Regular sinus infections resolve themselves or with antibiotics, depending on the patient’s condition. One can use OTC medicines, saline sprays, and nasal steroids. However, chronic conditions require deeper diagnosis and treatment. Usually, chronic sinus issues occur due to inflammation in the sinus lines, lingering for twelve or more weeks. You can suffer from headaches, nasal discharge, congestion, and diminished smell and taste functions during this. The reasons for such experiences can be attributed to deviated septum, nasal polyps, allergies, etc. In the case of a chronic ailment, your doctor can recommend a minimally invasive endoscopic surgery that uses a slender, flexible pipe and a camera to access the troubled area and eradicate its root cause.
Endoscopic surgery for chronic sinus
You can visit https://earnosethroat.com.sg/sinus-surgeon-sinusitis-treatment-surgery-specialist for any help with sinus treatment. If the surgery is deemed fit, your ENT will use a tool to open the closed passage to the sinuses to drain the accumulated fluid from them. Sinuses appear like tiny air pockets in the facial bones, with the linings having glands where mucus is formed. The same region also contains little hair or cilia that push mucus out of the sinus openings to the nasal passages into the backside of the nose for further processing. When this natural process is affected, your sinus glands face multiple issues, such as irritation, blockage, swelling, and infection. If any of these problems persist for months or years, a person’s quality of life drastically reduces. Some patients can benefit from allergy treatments, but others require sinus surgery.
In this surgery, doctors insert endoscopes and tools into the nostrils to assess the condition and expand sinus windows without incision. It doesn’t cause any scarring or stitching, either. Everything happens inside the nostril. However, you may have to take anaesthesia.
Result of the endoscopic surgery for chronic sinus
The enlarged sinus openings, as mentioned, clear out the mucus from the sinus glands into the nose. Due to the broader gap, the nasal hair performs better cleaning work. It also allows you to maintain good nasal and sinus hygiene. Because the sinuses are rinsed, you feel relieved. You can continue to use recommended medications in the sinuses to keep inflammation, swelling, and infection risks at bay. Since medicines get easy passage to the previously affected area, your dependency on antibiotic pills dwindles. As a result, the side effects of those medications are also considerably averted.
A few additional insights
A stuffy nose or free-flowing nose are some problems people face post-surgery. It’s a part of the healing process. Hence, taking a few days rest will help. Avoid any stressful exercises or activities. Your doctor can recommend a sinus rinse, which can take time to reach the area in the initial days of the surgery because of swelling. But it will keep this region moist, helping mucus and clots to loosen up. There will also be a follow-up to check the progress. You can notice improvement after a week of surgery. More favourable outcomes will happen in the next few weeks. Typically, patients experience huge relief in their condition after the surgery.
Remember, surgery is not a cure but a way to manage your sinus problems more efficiently with a massive improvement in your health.