on their own, so your provider focuses on easing your symptoms while the virus runs its course. You may need to irrigate your nose with a saline solution or use anti-inflammatory medications, antihistamines, or decongestants.
You only need antibiotics if the viral infection turns into a bacterial infection.
Your provider may do allergy testing to determine if allergens are the source of your chronic sinusitis. If they determine you have an allergy, they develop a plan to help you avoid your allergens and may recommend immunotherapy to diminish your allergies.
If your chronic sinusitis doesn’t improve, Allergy and Asthma Treatment Center may recommend a minimally invasive procedure to open the sinus passage and clean the sinus.
To get relief from the ongoing congestion and tenderness around your sinuses, call Allergy and Asthma Treatment Center or schedule an appointment online today.