Treatment of Chronic Rhinitis and Sinusitis

Written by Zhang Jun
Otolaryngology
Updated on December 02, 2024
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Chronic rhinitis and chronic sinusitis are due to persistent inflammation following acute inflammatory stimuli or recurrent attacks, leading to nasal and systemic symptoms. Patients may experience facial swelling and pain, headaches, and nasal congestion, generally bilateral and progressively worsening. Additionally, there may be yellow purulent discharge from the nasal cavity, sometimes accompanied by an odor. The examination can reveal congested and edematous bilateral nasal turbinates and abnormal secretions in the nasal cavity. For treatment, patients initially need a sinus CT scan; if sinusitis is confirmed, symptomatic anti-inflammatory treatment is necessary, including oral antibiotics, such as cephalosporins, which are relatively effective. Saline nasal irrigation is also required. If conservative treatment fails, the patient may need endoscopic sinus surgery and partial resection of the bilateral inferior turbinates to recover.

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Can sinusitis cause headaches?

Sinusitis, now commonly referred to as sinusitis, is primarily caused by purulent secretions from bacterial infections that irritate structures, leading to symptoms such as toxic headaches and dizziness. During sinusitis, blockage of the sinus openings can cause negative pressure within the sinus cavity, which may also lead to pressurized headaches. Additionally, if sinusitis is accompanied by hypertrophy of the nasal turbinates or a deviated nasal septum, it can stimulate a nerve reflex causing neuralgic headaches. Therefore, it is certain that clinical sinusitis or paranasal sinusitis can cause headaches.

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Does sinusitis cause coughing?

Sinusitis may cause coughing since the condition presents with various symptoms. Common symptoms include nasal congestion, purulent nasal discharge, headaches, dizziness, reduced sense of smell, and postnasal drip. Some patients may experience coughing, often due to the postnasal drip where secretions from the nasal cavity and nasopharynx flow into the throat, leading to an irritating cough, typically a dry cough. This secretion irritates the throat, causing itchiness and resulting in a cough. Additionally, sinusitis can induce pharyngitis as the ear, nose, and throat are interconnected. Sinusitis may lead to conditions such as otitis media (middle ear infection) and pharyngitis, which can directly cause coughing. Hence, it is necessary to seek timely medical treatment at a hospital upon the onset of symptoms.

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Should sinusitis use hot compress or cold compress?

Generally speaking, neither cold nor hot compresses are necessary for sinusitis, because sinusitis is mainly an acute or chronic bacterial infection of the sinuses. Common symptoms include nasal congestion, purulent nasal discharge, and reduced sense of smell. Some people may also experience headaches and dizziness. The main treatment is still medication, and it is also possible to consider rinsing the nasal cavity with saline solution, regular follow-ups, and if the inflammation is severe, sinus opening surgery may need to be considered, which currently mainly involves endoscopic sinus surgery. Overall, neither hot nor cold compresses have a therapeutic effect on sinusitis, so they are not recommended.

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How to deal with frontal headache caused by sinusitis?

In the acute phase, symptomatic anti-inflammatory treatment is needed, which can be administered orally or intravenously through antibiotics, whereas chronic sinusitis requires local surgical treatment. The frontal headache caused by sinusitis is generally common in frontal sinusitis. Frontal sinusitis is a common type of sinusitis which occurs when the body's immunity is lowered, allowing bacteria to invade along the opening of the frontal sinuses, thus affecting the mucous membranes of the frontal sinuses, leading to congestion, swelling, proliferation, and exudation. Patients may experience symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose, and frontal swelling pain. An examination with an endoscope and a CT scan of the sinuses will reveal purulent secretions in both nasal cavities. At the same time, enlargement of the nasal conchae on both sides can block the nasal passages causing nasal congestion in patients. In terms of treatment, the acute phase requires symptomatic anti-inflammatory treatment. Generally, in cases of bacterial infection, patients can achieve good results with oral or intravenous antibiotic treatment. However, for chronic sinusitis, local surgical treatment is required for cure.

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What is sinusitis?

Sinusitis is a nonspecific inflammation of the sinus mucosa, a common and frequently occurring illness. Its onset is often due to diseases of the nasal cavity such as nasal polyps, allergic rhinitis, deviated nasal septum, hypertrophy of the nasal turbinates, or nasal cavity tumors that block the sinus ostia, all of which can lead to sinusitis. Patients with sinusitis typically experience symptoms such as nasal congestion, purulent nasal discharge, and headaches. Usually, a diagnosis requires sinus CT scans, either plain or enhanced, to confirm the occurrence of sinusitis. Once diagnosed, most cases of sinusitis can be alleviated with oral medication. However, a small number of patients who are difficult to cure may need surgery to open the sinus ostia and maintain drainage, thus curing the sinusitis.