Dr. Arthur Lubitz Examines Sinusitis in Children & Releases Chronic Sinusitis Video

March 26, 2012 - PRLog -- Sinusitis refers to inflammation of the sinuses that occurs with a viral, bacterial, or fungal infection.

Sinusitis can be:

   Acute — symptoms last up to 4 weeks
   Sub-acute — symptoms last 4 – 12 weeks
   Chronic — symptoms last 3 months or longer

These factors may increase your child’s risk of developing sinusitis:

   Allergic rhinitis or hay fever
   Cystic fibrosis
   Day care
   Diseases that prevent the cilia from working properly, such as Kartagener syndrome and immotile cilia syndrome.
   Changes in altitude (flying or scuba diving)
   Large adenoids
   Smoking
   Tooth infections (rare)
   Weakened immune system from HIV or chemotherapy

The doctor will examine you or your child for sinusitis by:

   Looking in the nose for signs of polyps
   Shining a light against the sinus (transillumination) for signs of inflammation
   Tapping over a sinus area to find infection

Viewing the sinuses through a fiberoptic scope (called nasal endoscopy or rhinoscopy) may help diagnose sinusitis.

A CT scan of the sinuses may also be used to help diagnose sinusitis or to evaluate the anatomy of the sinuses to determine whether surgery will be beneficial. If sinusitis is thought to involve a tumor or fungal infection, an MRI of the sinuses may be necessary.

If you or your child has chronic or recurrent sinusitis, other tests may include:

   Allergy testing
   Blood tests for HIV or other tests for poor immune function
   Ciliary function tests
   Nasal cytology
   Sweat chloride tests for cystic fibrosis

Antibiotics are usually not needed for acute sinusitis. Most of these infections go away on their own. Even when antibiotics do help, they may only slightly reduce the time you or your child is sick. Antibiotics may be prescribed sooner for:

   Children with nasal discharge, possibly with a cough, that is not getting better after 2 – 3 weeks
   Fever higher than 102.2° Fahrenheit (39° Celsius)
   Headache or pain in the face
   Severe swelling around the eyes

Acute sinusitis should be treated for 10 – 14 days. Chronic sinusitis should be treated for 3 – 4 weeks. Some people with chronic sinusitis may need special medicines to treat fungal infections.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-U_j51lxnc



Call your doctor if:

   Symptoms last longer than 10 – 14 days or a cold that gets worse after 7 days
   Severe headache are unrelieved by over-the-counter pain medicine
   Fever is present
   Symptoms continue after taking all antibiotics properly
   There are changes in vision during a sinus infection

A green or yellow discharge does not necessarily indicate a sinus infection or the need for antibiotics.
Prevention

The best way to prevent sinusitis is to avoid or quickly treat flus and colds:

   Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, which are rich in antioxidants and other chemicals that could boost your immune system and help your body resist infection.
   Get an influenza vaccine each year.
   Reduce stress.
   Frequent handwashing, particularly after shaking hands with others.
   Avoid smoke and pollutants.
   Drink plenty of fluids to increase moisture in body.
   Take decongestants during an upper respiratory infection.
   Treat allergies quickly and appropriately.
   Use a humidifier to increase moisture in nose and sinuses.

I invite you to peruse http://www.nycallergydoctor.com for more information.  For proper diagnosis and  individual attention it is important to contact your healthcare provider.

*The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only — they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites

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NYC Allergy Doctor Arthur Lubitz continues to make Quality Patient Care his topmost goal. Board Certified Allergy Physician & NYU Medical Instructor, Dr Lubitz is the NY Allergy, Asthma & Sinus Care expert. Once again named a NY Best Allergist by Castle Connelly, Dr Lubitz is also a perennial Patients Choice Award recipient. See more form Dr. Lubitz at http://www.nycallergydoctor.com - you can book an appointment online.