Living with chronic or recurrent sinusitis means dealing with regular headaches, facial pressure, and congestion—and not just for a few days, but for months or years on end. These symptoms can affect your ability to do regular activities, from getting a good night’s sleep to focusing on work.
A deviated septum occurs when the wall of cartilage and bone within the nose is crooked. Consistent nasal obstruction can affect everything from your ability to get a good night’s sleep to your overall well-being. While you may blame chronic congestion, allergies, or a persistent cold, it could be an underlying issue like a deviated septum.
Keep reading to discover what a deviated septum is and when to seek medical attention for your symptoms.
The nasal septum is the thin cartilage and bone wall separating the nostrils. Although the wall should evenly divide the nasal airways, it often leans (or deviates) to one side and creates asymmetrical passageways. This is called a deviated septum. A deviated septum is extremely common, affecting 70-80% of people. In many cases, the deviation is not too severe, and there is an absence of symptoms. Many individuals with the condition do not realize they have it.
A deviated septum is often caused by a blow to the face, car accidents, or sports injuries and can cause noticeable changes in one’s appearance and breathing. Deviations in the septum can also occur gradually as the cartilage shifts and bends with age and are common at birth. No matter how a deviated septum forms, it can interfere with the ability to sleep and breathe comfortably. Because a deviated septum doesn’t get better on its own, medical attention is often necessary to correct the defect and ease any severe symptoms.
When a septum deviation becomes severe, blockages can develop in one or both sides of the nasal airways. This then causes difficulty breathing through the nose, especially when patients struggle with allergies or cold symptoms. For many, with increased nasal obstruction often comes a constant feeling of clogged sinuses, facial tenderness and pressure, headaches, and pain.
A displaced septum inhibits proper drainage causing the sinuses to become infected. People with a deviated septum often experience chronic or recurring sinus infections, which only increase pain and discomfort. A misaligned septum can also snoring and interrupted breathing or sleep apnea. Patients may find they can only sleep on one side due to blockages or an extremely narrow nasal passage. Another symptom of a deviated septum is recurrent nosebleeds. The bent septum wall affects how air passes through the nose, causing the moist nasal passages to become dry, resulting in frequent nosebleeds.
Other warning signs include worsening or new symptoms, especially ones that interfere with your sleep schedule or affect your breathing. Nosebleeds that occur regularly or weekly are also signs that it’s time to seek medical attention.
Keep in mind that a deviated septum doesn’t go away on its own and may worsen over time. Patients with any symptoms that affect their quality of life should discuss treatment options with an ear, nose, and throat specialist.
An ear, nose, and throat specialist can generally diagnose a deviated septum with a physical examination and a careful review of the patient’s medical history and symptoms. If needed, the specialist will apply a numbing spray and perform a simple fiberoptic nasal endoscopy. This diagnostic procedure involves inserting a thin tube with a light into the nasal passageway for better visibility. Mild symptoms from a deviated septum can be treated at home with decongestants, saline rinses, and antihistamines. However, these only temporarily relieve symptoms and can change the shape of the septum wall or widen the nasal passages.
Septoplasty, or deviated septum repair surgery is the most effective treatment option that provides long-term to permanent relief. Many people pair this procedure with a rhinoplasty to fix the inside and outside of their nose in the same operation. Because septoplasty is a complex surgery that requires general anesthesia and significant recovery time, there is a minimally invasive treatment known as VivAer.
VivAer Treatment offers long-term relief by reducing nasal blockages and opening the nasal airways. The procedure requires no incisions and is performed as an outpatient ENT treatment. Nearly all VivAer Treatment patients experience vast nasal breathing improvement (97%) and better sleep (89%).
A deviated septum is much more common than many people realize. If you experience chronic nosebleeds, sinus infections, and congestion, consult with an ear, nose, and throat specialist to learn if you have a deviated septum and if you are a good candidate for VivAer Treatment.
Definition: A balloon sinuplasty is a quick, minimally invasive procedure to alleviate chronic sinusitis.
Living with chronic sinusitis can be uncomfortable, with consistent facial pressure and headaches. If you have sinusitis that hasn’t responded to traditional medications over the past few months or years, you may feel frustrated and exhausted from the ongoing symptoms.
The good news is that you have treatment options. If you want relief from sinusitis symptoms without undergoing complex surgery, a balloon sinuplasty in Irvine, CA, can help.
Keep reading to learn what a balloon sinuplasty is and how it can alleviate your symptoms.
A balloon sinuplasty is a minimally invasive treatment for ongoing sinusitis symptoms like headaches, congestion, facial pressure, and bad breath. It’s a simple, outpatient alternative to functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS), a complex procedure requiring general anesthesia and a hospital stay.
