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Do You Need Sinusitis Surgery?

A sinus doctor will almost always recommend sinusitis surgery as a last option, depending on the severity of your medical complications. No doctor wants you to go through unnecessary surgery, and a sinus doctor is no different. If a careful examination reveals that you need to undergo surgery for sinusitis, a sinus doctor will prepare you by explaining your options and the potential risks so you feel at ease and ready. A sinusitis operation is generally not very invasive and has a quick recovery rate, though a more serious sinusitis operation can involve removing pieces of bone in order to create a wider opening and alleviate the need to keep draining your sinuses.

If you have chronic sinusitis, surgery will more likely be an option. You'll also have to be undergoing other sinus relief options, such as medication or decongestants to treat the problem. If these options have failed and a CT scan still shows swelling and infection, sinusitis surgery will probably be a good option for you. A CT scan can show blockage, so a sinus doctor will always perform one before coming to a final diagnosis. It helps to get one before starting treatment and after so you can see how the treatment is working. Surgery for sinusitis, however simple it may be, is still surgery and it's not one you want to undergo if you don't have to.

Types of sinus surgery

There are two main types of sinus surgery that can be performed, depending on the severity of your blockage and infection. Endoscopic surgery and traditional surgery both have their advantages and disadvantages, but endoscopic surgery is often preferred because it's less invasive and less expensive. The recovery rate is also quicker and there is less of a chance for complications. Traditional surgery tends to be used in more complicated situations, like when the infection has spread to facial bones or pus has developed in the sinus. Both of these options are viable surgeries and you'll need to discuss them with your sinus doctor to determine what the best option is for you.

Always work with a sinus doctor

You can't just waltz in to a doctor's office and demand sinusitis surgery, that much is obvious. However, other forms of treatment need a sinus doctor as well and if the end result is a need for a sinusitis operation, you'll want someone who's been with you the whole time and knows how you reacted to the medications and how the other treatment options helped your symptoms.