PHX Reporter

Commonly known as sinusitis, inflammation of the sinus membranes can leave sufferers with nasal congestion, a runny nose and sore throat. 

While the most common causes of sinusitis are viral, bacterial or fungal infections in the upper respiratory tract, many patients may notice symptoms as a result of allergies, a deviated nasal septum, nasal polyps and other medical conditions, including chronic sinusitis. 

“The vast majority of patients have some component of allergies contributing to their sino-nasal issues. A lot of the times, it's inflammation of the nose, and that inflammation could come from allergies, or it could come from chronic or recurrent infections,” Dr. Brian Lee, a sinus inflammation specialist at the Scottsdale Sinus and Allergy Center told PHX Reporter.

According to SteadyHealth, sinusitis is an inflammation of the mucous membranes found within the sinuses. While symptoms that last anywhere from a few days up to a month can be described as acute sinusitis, chronic sinusitis is a case that persists for three months or longer.

“We want to make sure that we address and diagnose structural issues, infectious or inflammatory issues, as well as the allergy component of it, because all of those issues contribute to their disease process and the issues that they're having with their nose and their sinuses,” Lee added. 

This occurs as an infection, like a cold, and swells the mucous membranes in the nose. The inflammation obstructs the sinus openings to keep mucus from draining. Nine out of 10 cases of sinus infections in adults are caused by a virus, with only one in 10 caused by bacteria. 

“It's always part of our philosophy to make sure that we test our patients for allergies to make sure that we're not overlooking a contributing factor, to make sure not only do we get them better, but we keep them feeling better,” Lee said. 

With each sinus offering an opening into the nose for the free exchange of air and mucus, and a continuous mucous membrane lining coating the sinuses, anything that causes swelling or infection in the nose can also affect the sinuses.

Though sinusitis only physically affects the sinus lining, symptoms can impact the functioning of the entire body. Alongside the inflammation of the sinuses, most common symptoms include difficulty breathing through the nose, a runny nose, sore throat, tenderness and swelling in or around the face, headaches, loss of smell and fever.

Prospective patients may evaluate their symptoms online with the Scottsdale Sinus and Allergy Center's Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz to determine if treatment from a sinus inflammation specialist may be the best path of care.