Rhinosinusitis

Inflammation of the sinuses on the face is called sinusitis. However, since sinusitis is often seen together with rhinitis, the term rhinosinusitis is used more. Rhinosinusitis causes runny nose and post-nasal drip, olfactory disorder, a feeling of pressure and fullness in the face, and nasal congestion. If the symptoms are shorter than four weeks, they are defined as acute rhinosinusitis, and if they are longer than 12 weeks, they are defined as chronic rhinosinusitis. Acute rhinosinusitis usually begins following an acute viral infection and can often resolve spontaneously. Rarely, antibiotic treatment may be required by adding bacteria to the viral infection. The factor causing chronic rhinosinusitis is mostly multifactorial. Allergies, fungi and intranasal bacteria can cause it. To be called chronic rhinosinusitis, two or more of the symptoms such as nasal congestion, nasal or postnasal drip, facial pain or a sense of pressure in the face, decreased sense of smell must be present. Most people with chronic rhinosinusitis also feel tired, although this symptom is not used in the diagnosis of chronic rhinosinusitis, many patients feel tired. A definitive diagnosis of rhinosinusitis is made by either endoscopic sinus examination or paranasal sinus computed tomography (CT) examination in a patient who has applied to a physician with this clinical condition.

In the treatment of chronic sinusitis, anti-inflammatory treatments, nasal sprays and drugs are used. In some patients, surgery comes to the fore. The surgery applied in the treatment of chronic sinusitis is endoscopic sinus surgery.