Allergies and Sinusitis
Allergy and Sinusitis Care
At Ear, Nose & Throat Clinic we provide a full range of ear, nose and throat services for patients of all ages, including treatment of sinus disorders with endoscopic surgery, the treatment of sleep apnea and snoring, and allergy testing and treatment. Dr. Martini is certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology. In addition, we perform facial cosmetic and corrective surgery of the eye lids and nose.
Find Relief From Allergies and Sinusitis With Our Care
Sinus infections slow down your life. They turn what could be enjoyable, beautiful days into stuffy, snotty blurs and disrupt your routine by requiring constant doctor visits, shots, medications, and more.
What’s important to determine is if your symptoms are the result of sinusitis. Sinus infections, also known as sinusitis, are often confused for a common cold. A cold, unlike sinusitis, is not caused by a bacterial infection.
Sinus infections, which can be viral, fungal, or bacterial, should be treated immediately to prevent further damage to your health. You also need to determine the cause of the sinus infection. An Ear, Nose, and Throat doctor, also known as an ENT, is the specialist to make this determination.
Do you suffer from sinusitis? If so, you, like many of the millions of sufferers of sinusitis, also likely struggle from mild to severe airborne allergies. However, they are two separate conditions that require the attention of a specialist.
Difference Between Allergies and Sinusitis
Discover if you’re suffering from sinusitis or an allergy-related condition like allergic rhinitis by learning about and observing your symptoms.
Sinusitis
Sinusitis is commonly a viral infection that resolves in 7-10 days. When symptoms last for an extended time (chronic sinusitis) or are frequent (recurrent sinusitis), they become a more serious issue.
Sinus infections result in the inflammation of your sinuses, causing them to swell and block your airways. Swelling prevents your sinuses from draining, resulting in a buildup of mucus and germs.
Symptoms of a sinus infection, known as sinusitis, include:
- Sinus pressure
- Sore throat
- Headaches
- Coughing
- Nasal discharge
Allergic Rhinitis
If you suffer from allergies, then you are well aware of the symptoms. These include congestion, stuffy and runny nose, and sinus pressure. Allergic rhinitis, unlike sinusitis, is not caused by a viral infection, it is due to an allergic reaction and commonly results in post-nasal drip, sneezing, and other cold-like symptoms.
Symptoms of allergic rhinitis not common with sinusitis include: itchiness and watery eyes. Another difference is yellow or green discharge from your nose, which is common in sinusitis but not in allergic rhinitis.
If the symptoms above are common issues for you, you may be suffering from both allergic rhinitis and sinusitis. Dealing with both conditions complicates treatment and could be why you’re still dealing with symptoms after trying multiple forms of treatment.
Tired of Allergy and Sinus Symptoms
Your Treatment Options are:
Patients come to Ear, Nose, & Throat Clinic of Coffee County from Douglas, Tifton, Albany, Valdosta, Waycross, and beyond. They are seeking an Ear, Nose, and Throat doctor (ENT) who will treat their allergic rhinitis and sinusitis, so they can stop fighting symptoms and experience long-term relief. Treatments for allergic rhinitis vary from sinusitis medication and procedures because different issues cause them.
Allergic Rhinitis Treatments Include:
- Allergy medication
- Allergy shots
- Sublingual therapy
There are many sinusitis treatments, from short-term medications to surgical procedures that are intended to fix nasal blockages permanently. Based on your condition, an Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) specialist, also known as an otolaryngologist, can guide you through treatment options.
Common Treatments Include:
- Sinus medication
- Balloon Sinuplasty
- Endoscopic sinus surgery
Since a blockage causes sinusitis in your sinus pathways, medication is not a long-term solution. You are likely to continue to experience sinus infections, leaving you searching for a long-term fix for the complications sinusitis throws into your life.
Simple Office Procedures for Long-Term Symptom Relief
If you suffer from chronic sinusitis, you have a plumbing problem in your nose that medication is not going to cure. You probably do not want major sinus surgery either. We understand. At Ear, Nose, & Throat Clinic of Coffee County, we recommend safe, long-term, chronic, and recurrent sinusitis treatments.
Balloon Sinus Dilation, often called Balloon Sinuplasty, is a safe and simple office procedure that permanently enlarges sinus openings WITHOUT removing bone or tissue. Balloon Sinuplasty is performed by our trained and experienced ENT physicians, Dr. Jeffrey Silveira and Dr. David Martini.
A tiny sinus balloon is placed where your sinuses are blocked, it is inflated, deflated and removed, permanently remodeling the previously blocked sinuses.