During a balloon sinuplasty, the ear, nose, and throat specialist inserts an endoscope with a balloon into the nose. They then inflate the balloon inside the sinus opening to expand it before flushing out the mucus.
This entire process occurs in the specialist’s office rather than a hospital operating room. The patient also receives local anesthesia, so they are awake the entire time.
Not only is a balloon sinuplasty less invasive than a FESS, but it also costs less money. Specialists don’t even make a single incision, which means the recovery time is extremely short and uncomplicated.
In both situations, patients experience persistent nasal congestion, headaches, and coughing that don’t respond to traditional medications. The only permanent solution is a procedure that alleviates the sinuses, like a FESS or a balloon sinuplasty.
Since balloon sinuplasty is minimally invasive, the procedure isn’t ideal for patients with deviated septums, enlarged nasal cavities, or nasal polyps. The FESS is the best option in those cases, despite being a more complex procedure.
If the patient has none of those complex conditions yet still struggles with chronic sinusitis, balloon sinuplasty in Irvine, CA, is an excellent treatment option.
While a FESS uses medical instruments to physically enlarge sinus openings and remove any trapped tissue or move, a balloon sinuplasty takes a much simpler approach.
The ear, nose, and throat specialist starts by applying a topical decongestant to clear some of the nasal passageways. They then apply local anesthesia via an anesthetic spray, cotton pads in the nose, and a nasal injection.
Once the area is sufficiently numb, the specialist inserts a catheter into the nasal passage with the help of an endoscope (a long, thin tube with a light). They then use that catheter to insert a small balloon into the sinus cavity, which is inflated to open and alleviate the sinuses. The final step is flushing out the sinuses before removing the catheter.
Since the specialist only uses local anesthesia, the patient can go home that same day.
Yes, balloon sinuplasty is safe. It also produces consistently effective and long-lasting results. One of the most recent NIH reports on balloon sinuplasty efficiency shows consistently high success rates (most above 90%) since the procedure was developed in the mid-2000s. The same study found that all balloon sinuplasty patients reported almost immediate symptom relief. Even in their one-year follow-up appointments, the patients reported being symptom-free.
Thanks to these lasting results, the percentage of repeat balloon sinuplasty is extremely low.
Balloon sinuplasty is a minimally invasive procedure, so patients don’t need general anesthesia, or a hospital stay. Instead, the procedure usually occurs within the specialist’s office, and the patient can return to their normal routine the following day.
A balloon sinuplasty takes considerably less time than the alternative traditional FESS procedure. A FESS can last anywhere between 2-4 hours in a traditional operating room with general anesthesia.
On the other hand, a balloon sinuplasty can take as little as 20 minutes right in the specialist’s office. The exact length may vary depending on the patient’s sinus anatomy and pre-existing conditions, but the entire process—from pre-treatment to post-op examination—generally takes 1-2 hours.
Unlike a FESS, which can require a few months for complete recovery, balloon sinuplasty patients typically recover in 1-2 days. They can go home right after the procedure, ideally with a designated driver, and spend the next two days resting.
Patients can expect slight discomfort, congestion, and nosebleeds for a few days, but those should go away within the first week, if not sooner. For a quick recovery, patients should prioritize rest and avoid strenuous activity for at least a week. They can also take approved pain relievers for headaches and elevate their head while sleeping to help with congestion.
Ideally, patients should take at least two days off work: one for the surgery and one for the recovery day. However, some balloon sinuplasty patients may need a few more days of rest, especially if they work in a physically demanding environment. Patients may also need to take a few extra days off if they experience common side effects, like headaches.
Since the time off may vary, patients should communicate with their employers and explain the situation. If able, patients should request a few extra days off just to ensure optimal recovery. Employers might be more willing to accommodate this as long as patients provide advance notice.
In the vast majority of cases, balloon sinuplasty results are permanent. The aforementioned NIH showed dramatic improvements within one week, then continued improvement during the following 6-12 months. Patients rarely need a repeat balloon sinuplasty since the results are long-lasting and effective.
That said, patients with more severe sinus issues may experience different results. They still typically experience vast improvement, but they might need a repeat balloon sinuplasty at some point in the future.
Besides the FESS and balloon sinuplasty, there’s an at-home option for sinusitis relief: nasal irrigation. Just like how people brush and floss their teeth daily, a regular nasal flush can rinse out the sinuses and offer improved nasal ventilation.
Persistent nasal irrigation can reduce sinusitis and allergic rhinitis symptoms. While this is not a permanent solution like balloon sinuplasty, it can offer relief and promote clean, clear nasal passageways.
A balloon sinuplasty is often a favored treatment option for chronic sinusitis because of its simplicity. It offers a quick recovery time and permanent results—and can be done in the comfort of your specialist’s office.
