Do I need surgery for sinusitis? Shall we talk about this?

Do you also have a stuffy nose? Do your forehead and cheeks feel heavy and sore? This is what many of us call sinus problems, or sinusitis . Most of the time , this condition is cured with some medicine or a nasal spray. Especially if it is a bacterial infection, it can be cured with antibiotics prescribed by the doctor. But sometimes this continues, and even with medicine, it does not get better. That's when the fear of 'Will I have to have an operation ?' comes to mind. Let's see in what cases surgery is really necessary, and what happens with it.

When should you consider surgery?

Simply put, it depends on the cause of your sinus problem. Sinusitis is an inflammation of the air sacs (sinuses) in the skull around our nose. This inflammation causes nasal congestion and discomfort. There can be several causes for this.

Let's see what the main reasons are.

If you've tried medications, nasal sprays, and saline rinses but haven't gotten any relief, you should tell your doctor. He or she will refer you to an ENT surgeon.

There are two main goals of surgery. One is to reduce your symptoms . The other is to reduce the frequency of these infections . Think about it, if you keep getting sinusitis, it means there's a good chance you have a problem inside your nose that can be fixed with surgery.

Also, the operation should make it easier for you to breathe through your nose. For some people, this long-term nasal congestion causes a loss of smell and taste. Surgery can also provide relief for that condition.

What types of operations are performed?

If you decide to have surgery, there are several options. The two main methods are endoscopic surgery and balloon sinuplasty.

Endoscopic Sinus Surgery

This is the most common and successful surgery for this. What happens here is that the doctor inserts a very thin, flexible instrument (endoscope) into your nose. There is a small camera on one end of the instrument. The doctor performs the surgery by watching the images from the camera on a large screen. So, he looks exactly where the nasal passages are blocked, and using other thin instruments, he very carefully removes things like polyps and scar tissue that are causing the blockage.

The biggest advantage of this is that there are no cuts or wounds to the skin . Since everything is done inside the nose, it helps you recover faster and has a shorter recovery time. In most cases, this is done without putting you completely to sleep, but only numbing the area around the nose (local anesthetic). So you can go home after the operation.

Balloon Sinuplasty

This is a relatively new method. If you don't want to remove anything from inside your nose, meaning you just want to open up the blocked passage, this is a good option.

Here, the doctor inserts a thin tube into your nose. There is a small balloon attached to the end of the tube. Then, the balloon is moved to the blocked area in your nose and inflated with air. Then, the blocked passageway opens up. Imagine that when you inflate a small balloon into a blocked tube, it opens up. This is what happens here. As a result, the secretions in your nasal passages start to drain better, and your nasal congestion also decreases.

Are there any risks to the operation?

The risks of both surgeries are very small . The most common minor risks are minor tissue damage or infection. But these can be treated. The risk of serious complications, such as brain or eye damage, is very rare .

What happens after the operation?

Depending on the nature of the surgery, your doctor may place gauze-like materials inside your nose to absorb any blood or other fluid that may have leaked out after the operation. This is called a 'nasal packing'. They will be removed at your follow-up appointment. Now, there are also types that dissolve inside, so you don't always need to remove them.

There are a few things you need to remember after the operation:

• For a while, keep your head slightly elevated while sleeping . It's a good idea to use an extra pillow.
• Don't pick your nose with a needle for about a week.
• Try to keep your mouth open while you snort. This will reduce the pressure on your nasal passages.

You will gradually start to feel better a few days after the operation.

But keep one thing in mind. Sinus surgery is not a 100% cure. It is only part of a long-term treatment plan. For example, you may get sinus infections from time to time. You will also need to continue to use saline nasal rinses and prescription medications for a while after the surgery.

Therefore, although surgery is not a permanent solution to sinus problems, it can be considered a great help in making it easier to breathe.