Grand Canyon Times

The winter months can do a number on the body, depending on where you live, and this can include the potential to find yourself suffering from a sinus infection.

Experts in the field, like Dr. Brian Lee of the Scottsdale Sinus and Allergy Center have tips on how to avoid sinusitis due to colder weather, as well as some information about the various symptoms and causes.

“Sinus headaches essentially come from either air or mucus getting trapped in your sinuses,” Lee told the Grand Canyon Times. “And that drainage pathway, or that drainage hole, is what we were talking about when that gets plugged up. Now that can get plugged up from inflammation just from simple allergies or a cold. One of the best ways to try to quickly alleviate that would would be to take a decongestant like Sudafed, which helps shrink down some of the some of that inflammation to get those sinuses to ventilate a little bit or relieve the pressure.”

Dr. Brian Lee | Scottsdale Sinus and Allergy Center

The sinuses are hollow, air-filled cavities, and viruses, bacteria and fungus can cause the sinuses to inflame. If the infection is viral, it can become contagious.

Common symptoms of a sinus infection include a runny nose, congestion, facial pain and headaches. Ignoring the symptoms for long periods can worsen the inflammation and increase the pain. According to the Hindustan Times, tips to prevent a sinus infection include washing your hands, drinking enough water, changing rugs, cleaning carpets, keeping furniture clean, avoiding pet dander and wearing a mask when going out into the cold weather.

Lee said that by the time most patients get to a specialist's office, they have already been through basic remedies like allergy medications, nasal sprays, antibiotics and steroids. For those with chronic sinusitis, it could be wise to take another step: balloon sinuplasty. This is a minimally invasive procedure that has proven to be highly successful. It involves inflating tiny balloons in the sinuses to drain them.

“This procedure is great because it not only replaces the kind of Roto-Rooter sinus surgery that's traditionally been done for the past 30 years, it allows us to intervene earlier in the disease process, meaning that there may be some people with very mild or minimal sinus disease still, which really affects our quality of life,” Lee said. “Five to 10 years ago people would say, ‘Well, it's not worth it to put you under general anesthesia and go in and scrape out your sinuses and put you through that horrendous recovery when your disease isn't that bad.’”

Lee said balloon sinuplasty is safe and the downtime is minimal, allowing doctors to intervene for patients with even mild symptoms and improve their quality of life.

A Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz is available on the Scottsdale Sinus and Allergy website, where you can evaluate your symptoms and determine if you might need to see a doctor.