If you have more questions about a balloon sinuplasty in Irvine, CA, make sure to discuss your options with an ear, nose, and throat specialist.
Our previous post discussed the topic of a specific type of vertigo called Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). This post will discuss more about the causes, recurrence, and prognosis of BPPV, along with provide an understanding of different types of vertigo that produce similar symptoms.
Positional vertigo (BPPV) is a fairly common form of vestibular vertigo. It may be accounted for approximately 20-30% of diagnoses related to vertigo. BPPV may occur at any age, however is most commonly experienced in individuals over the age of 50. It is more common in women than men.
The exact cause of BPPV unknown, with the majority of cases arising almost out of nowhere. However, there are some causes that have been associated with increasing your chances of getting BPPV. This may include, but is not limited to, an injury or trauma to your head, an inner ear infection or disorder, migraines, or prolonged periods of time lying on your back.
Once you have BPPV, it is fairly common that it may come back, even after a successful treatment. Since there is not too much we know about the causes of positional vertigo it is hard to say how frequently or when you may experience an episode of BPPV again. However, it has recurrence rates as high at 50% within 5 years. This seems to be especially true if your positional vertigo is a result of head trauma.
Without proper treatment from a trained individual, BPPV symptoms may worsen over time. However, it is possible that this may go away on its own but may take up to 6 weeks. Within that time frame, it is possible for the severity and number of episodes to be minimized by paying attention to your head position.
Keep in mind that while anti-motion sickness drugs may be used to reduce any nausea symptoms you have, they should not be taken over long periods of time and will not cure your positional vertigo. It is important to recognize that another form of dizziness may be causing your symptoms.
As mentioned previously, vertigo is a type of dizziness that is commonly described as a spinning sensation or as false sense of movement. Vertigo can be further sub categorized as peripheral vertigo or central vertigo.
Peripheral vertigo is related to issues that regard your inner ear, while central vertigo is related to issues with your brain or brainstem. Since peripheral vertigo is related to your inner ear, these cases tend to be more severe as they affect our main balance system in comparison to central vertigo.
Aside from Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV), other forms of peripheral vertigo may include Labyrinthitis, Vestibular Neuritis, or Meniere’s Disease. Below you will find a short description about each.
Labyrinthitis is an inner infection that results in the inflammation of the vestibular labyrinth found in our inner ear. This infection may also include inflammation of other structures in the inner ear, which in turn may provide false information to our brain. More specifically, it affects both divisions of our vestibulocochlear nerve, the vestibular branch being responsible for our balance and the cochlear branch being responsible for our hearing.
The signs and symptoms of Labyrinthitis include vertigo, dizziness, and hearing loss to name a few. Most often, this condition only affects one ear. Labyrinthitis is not very common and majority of the symptoms will go away over time. This form of vertigo is typically the result of a viral infection, but may also arise from a bacterial infection, although it is not as common.
Vestibular Neuritis, similar to Labyrinthitis, is a disorder that occurs with the swelling or inflammation of our vestibulocochlear nerve. However, only the vestibular branch, responsible for our balance, is inflammed, in comparison to both branches being inflamed in Labyrinthitis.
The signs and symptoms of Vestibular Neuritis include vertigo, dizziness, hearing loss, or ringing in the ear. Vestibular Neuritis is most often the result of a viral infection infection of the inner ear, or of a viral infection that may have occurred somewhere else in the body. The symptoms of both Vestibular Neuritis and Labyrinthitis may occur at any age, however is less reported in children.
Meniere’s Disease is an inner ear disorder that may cause the sudden onset of vertigo lasting up to, but no more than 24 hours. This is considered a chronic condition that may occur at any age, but typically arises between young and middle-aged adults. In most cases, only one ear is affected.
The signs and symptoms of Meniere’s disease may include recurring vertigo episodes, ringing in your ears (tinnitus), hearing loss, and pressure or a feeling of fullness in the affected ear. While the exact cause of Meniere’s disease is unknown, the symptoms experienced seem to be a result of an increased or abnormal amount of fluid called endolymph fluid in your inner ear.
The content used on this post and site are for informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Citations:
“Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo .” Cleveland Clinic, Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo,
my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/11858-benign-paroxysmal-positional-vertigo.
Eske, Jamie. “What is labyrinthitis?.” Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 7 Nov. 2018. Web.
8 Apr. 2019. <https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323606.php>
“Labyrinthitis.” Cedars-Sinai, Cedars-Sinai, 2019, www.cedars-sinai.org/health-library/diseases-and-conditions/l/labyrinthitis.html.
“Meniere’s disease.” Mayo Clinic, 8 Dec. 2018,
www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/menieres-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20374910.
