Chronic Sinusitis: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

Sinusitis is simply the inflammation of the nasal passage or rather the sinus. The condition is termed as chronic when it persists beyond twelve weeks. When one experiences more than four episodes of the condition within a year’s duration, then it is termed as recurrent. Chronic sinusitis presents itself in three types; with and without nasal polyps and a third special type known as allergic fungal sinusitis (Kwon & O'Rourke, 2018). The chronic sinusitis without polyps type is more common than that with nasal polyps. Nasal polyps make sinusitis more severe with inflammatory lesions blocking the airway, both interior and posterior rhinorrhea, hyposmia, nose congestion, and facial pressure. The fungal sinusitis type, as the name suggests, is caused by fungi and is and is thus easily misdiagnosed. In addition, it is notoriously recidivistic, making surgery therapy its cornerstone treatment. 

Chronic sinusitis is one of the most common chronic illnesses. It, however, has substantial health effects, and therefore, people should be aware of the causes, effects, and treatment. Viruses and bacteria commonly cause chronic sinusitis. The condition is, however, multifactorial and can include not only infectious but also inflammatory and structural factors. Allergic rhinitis such as reaction to dust, exposures, for instance, to smells, and structural issues such as nasal polyps are also associated with the illness. The condition can also be an indication of underlying illnesses such as AIDS, asthma, Cystic fibrosis (Kwon & O'Rourke, 2018). There is no consensus about any management approach of the condition. Allergy tests are, however, vital to help patients avoid triggers. Nasal steroids and saline irrigation are used for the reduction of inflammation, antihistamines for allergic cases, antifungals and antibiotics for the eradication of infection, and decongestants for symptomatic relief. Despite it being a benign illness, chronic sinusitis has significant morbidity. If not treated, it causes poor quality of life, and it is even worse if it interacts with underlying conditions such as asthma. Moreover, it can result in meningitis as well as brain abscess formation, which can lead to death. 

Reference 

Kwon E, O'Rourke MC. Chronic Sinusitis. [Updated 2018 Nov 18]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2019 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK441934/