Nasal congestion and sinus pain can be incredibly uncomfortable and disruptive to your daily life, causing difficulty breathing, headaches and facial pain. A remarkable array of different disorders can cause these symptoms. Fortunately, our providers offer many treatment options to alleviate your discomfort.
Allergy
Hay fever, rose fever, grass fever and “summertime colds” are various names for allergic rhinitis. An allergy is an exaggerated inflammatory response to a foreign substance, which, in the case of a stuffy nose, is usually pollen, mold, animal dander or some element in household dust. Food sometimes plays a role.
Infection
- Acute sinus infections produce nasal congestion, thick discharge, pain and tenderness in the cheeks and upper teeth, between and behind the eyes or above the eyes and the forehead.
- Chronic sinus infections may or may not cause pain, but nasal obstruction and offensive nasal or postnasal discharge are often present.
- During a virus infection, such as the typical cold, the nasal mucus turns from clear to yellow or green, meaning a bacterial infection has taken over.
Non-Allergic Rhinitis
Nasal congestion can occur due to nonspecific irritants to the nose. Treatment options include nasal sprays and turbinate reduction, which can be done in the office with local anesthesia.
Sinus Pain
Experts estimate that 40 million Americans are afflicted with sinusitis yearly, making it one of the most common health conditions. Acute bacterial sinusitis is an infection of the sinus cavities caused by bacteria and usually preceded by a cold, allergy attack or irritation by environmental pollutants.
Treatment for sinusitis to relieve congestion includes an appropriate antibiotic, an oral or nasal spray or a drop decongestant. Surgery is considered only if medical treatment fails or if a nasal obstruction cannot be corrected with medications.
To avoid developing sinusitis during a cold or allergy attack, keep your sinuses clear by:
- Drinking plenty of fluids to keep nasal discharge thin
- Saline nasal spray or irrigation with a Netipot or NeilMed bottle
- Short-term use of nasal decongestant
SINUVA™ Sinus Implant
Bellin Health offers a non-surgical procedure for patients who suffer from repeat nasal polyps. SINUVA™ is proven to reduce polyps and nasal congestion and obstruction. Its innovative design provides a 2-in-1 approach: it is designed to open in the sinus cavity and release anti-inflammatory medicine to treat nasal polyps for up to 90 days. Nasal obstruction and congestion are reduced, and the sense of smell is improved.
Structural Causes
- Deformities or injuries of the nose and the nasal septum, the thin, flat cartilage and bone that separates the nose into its two sides.
- Enlargement of the adenoids, common in children, fills the back of the nose above and behind the palate. Children with this problem breathe noisily at night and even snore.
- Polyps can fill the nasal cavity and cause congestion and drainage.
- Tumors, foreign bodies (usually inserted by children)
