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Sinusitis services offered in Hillsborough and Annandale, NJ
Sinusitis seems like a common cold for a while, but then the congestion and sinus pressure don't clear up as you’d expect from a cold. That's when you need treatment from Edwin Schulhafer, MD, at Allergy Asthma & Sinus Center. Dr. Schulhafer offers comprehensive sinus care, including diagnostic rhinoscopies and today's most innovative treatments. If you need relief from sinus symptoms, call the office in Hillsborough Township or Annandale, New Jersey, or book an appointment online today.
What causes sinusitis?
Your sinuses are hollow cavities within the bones around your nose. Each sinus has a membrane that lines the cavity and produces mucus. Normally, the mucus leaves the sinus through a tiny opening and flows into your nose.
Sinusitis occurs when the lining becomes inflamed. The swollen tissues block the opening and trap mucus inside the sinus, setting the stage for an infection.
A virus from the common cold commonly causes sinus inflammation. However, allergies also frequently result in sinusitis. In some cases, nasal polyps or a deviated septum block the opening.
What symptoms develop if I have sinusitis?
People with sinusitis experience symptoms such as:
- Stuffy, congested nose
- Thick nasal discharge
- Pain or pressure around your sinuses
- Tenderness in the face and teeth
- Loss of smell
- Runny nose
- Sinus headaches
- Ear pressure
- Fatigue
Acute sinusitis clears up in four weeks. If your symptoms go on for 12 weeks or longer, you have chronic sinusitis. Chronic sinusitis usually develops when the inflammation persists or you develop a bacterial infection inside the sinus.
How is sinusitis treated?
As acute sinusitis runs its course, your provider recommends medication to ease your symptoms and reduce inflammation. If chronic sinusitis develops, your initial treatment may include anti-inflammatory nasal sprays and salt-water irrigation.
Your Allergy Asthma & Sinus Center provider may perform a diagnostic rhinoscopy to identify the cause of chronic sinusitis. During a rhinoscopy, they use a slim, flexible endoscope to examine your nose, throat, and sinuses.
After a diagnostic rhinoscopy, your provider determines if you need a procedure to remove a blockage like nasal polyps.
Nasal Polyps are often found on diagnostic rhinoscopy examinations. Patients with this problem often have difficulty breathing through their nose and might complain of loss of smell and taste. Traditional treatment of nasal polyps has been surgical. Because nasal polyps tend to recur after surgery, new treatments have been developed. At Allergy, Asthma & Sinus Center, your provider will likely treat nasal polyps with a monoclonal antibody such as Dupixent® or Nucala®, in addition to referral for surgery.
If you have ongoing congestion or cold-like symptoms, it may be sinusitis. Get the relief you need by calling Allergy Asthma & Sinus Center or booking an appointment online today.