Chronic Sinusitis Explained

As June is National Headache and Migraine Awareness month, North Oaks Health System is unpacking one of the chief culprits of head pain: sinusitis.

Sinusitis is a common condition, affecting 28 million patients each year. Most people can identify with the symptoms of headache, sinus pressure, postnasal drainage, fatigue, runny nose, bad breath, upper teeth pain and congestion. Anyone who has had COVID-19, the flu or the common cold might have experienced some of these symptoms.

In 10 percent of sinusitis diagnoses, the condition reoccurs often throughout the year and isn’t caused by a single cold or virus. This is called chronic sinusitis, and a visit to an ear, nose and throat specialist is recommended in those cases.

With chronic sinusitis, symptoms can trigger an endless cycle of pressure, pain and usage of over-the-counter medication to control symptoms. Just treating symptoms, however, doesn’t address the root cause. North Oaks ear, nose and throat specialists are attuned and highly trained to identify the cause and address the issue to break the cycle.

Some sinusitis, for example, is caused by narrowed airways and growths in the nose.

These causes of blocked sinuses will continue to cause pain and pressure until the blockage is removed. North Oaks ENT specialists have a bevy of solutions to help, including treatments like Balloon Sinuplasty^TM, which helps clear blockages without cutting nasal bone or tissue.

Many times, our specialists can administer a course of treatment or procedure that requires little down time and can get a patient back to their usual routines quickly.

If you are experiencing chronic sinusitis symptoms and want to schedule an appointment with one of our ENT specialists, please call 985-230-2778.

North Oaks clinic locations include:

North Oaks ENT & Allergy Clinic in Hammond

North Oaks ENT & Allergy Clinic in Livingston

Northshore ENT in Hammond