Shupert, Charlotte L. “Labyrinthitis and Vestibular Neuritis.” Veda, Veda, 2019, vestibular.org/labyrinthitis-and-vestibular-neuritis.
“Vestibular Neuritis .” Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, 23 May 2013,
my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15227-vestibular-neuritis.
Woodhouse, BScPT, Sheelah. “Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV).” Veda, Veda,
vestibular.org/understanding-vestibular-disorders/types-vestibular-disorders/benign-paroxysmal-positional-vertigo.
Dizziness can be used to describe a wide range of sensations correlating with a sense of feeling off balanced, also known as a sense of disequilibrium. When this dizziness causes the feeling that you or your surroundings are moving or spinning, this can be sub-classified as vertigo. Treatments for dizziness are dependent on both the cause and your symptoms.
Our primarily focus will be on Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). BPPV is considered to be the most common form of vertigo, the exact cause of BPPV is unknown and still under review. However, you can typically tell if you have BPPV if you are experiencing dizziness with changes in position of your head. For example, you might experience an episode of BPPV when you lie down, turn over, or sit up in bed.
To get a better understanding of what Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) means, let’s break it down and define each component.
Benign: not harmful or non-life threatening
Paroxysmal: a sudden onset of symptoms that lasts only a short time
Positional: related to or determined by position
Vertigo: sensation of motion or movement that may cause dizziness or loss of balance
Symptoms of General Dizziness:
Symptoms of BPPV:
Our ability to balance is due to a combination of our vision, our awareness of our body position and movement (proprioception), and our vestibular system. The vestibular system is the main system that contributes to our balance. This system is located in our inner ear and is able to communicate and relay information to your brain.
Inside of your ear, you have a tiny organ called the vestibular labyrinth. This labyrinth consists of three loop- shaped structures called our semicircular canals and two otolith organs.
The three semicircular canals contain a fluid that moves when you rotate your head, moving tiny hair-like sensors which in turn sends information to your brain about the direction you are moving in. In comparison, the two otolith organs are responsible for communicating linear accelerations of the head (acceleration or deceleration) and your head’s position in relation to gravity. Rather than fluid, otolith organs are covered a gelatin-like membrane the contains tiny crystals of calcium carbonate (otoconia).
These microscopic crystals have been identified as being the primary cause of BPPV. For various reasons, some of which are still unknown, these crystals can break off the membrane and move into one or more of the semicircular canals. Once these crystals are stuck in the semicircular canal, changes in your head position will cause the crystals to send a signal to your brain that you are moving, even though you may not be. This signal confuses our brain, which as a result causes the spinning sensation of vertigo.
It is important to both understand and recognize that BPPV symptoms are caused by changes in head movements and that this spinning sensation last typically less than one minute. Between episodes of BPPV, some individuals may feel mild symptoms of BPPV, while others may feel completely symptom free.
Please keep in mind, BPPV is something that can be treated and will only cause dizziness with changes in head position. BPPV will NOT create a constant dizziness, nor will it affect your hearing, produce a headache or faint feeling, create numbness or tingling, or cause issues in your speaking or movement.
The content used on this post and site are for informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Citations:
Image 1: The inner ear and canalith repositioning. 2018, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research . www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/canalith-repositioning-procedure/about/pac-20393315.
“Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV).” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). , 30 June 2019, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/vertigo/symptoms-causes/syc-20370055.
Purves D, Augustine GJ, Fitzpatrick D, et al., editors. Neuroscience. 2nd edition. Sunderland (MA): Sinauer Associates; 2001. The Vestibular Labyrinth. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK11130/
Allergies are very common.
35-40% of the people in the U.S. complain of moderate to severe symptoms from Allergic Rhinitis. These can include nasal congestion, runny nose, post-nasal drip, watery itchy eyes, sinus pressure, itchy skin, and wheezing.
There are many interventions which can significantly alleviate these symptoms, many of which do not involve medication. To start, optimizing the home and work environments can significantly make a difference. If the air you breathe is as clean as possible, there will be less inflammation in the nose.
Good prevention methods include dust mite covers on the mattress and pillows, a HEPA-grade air filter and keeping bedroom windows closed. Daily nasal irrigation can also help. Nasal irrigation can be administered by a kit and distilled water. In terms of medication for allergies, generally antihistamines are effective. These can come in pills and nasal sprays.
Nasal steroid sprays are also effective. Recent research has shown that a combination spray with both an antihistamine and a steroid component is the most effective. Basically, one should start with optimizing their environment, and performing daily nasal irrigation. By coming in to see an ENT specialist it can be determined if allergy testing is needed.
Symptoms of allergic rhinitis:
Causes for allergic rhinistis:
Methods for treatment and management:
When to see a physician:
The content used on this post and site are for informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
