Balloon Sinusplasty for Sinus Infection Treatment

Balloon Sinuplasty can and will help those with Chronic Sinusitis caused by narrow sinus passages.

A recent article by Leslie Toldo explains why this is so. Excerpts of the article are as follows:

A new procedure recently approved by the FDA can clear the sinuses of both children and adults and have them on their feet the next day.

Sinus surgery can be hard on grownups, and even harder on children. So, this new procedure -- with less down time and pain than traditional sinus surgery -- may be a more kid-friendly solution.

For Andre Martinez, homework isn't a bore. It's the challenge that makes it fun every time. But for years, Andre was the puzzle. He suffered from severe headaches that sometimes landed him in the emergency room.

"I just had to like take some Tylenol and go to my room, shut the windows, close the door, and just bury my head under the pillow," he explained.

Trips to the pediatrician, neurologist and allergist offered no solutions. Finally, the answer came from an ear, nose and throat doctor. Andre's headaches were caused by sinus infections, which were worsened by his very small sinus openings.

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases estimates 37 million Americans are affected by sinus infections -- or sinusitis -- every year. This adds up to $5.8 billion spent each year on health care costs related to the condition. Sinusitis takes place when the cavities around the nasal passages, or sinuses, become inflamed and swollen, tracking mucus and causing infection.

Since the sinuses aren't fully developed until the age of 20, sinusitis is more difficult to diagnose in children. In addition, children are more prone to sinus infections in the first few years of life since their immune systems are immature. If a child remains ill beyond the usual week to 10 days of a cold, a serious sinus infection is likely the cause of the symptoms.

Because antibiotics didn't work, Andre needed surgery. Surgeons used a new scalpel-free procedure to open up Andre's sinuses. Balloon sinuplasty involves inserting a tiny balloon through a catheter into the sinus cavity. That balloon is inflated to open up the passageway and then deflated and removed. Many patients can resume normal activities 24 hours after the surgery.

Eight months after surgery, Andre says he is enjoying a migraine-free life. The procedure is for children who have chronic sinus disease or problems. The condition is often caused by the common cold, but other triggers include allergies and fungal infections.

The Mayo Clinic says if a sinus infection persists for more than eight weeks or is recurrent, it is considered a case of chronic sinusitis. Chronic sinusitis can also stem from growths in the sinuses called nasal polyps or a deviated septum, which is the partition between the two sides of the nose.

Risks of the procedure include brain fluid leakage and visual changes and infection -- the same as standard sinus surgery.

The American Academy of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery says parents should look out for the following signs of sinusitis:

" A long-lasting cold accompanied by a low-grade fever

" Thick, yellow-green nasal drainage

" A post-nasal drip that causes sore throat, a cough, bad breath, nausea and/or vomiting

" A headache (a symptom in children age 6 and older)

" Irritability or fatigue

" Swelling around the eyes

The following articles may also be helpful in understanding sinus infection:

1. Sinus Infection in children

2. Are sinus infections contagious?

3. Eustachian tube dysfunction

4. Home remedies for sinus infection

5. Nasal irrigation

For more resources, please visit Sinus Infection Help.

How to tell if you have a sinus infection?

A recent article by Karan Minnis, covers the painful conditions brought by a sinus infection. Some excerpts from the article are reproduced below:

Coakley, 43, a resident of Grand Bahama, has suffered with acute sinusitis for a little over 10 years, which has forced him to undergo two surgeries to try to help solve his problems, on top of the multitude of medication he takes seeking some sort of relief.

"I have tried almost every medication out there, but nothing can really stop my issues," he said.

"In the past 10 years I have had two surgeries — one in 1998 and one in 2001, just to remove polyps from my sinuses which doctors said were causing my issues. About a year after each surgery, the issues would return."

The victim of chronic sinusitis, is fed up, and says he refuses to have another surgery, which he said have just been a waste of his money because he hasn't gotten a solution or relief to his problem."My issues came back every single time and I'm not about to waste more money for that to happen again. Instead I will just have to keep experimenting with medications until I find something that will actually work for a full day."

Sinusitis — an inflammation of the sinuses and nasal passages, is a common aliment that many people have to deal with. According to general practitioner Dr. Martin Brown at Kennedy Medical Centre, sinusitis sufferers know that the problem is not a joke.

"Sinusitis is really something that can ruin your day especially when the symptoms kick in because sinusitis, which is a sinus infection, can cause many issue like a headache or pressure in the eyes, nose, cheek area, or even on one side of the head and that can alone be painful.

Additionally a person with a sinus infection may also have a cough, a fever, bad breath, and nasal congestion with thick nasal secretions and none of these things can be considered fun."
Once you experience sinus symptoms, he says you should seek medical help, and not the other way around, when symptoms get extremely out of hand.

"Your doctor is there to help you, therefore you should call your doctor once you are experiencing pain or pressure in the upper face accompanied by nasal congestion or discharge, postnasal drip, or ongoing bad breath unrelated to dental problems. That is a sign that you need medical help and help is available," said Dr. Brown.

He said there are even home remedies, that most people can use, but that your treatment will depend on the type of sinusitis your are experiencing, of which there are two — acute, also known as sudden onset or chronic, which is known as long term, with chronic sinusitis being the most common type.

