Nose & Sinus Care

There are a variety of problems that can affect the nose and sinuses, ranging from infections and allergies to physical injury and deformities. Frequently treated conditions affecting the nose and/or sinuses include:

• Sinus pain and infection: When sinuses fill up with mucus, they can become infected, causing pressure, stuffiness and headache. Short-term sinus pain, often associated with a cold or flu, is known as acute sinusitis. We refer to long-term sinus infections as chronic sinusitis.
• Nasal obstruction: Commonly known as a stuffy nose, nasal obstruction is the inability to breathe and pass air through the nasal passages. In most cases this is due to anatomical issues in the nose.
• Nasal polyps: These painless, non-cancerous growths in the lining of the nose or sinuses generally result from chronic inflammation due to infection, allergies, drug sensitivity, or immune disorders.
• Deviated septum: The nasal septum is the bone and cartilage that divides the nasal cavity in two halves. If the septum is crooked or significantly off center, breathing may be impaired.
• Nasal deformities: The term nasal deformities refers to abnormalities in the structure and appearance of the nose. This may lead to symptoms such as breathing problems, an impaired sense of smell, snoring, noisy breathing, nosebleeds, dry mouth, chronic sinusitis, and sinus infections. People with such deformities may also have cosmetic concerns about the appearance of their nose.
• Enlarged adenoids: Located in your upper airway between the nose and the back of the throat, adenoids are lymph tissue that trap bacteria and germs to help your body fight infection. Enlarged adenoids[m1] in children may block the back of the nasal passages, leading to sinus infections and trouble breathing through the nose.

Although most nasal/sinus problems can be treated non-invasively with medications, there are instances where surgery is recommended.