Sinus
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Rose Urgent Care and Family Practice
Urgent Care & Family Practice located in Vancouver, WA & Battle Ground, WA
Whether it's chronic or acute, sinus problems can mean down time from work or school. Rose Urgent Care & Family Practice with offices in Vancouver and Battle Ground, Washington provides treatment options that get patients back to their lives as soon as possible. For those with recurring sinus issues, the staff at Rose Urgent Care & Family Practice will work to find ways to prevent the inflammation and pain that comes with them, reducing the risk of serious complications.
Sinus Q & A
What are the sinuses?
Most people associate the word with the paranasal sinuses in the head. Sinuses are air cavities in the bone around the nose and eyes. It's a little unclear why they exist, but one logical theory is they simply reduce the weight of the head. Bone is very dense and heavy, so without sinuses, the skull would be too much for the neck to support.
Sinuses also help resonate sound as a person speaks. In other words, they make your voice louder, clearer and easier for other people to hear. It's common for individuals with chronic sinus problems to have a nasal sounding voice because the inflammation in the sinus cavities damps the sound.
How many sinuses are there?
In the head, there are four sinus cavities:
- Maxillary
- Frontal
- Ethmoid
- Sphenoidal
The maxillary is the largest and located under the eyes. The frontal sinuses are part of the forehead, while the ethmoid sit between the nose and eyes. The sphenoidal sinus is in the center of the skull at the base under the pituitary gland.
What conditions affect the sinus cavities?
The most common one is sinusitis, which simply means swelling of the lining of these cavities. The cause of the swelling might be:
- Infection
- Nasal polyps
- Deviated nasal septum
Acute sinusitis may accompany the common cold, so it happens only occasionally. Many of the patients seek sinus treatment at Rose Urgent Care & Family Practice, however; have a chronic sinus problem that requires more aggressive treatment.
What causes chronic sinusitis?
Chronic sinusitis is caused by underlying problems such as nasal polyps or allergies. It may also be a side effect of certain medical conditions such as:
- HIV
- GERD
- Cystic fibrosis
- Deviated nasal septum
The key to managing chronic sinus problems is diagnosing the underlying cause. The risk factors for a chronic condition include:
- Asthma
- Aspirin sensitivity
- Allergic conditions
- Regular exposure to irritants
It is unwise to ignore recurring sinus conditions because they can escalate into more serious medical problems like infections and even meningitis.
What is the treatment for chronic sinusitis?
The treatment depends on the cause, but the practitioners at Rose Urgent Care & Family Practice will usually develop a comprehensive care plan that includes self-management, drug therapy and maybe even surgery.
