Millions of Americans suffer from at least one episode of acute nasal inflammation each year. | Wikimedia Commons
Millions of Americans suffer from at least one episode of acute nasal inflammation each year. | Wikimedia Commons
Some patients find that they get sinus or allergy attacks every year in spring, according to Dr. Manish Khanna of Capitol Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers.
"You're doing your spring cleaning, and you breathe in a bunch of dust," Khanna told Montgomery News. "This inflammatory process clogs those little tiny openings, and when those openings are clogged, the mucus that the sinus lining is producing just hangs around in the nasal passages."
The nasal passages provide "a nice culture medium for bacteria to overgrow," which can lead to sinus infections, Khanna said. "This can also lead to really thick post-nasal drip that patients feel and lead to a lot of throat clearing, and they start to feel that mucus in the back of their throat. So that's a common symptom of patients who have allergies."
Dr. Manish Khanna
| Capitol Breathe Free
Sinusitis blocks air passageways, causing mucus to increase and possibly lead to infections, according to the American Sinus Institute. A common cold or a deviated septum can contribute to the nasal inflammation. An estimated 37 million people in the U.S. have at least one case of nasal inflammation each year.
The four types of nasal inflammation are: acute, sub-acute, chronic and recurrent. Acute inflammation begins very suddenly and includes pain that does not go away after 10 to 14 days. Sub-acute inflammation can last as long as four to eight weeks. Chronic inflammation lasts for eight weeks or longer, and recurrent inflammation is a series of repeated attacks over the course of a year, according to the American Sinus Institute.
Treatments include steroids and antibiotics. A minimally invasive procedure called balloon sinuplasty may also help. In balloon sinuplasty, a small catheter with a tiny balloon attached is inserted into the sinus cavity and then slowly inflated, opening the blocked passage.
"As a preventative for patients who get recurring sinus headaches and pressure, balloon sinuplasty is a very reasonable, viable option," Khanna said.
Potential patients can take a free online sinus quiz to evaluate their sinus symptoms and see if they could benefit from a visit to the doctor.
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