The term “hearing loss” refers to a diminished hearing ability, but there are many ways to describe the type and severity of a hearing impairment. Read on to learn more about hearing loss, what causes it, how to treat it, and how to prevent it.
Sinus infections, the common cold, and seasonal allergies have overlapping symptoms, but the treatments vary quite a bit. So how do you know which condition you’re dealing with?
In this blog, Dr. Conrad McCutcheon, our board-certified ENT physician and surgeon at Memorial Village Sinus & Hearing in Houston, Texas, highlights 10 of the symptoms that may indicate you’re dealing with sinusitis. The only way to be sure is through a comprehensive exam and a review of your symptoms.
Sinusitis refers to swelling and inflammation in your sinuses. The type of sinusitis you have varies depending on how long your symptoms last.
Acute sinusitis often develops after a cold and lasts less than four weeks. Subacute sinusitis lasts between four and 12 weeks, while chronic sinusitis lasts 12 weeks or more. Recurrent sinusitis is sometimes called allergic sinusitis because it’s often linked with allergies.
About 35 million Americans experience at one least bout of sinusitis each year, and you’re more likely to fall into that category if you have allergies, blocked drainage ducts, a structural deformity, or nasal polyps or if you contract an illness — such as a cold — that affects your sinuses.
Whether you have acute, subacute, chronic sinusitis, or recurrent sinusitis, all produce bothersome symptoms.
Common symptoms of sinusitis include:
Another clue that you might be dealing with sinusitis is the duration of your symptoms. A common cold typically lasts 3-7 days. Allergies can hang around for one season or last all year, depending on your specific allergies.
Unlike the typical sinusitis symptoms, allergies tend to cause itchy eyes and sneezing. If you don’t have facial pain, but you do have itchy eyes, you might be dealing with allergies instead of sinusitis.
At Memorial Village Sinus & Hearing, it’s our top priority to help you feel better — no matter which type of sinusitis you have. Potential treatment options include:
If medical treatments aren’t enough to alleviate your sinusitis symptoms, Dr. McCutcheon may recommend sinus surgery. This typically involves enlarging the openings between your sinuses, which allows better airflow and improved drainage. This can help eliminate congestion, infections, and facial pressure from clogged sinuses.
Not sure if your symptoms are related to sinusitis or if they’re something else? Dr. McCutcheon is an expert when it comes to diagnosing and treating congestion, sinus pain, and runny noses. Call 281-822-3777 or send an online appointment request to schedule your visit today.
You Might Also Enjoy...
The term “hearing loss” refers to a diminished hearing ability, but there are many ways to describe the type and severity of a hearing impairment. Read on to learn more about hearing loss, what causes it, how to treat it, and how to prevent it.
Aural rehabilitation is more than just hearing aids — although that may be part of it! It’s a whole set of therapies designed to improve your quality of life and help you navigate through life with hearing loss. Learn more here.
While septoplasty and rhinoplasty are the best-known nasal surgeries, they are far from the only surgical interventions to address functional problems in your nose. Read on to learn how to treat nasal congestion due to nasal deformities!
Allergies can share many of the same symptoms as sinus infections, making it difficult to tell whether you have allergies or an infection. Read on to learn more about the differences between allergies and sinus infections δΈ€ and how each is treated.
Did you know that there are three types of hearing loss? The type of hearing loss you have dictates which potential treatments can help restore or improve your ability to hear. Read on to learn more about hearing loss.
Medicine evolves to meet the needs of patients, offer breakthrough treatments, and treat medical conditions. To better serve their patients and the community, Memorial Village ENT recently rebranded its practice to Memorial Village Sinus and Hearing.