Typically, there's a "medications first, surgery second" approach to managing sinusitis.
Medications for chronic sinusitis:
Inhaled corticosteroids, often given as nasal sprays, drops or nasal irrigations. They might be prescribed for long-term use. Steroids are sometimes given by mouth if inflammation is severe
Saline rinses for the nose
Allergy meds are given only if your doctor believes an allergy is playing a role in your sinusitis
Biologics. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has recently approved some biologic drugs that target inflammatory chemicals that are linked to the development of polyps
Other medicines, prescribed in a "case-by-case" manner, as needed
Surgery for chronic sinusitis:
When medications fail to ease your symptoms, endoscopic sinus surgery could be the next step, the UC Health experts said.
"During endoscopic sinus surgery, the doctor uses a small camera [endoscope] to navigate inside the nose and sinuses, and to open the sinuses while removing diseased tissue [like polyps] and eradicating infection," UC Health explained.
Patients typically report an average pain level of 5 out of 10 during the "worst" part of the surgery, the UC health team said, and post-surgical pain is typically eased using a nonprescription painkiller such as acetaminophen.
Keeping chronic sinusitis from returning: The best way to keep the condition at bay is to rid your environment of possible triggers, such as allergies (use your allergy medications), smoke (another great reason to quit smoking) and dust and sawdust (if needed, wear a protective mask).
