Sinusitis

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Specialty Physician Associates - - Ear, Nose & Throat Doctor

Specialty Physician Associates

Ear, Nose, and Throat Doctors & Facial Plastic Surgery located in Bethlehem, Allentown, Quakertown & Wind Gap, PA

Sinusitis often begins with a bad cold or allergies but lingers because your sinuses remain clogged. This condition can cause miserable symptoms, including stuffy nose, runny nose, and headaches. At Specialty Physician Associates in Bethlehem, Allentown, Quakertown, and Wind Gap, Pennsylvania, the top ENT doctors in Lehigh Valley are here to treat your sinusitis symptoms, including nasal polyps and other complications, with effective state-of-the-art solutions. Book online or by phone today.

Sinusitis Q & A

What is Sinusitis?

Sinusitis occurs when your sinus membranes become inflamed and swollen. Acute sinusitis includes coldlike symptoms, and it's usually connected to a cold. Acute sinusitis can linger for quite a while, but it resolves within four weeks.

Chronic sinusitis symptoms last for 12 weeks or more. Symptoms are generally more severe than with acute sinusitis. Chronic sinusitis sufferers often develop nasal polyps, which are small fluid-filled sacs lining the nose. Whether you've got acute or chronic sinusitis, it's important to get treatment to end the suffering.

How is Chronic Sinusitis Diagnosed?

Your Specialty Physician Associates doctor examines your nasal passages to check for inflammation and then considers your symptoms to make a diagnosis. For a chronic sinusitis diagnosis, you must have two or more of the following symptoms for 12 weeks or more.

  • Thick discharge: can drain from your nose or down your throat
  • Congestion: makes it hard to breathe
  • Pain: in your cheeks, under your eyes, or in your forehead area
  • Smell and taste: both senses reduced
  • Cough: in children, this can be a diagnostic criteria

While they aren't diagnostic criteria, other common symptoms can include:

  • Jaw pain
  • Tooth pain
  • Nighttime cough
  • Sore throat
  • Bad breath
  • Exhaustion
  • Irritable mood
  • Nausea


While chronic and acute sinusitis share the same symptoms, one notable difference is that it's unusual to have a fever with chronic sinusitis but fairly common with acute sinusitis.

Your doctor might need to examine your sinuses more closely through an endoscope, a CT scan, or an MRI to diagnose chronic sinusitis. If your sinusitis flare-ups are related to allergies, your doctor might do an allergy skin test.

Why Do I Have Nasal Polyps?

Nasal polyps can develop with chronic sinusitis. Eventually, they can grow so swollen that they block your air passages almost completely. Fortunately, there are effective solutions for both sinusitis and nasal polyps.

How is Sinusitis Treated?

Sinusitis treatment depends on the type of sinusitis and its triggers. Options can include:

  • Antibiotics for sinusitis caused by a bacterial infection
  • Nasal irrigation
  • Nasal corticosteroid sprays
  • Oral corticosteroids
  • Allergy shots for sinusitis caused by a specific allergen
  • Balloon Sinuplasty
  • Endoscopic sinus surgery
  • SINUVA™ implant for recurring nasal polyps


The Specialty Physician Associates experts help you choose the most effective solution for your sinusitis.

For sinusitis help from the No. 1 ENT team in the area, call Specialty Physician Associates or book your appointment online now.

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