Park Ave ENT
Jacqueline Jones, M.D.
Otolaryngologist located in Upper East Side, New York, NY & Brooklyn, NY
If you’ve been living with nasal and sinus congestion, facial pain, and headaches long after your other cold symptoms have passed, you may have an inflammatory infection called sinusitis. At Park Avenue ENT, with locations in Brooklyn and on the Upper East Side of New York City, Jacqueline Jones, MD, a board-certified ENT and head and neck surgeon, diagnoses and treats sinusitis. She provides effective treatments to relieve your symptoms and help your body fight off the infection. Call the practice or schedule an appointment online today.
Sinusitis Q & A
What is sinusitis?
Your sinuses are the hollow cavities behind your nose, eyes, and forehead. Your sinuses are lined with a thin layer of mucus that catches bacteria and other microscopic airborne debris from the air you breathe before it enters your lungs. As a result of this filtering function, your sinuses are vulnerable to infection.
Sinusitis is an inflammatory infection of your sinuses, characterized by excess mucus production and swelling of the soft tissue in your sinuses. Sinusitis causes symptoms including:
- Thick, yellowish mucus or discharge
- Post-nasal drip
- Nasal congestion
- Facial pain
- Reduced sense of smell and taste
- Ear pain
- A sore throat
- Fatigue
The illness often begins as a cold, but the congested feeling and sinus pain continue long after your other cold symptoms have passed.
What causes sinusitis?
Many conditions can cause sinusitis including:
- Upper respiratory tract infections
- Allergies like hay fever
- Other health conditions like cystic fibrosis, reflux disease
- Nasal polyps
- Physical abnormalities like a deviated septum
Your risk of developing sinusitis increases if you have asthma, allergies, or a health condition that compromises your immune system, making it more difficult for your body to fight off infection. If you live or work in an environment where you’re continuously exposed to irritants like smoke or other pollutants, you may also be more prone to sinusitis.
How is sinusitis different than a cold?
While many of the symptoms of a cold and sinusitis are the same, there are a few key differences. A cold usually causes a runny nose and clear mucus and subsides within a few days. Sinusitis causes thick, discolored mucus and sinus congestion. It also lasts for several weeks.
How is sinusitis treated?
Dr. Jones provides customized treatments depending on the infection or condition causing your sinusitis. She prescribes medicines including corticosteroids in nasal spray or oral pills to reduce the inflammation. She also recommends nasal irrigation to reduce drainage and rinse away irritants. If your infection is bacterial, she prescribes antibiotics.
Dr. Jones may also suggest sinuplasty, a minor surgical procedure that opens your sinus cavities to allow air to pass through more easily. She also performs surgery to remove polyps or repair a deviated septum.
If you’re suffering from painful nasal congestion that isn’t going away even though you’re resting and taking care of yourself, call Dr. Jones at Park Avenue ENT or book an appointment online for expert diagnosis and treatment.
