Sinusitis
Why choose Dr. Kerner for your sinusitis treatment?
Dr. Kerner is one of the leading sinus surgeons in the country. He is the president and founder of the Foundation for Maxillofacial Surgery. The Foundation helps provide education, training and support to doctors across the country.
Call us today at 818-349-0600 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Kerner to discuss your options.
Everything you wanted to know about sinuses but were afraid to ask.
Have you had a cold or allergy attack that wouldn’t go away? If so, there’s a good chance you had sinusitis. We estimate that 37 million people are afflicted with sinusitis each year, making it one of the most common health conditions in America.
When is a cold actually sinusitis?
The majority of sinus infections are caused by bacteria usually preceded by a cold or allergy attack. It can be made worse by exposure to environmental pollutants. Unlike a cold, or allergy, bacterial sinusitis requires a physician’s diagnosis and treatment with an antibiotic to cure the infection and prevent future complications.
Normally, mucus collecting in the sinuses drains into the nasal passages. When people have a cold or allergy attack, sinuses become inflamed and unable to drain. This can lead to congestion and repeated episodes of infection. Diagnosis of acute sinusitis usually is based on a physical examination and a discussion of your symptoms. Your doctor also may use x-rays of your sinuses or obtain a sample of your nasal discharge to test for bacteria.
When Acute Becomes Chronic Sinusitis
When you have frequent sinus infections, or the infection lasts three months or more, you most likely suffer from chronic sinusitis. Symptoms of chronic sinusitis may be less severe than those of acute sinusitis; however, untreated chronic sinusitis can cause damage to the sinuses and cheekbones that sometimes requires surgery to repair.
Treating Sinusitis
Bacterial sinusitis: Therapy for bacterial sinusitis should include an appropriate antibiotic. In addition to an antibiotic, an oral or nasal spray or drop decongestant may be recommended to relieve congestion, although you should avoid prolonged use of nonprescription nasal sprays or drops. Inhaling steam or using saline nasal sprays or drops can help relieve sinus discomfort. The symptoms of sinus infections that become chronic include headaches , facial pain or pressure, nasal congestion, nasal drainage, ear fullness, cough, fevers, sneezing, dental pain, itchy eyes and sometimes fatigue.
It is important for patients to be evaluated by a Board Certified Specialist if you have these symptoms. Diagnosis can be made by looking into the nasal cavity with a small telescope and then with a special xray called a CT scan of the sinuses. Surgery should be considered only if medical treatment fails or if there is a nasal obstruction that cannot be corrected with medications.
Surgery for sinus disease now termed Functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) is the recommended procedure for chronic sinus disease. With the small endoscopes, we can look directly into the nose, while at the same time, removing diseased tissue and polyps and clearing the narrow channels between the sinuses.
Call us today at 818-349-0600 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Kerner to discuss your options.