Subacute Sinusitis: What Is It And Can You Treat It?
If your sinus infection has lasted two months, ask an ENT to check you for subacute sinusitis. Acute sinusitis is one of several types of sinus infections to affect children and adults today. An ENT can provide the treatments and relief you need to get over your infection soon. Learn about subacute sinusitis and how an ENT treats it below.
What Should You Know About Subacute Sinusitis?
You can experience three types of sinus infections today: acute sinusitis, chronic sinusitis, and subacute sinusitis. All three types of sinusitis can cause multiple symptoms to occur, including coughing, mucus buildup, and pressure in the face, head, and jaw. However, the infections' symptoms can determine when they end and how severe they become.
It generally takes more than three months for the symptoms of chronic sinus infections to clear up. The symptoms of acute infections take less than four weeks to subside. However, the symptoms of subacute sinusitis take one to three months to clear up. The symptoms of subacute sinus infections can also be more severe and problematic than acute infections.
Subacute sinus infections can wreak havoc on your health. Along with the coughing and other sinus symptoms, the infections can also make you feel tired or exhausted by the end of the day. You may also experience a loss of smell and bad breath. The symptoms can make it harder for you to eat a proper diet during the day.
If your infection has lasted for longer than four weeks without any signs of clearing up, consult an ENT now.
What Should You Know About Your Treatments?
An ENT treats a wide range of ear, nose, and throat conditions, including sinusitis. A sinus doctor does several types of tests on you to diagnose your sinus infection correctly, including a rhinoscopy procedure. A rhinoscopy procedure allows a doctor to look inside your nasal passages. The test looks for swelling, redness, and other signs of an infection in the back and front portions of your nasal cavity.
If a rhinoscopy doesn't reveal any issues with your nasal cavity, a doctor may use a CT scan to diagnose you. A CT scan allows a doctor to view all of the structures or tissues in your head. If you have an infection inside your nasal cavity, a scan can reveal it.
After a doctor confirms your infection, they'll treat it with antibiotics. Steroid treatment may also be an option for you if your infection is severe or if threatens to last longer than expected.
Learn more about subacute sinusitis by consulting a sinus doctor today.