Both have varying symptoms. With the acute form of sinusitis, which usually lasts less than eight weeks or occurs no more than three times per year with each episode lasting no longer than 10 days, sufferers will have off and on nasal congestion with discharge or postnasal drip when mucus drips down the throat behind the nose, pain or pressure around the inner corner of the eye or down one side of the nose, a headache in the temple or surrounding the eye, pain or pressure symptoms which become worse when coughing, straining, or lying on the back. A fever is also common.

Chronic sinusitis sufferers have symptoms which usually last longer than eight weeks or occurs more than four times per year. Symptoms usually last more than 20 days, comes with nasal discharge, obstruction, and low-grade discomfort across the bridge of the nose, with pain that is worse in the late morning or when wearing glasses or even with colds, flu, or allergies.

A fever can be a symptom of a sinus infection or a cold. Also simple congestion with a low-grade fever can indicate a cold and may not call for medications or antibiotics, but when you have these symptoms and are also experiencing facial pain or headaches it's more likely that you may have a sinus infection.

Find out what the top 10 sinus infection symptoms are and the major causes of sinus infection at Sinus Infection Help.

When are antibiotics needed for acute respiratory tract infections?

I think a lot of us do not like to take medications. Whenever, we are sick, we are not sure if we should see a doctor. This is because our immune system can help us overcome infections when our body is strong. Even doctors, can be in a dilemma as when antibiotics should be prescribed for their patients.

This interesting article touches on the various types of acute respiratory infections and excerpts are reproduced below:

COMMON RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTIONS

The most common viral ARI is an upper respiratory tract infection (URI), also known as the common cold. Most URIs are caused by viruses, with rhinovirus, parainfluenza virus, coronavirus, adenovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, and influenza virus accounting for most cases.

Influenza is a systemic illness that involves the upper respiratory tract and should be differentiated from other ARIs, particularly during the months when the influenza virus is circulating. Influenza in adults is differentiated by acute onset, significant fever, and marked myalgias. Rapid antigen tests are available for diagnosing influenza, and antiviral therapy may be appropriate for certain patients.

Antibiotic treatment does not improve resolution of influenza infections or prevent complications. Only a small proportion of URIs become complicated by bacterial sinusitis or pneumonia; in these few cases, antibiotics may be useful. Most cases of uncomplicated URI resolve spontaneously within 1 to 2 weeks and require no treatment.

Acute sinusitis

Obstruction of the sinus ostia after a URI may result in rhinosinusitis or acute sinusitis. Bacterial and viral rhinosinusitis are difficult to differentiate clinically, and overdiagnosis of acute bacterial rhinosinusitis is common. The presence of yellow or green purulent secretions from the nares or throat, by itself, does not differentiate between a bacterial and a viral infection.

Generally, the diagnosis of acute bacterial sinusitis in adults should be reserved for patients who have symptoms for 7 days or longer, purulent nasal secretions, and maxillary facial or tooth pain. Symptomatic therapy is the preferred initial management for mild cases; the most narrow-spectrum antibiotic active against the likely pathogens, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae, should be prescribed for patients with severe disease regardless of duration.

The dilemma in the treatment of URIs and sinusitis is the lack of a simple and accurate diagnostic test that reliably identifies rhinosinusitis; therefore, a clinical diagnosis is uncertain.

Pharyngitis

Many office visits to primary care providers are for pharyngitis. Viruses are the most common cause of acute pharyngitis, and the condition should be managed with supportive therapy that includes analgesics, antipyretics, and gargle.11 Group A streptococci (GAS) cause 15% to 30% of cases of acute pharyngitis in pediatric patients and 5% to 10% of cases in adults.

Patients infected with GAS, and a few other uncommon bacteria, will benefit from antibiotic therapy; therefore, the clinical goal is to identify those patients with a high probability of GAS infection. The most reliable indicators are fever, tonsillar exudates, tender anterior cervical lymphadenopathy, and absence of a cough.

Patients with two or more of these features (referred to as the Centor criteria) are candidates for antigen testing or culture; patients with fewer than than two criteria do not need to be tested as they are less likely to be infected with GAS. Clinicians may choose to treat patients with at least three of the four clinical criteria empirically with antibiotics. Penicillin is the treatment of choice for pharyngitis caused by a GAS infection.

Acute bronchitis

This ARI manifests as a cough with or without sputum production and lasts for up to 3 weeks. Chest radiography findings are normal. Respiratory viruses are the cause of most cases of uncomplicated acute bronchitis; however, pneumonia must be considered in the differential diagnosis when patients present with an acute cough illness.

Signs of pneumonia include fever, cough, tachypnea, tachycardia, and evidence of consolidation on chest auscultation. The presence of purulent sputum is not predictive of bacterial infection. Patients with uncomplicated bronchitis may benefit from beta-agonist inhalers and antitussives. Acute bronchitis, like other ARIs, usually does not require antibiotic therapy.

Many people have had good sinus health once they adopted nasal irrigation. Nasal irrigation with a neti pot can help prevent one from catching the common cold and reduce the incidents of catching viral influenza.

For more information, visit Sinus Infection Help.