Frontal Sinusitis Seattle

Millions of people every year are diagnosed with sinusitis. For the majority of these people, their symptoms will clear within a few weeks with little or no medical intervention necessary. However, for roughly four million people, sinusitis will become a chronic problem that requires treatment by a sinus specialist. An Ear, Nose, and Throat doctor, or ENT, can evaluate and treat your sinus problems including narrowing down the location of your sinusitis and identifying a possible cause. Dr. David Santos of Sinusitis In Seattle can treat sinus problems of all types and within all sinus cavities. Sinusitis In Seattle provides the best treatment of frontal sinusitis Seattle offers.

WHAT ARE THE FRONTAL SINUSES?

The frontal sinuses are hollow, air-filled cavities located just behind the brow bone and eyes. The septum bisects the frontal sinuses. Like the other sinus cavities, they lighten the skull and connect with all the other sinuses.

Due to the frontal sinuses’ location to sensitive structures like the brain, infections of the frontal sinuses are often treated more aggressively. Additionally, the frontal sinuses often contribute to sinus headaches.

WHAT ARE THE FRONTAL SINUSES?

The frontal sinuses are hollow, air-filled cavities located just behind the brow bone and eyes. The septum bisects the frontal sinuses. Like the other sinus cavities, they lighten the skull and connect with all the other sinuses.

Due to the frontal sinuses’ location to sensitive structures like the brain, infections of the frontal sinuses are often treated more aggressively. Additionally, the frontal sinuses often contribute to sinus headaches.

How They Work

The sinus cavities all work together to produce mucus to keep the nose moist. This mucus in the nose prevents infections and pollutants from spreading in our body or making us sick. The sinuses also have other less important functions which include influencing the sound of our voices and making the skull lighter.

When functioning properly, the sinuses will produce enough mucus to keep themselves and the nose moist. As production continues, the excess mucus is drained down the throat and swallowed. Generally, this happens gradually and is not noticeable. 

Frontal Sinus Infection

When a sinus infection occurs, or an irritant disrupts the system, the sinuses become inflamed. This inflammation prevents sinus drainage which consequently causes the sinuses (and nasal passages) to become clogged. This may also lead to a runny nose and postnasal drip.

Not only does this make it difficult to breathe, but it can also cause pain and pressure. When the frontal sinuses become inflamed, this can cause headaches, pressure, and generalized pain across the forehead and behind the eyes. If other sinus cavities are involved, the symptoms may be more widespread throughout the face.

TYPES OF SINUSITIS

All types of sinusitis can occur in the frontal sinuses. In general, the types of sinusitis are classified by the number of weeks symptoms last. Other factors of sinusitis that may impact treatment include the sinus cavities infected, the cause, and the severity of symptoms. When it comes to how long symptoms last, there are three types of sinusitis: acute, subacute, and chronic.

Acute

Acute sinusitis most often indicates a typical sinus infection. Most commonly caused by the common cold virus, this type of sinusitis should go away with little to no treatment. With acute viral sinusitis, symptoms should begin to get better within five to seven days. If they do not resolve within two weeks, a bacterial infection may be present and requires antibiotics.

In most cases, an acute infection is not serious and requires little or no medical treatment to cure. However, when presenting in the frontal sinuses, acute bacterial infections must be effectively treated to prevent them from spreading. Most acute frontal sinusitis cases resolve within one month either on their own or with antibiotics.

Subacute

Subacute sinusitis occurs when symptoms last longer than four weeks and do not see significant improvement. Often, this can indicate another underlying problem that may contribute, such as allergies, a polluted environment, or a deviated septum. Occasionally, a more severe infection such as bronchitis can make your sinusitis symptoms linger more than four weeks.

Antibiotic therapy and other possible treatments and remedies will likely continue as the cause of subacute frontal sinusitis are investigated. When presenting in the subacute form, patients are unlikely to have a high fever, if any. Symptoms common with subacute frontal sinusitis can include headaches, congestion, and a runny nose. This type of sinusitis is common in people who have seasonal allergies.

Chronic

Sinusitis becomes chronic when symptoms last and do not get better after three months. Chronic sinusitis can occur when one or multiple acute infections are not properly treated, or due to other sinus problems. In some cases, chronic sinusitis may not have an identifiable cause. 

In general, symptoms of chronic sinusitis tend to not be as severe. A fever is rare during chronic sinusitis. However, symptoms can still hinder everyday life and symptoms. Sinus headaches and migraines are frequently one of the most troublesome symptoms. 

Typically, chronic frontal sinusitis is best treated by an ENT specialist like Dr. Santos. With the skill and experience to determine what will provide the most benefit, he can also perform the necessary treatments.

Frontal sinusitis–especially when chronic–is often notably resistant to many therapies and treatments. Therefore, it is important to see a specialist like Dr. Santos. He can determine the best way to treat your Seattle frontal sinusitis.

CAUSES OF FRONTAL SINUSITIS

Sinusitis can have a variety of causes. From a deviated septum that makes sinus problems more likely to a compromised immune system, sinus infections have many factors that can make them a larger issue. However, on the biological level, three organisms can cause inflammation in the sinuses: viruses, bacteria, and fungi.

Viruses

Viruses are the most frequent cause of sinusitis, including frontal sinusitis. With hundreds of viruses known to cause sinus issues, rhinoviruses and influenza viruses are the most common. This can occur whether or not the virus makes you sick otherwise. For example, some people may develop an acute sinus infection after having a cold. Others may not experience any symptoms until their sinus infection.

With viral sinusitis, home remedies can keep symptoms manageable. The viral sinusitis will eventually go away, usually within a week or ten days. Most viral sinusitis will resolve within two weeks. 

Bacteria

Bacterial sinusitis accounts for under 2% of cases every year. As a bacterial infection, it will not go away without antibiotics or medical treatment. Generally, if symptoms do not go away after two weeks, or get worse, your doctor will prescribe antibiotics. Once antibiotic therapy begins, bacteria sinusitis will usually resolve quickly. 

In rare cases, a bacterial sinus infection may become subacute or chronic. Usually, the most common cause of this is when a bacterial and viral infection occurs simultaneously or due to each other. Some forms of bacteria may also cause worse infections. For patients susceptible or sensitive to bacterial infections, bacterial sinusitis can become a more serious issue.

Most of the time, bacterial sinusitis occurs in an acute form. When a bacterial infection is present in the frontal sinuses, it needs to be treated quickly. Thus, to prevent further or worsening infection.

Fungi

Many patients with sinus problems of all types, commonly have fungi present in their sinuses. A true fungal sinus infection, however, is fairly rare. Fungal sinus infections usually are not serious and treated similarly to other sinusitis. However, rare forms of fungal sinusitis can be among the hardest to treat and most dangerous forms. Luckily, these are exceedingly rare in the United States.

There are two types of fungal sinusitis: non-invasive and invasive. Non-invasive fungal sinusitis is the more common of the two and easily treatable. Invasive fungal sinusitis is rare and requires immediate surgical intervention.

FRONTAL SINUS SURGERY

Sinus surgery may be an option for people suffering from chronic or recurrent sinusitis. As a surgeon board certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Dr. Santos is among the best sinus surgeons in Seattle. He can identify the best sinus surgery to fit your needs.

The three most common sinus surgeries are endoscopic sinus surgery, balloon sinus surgery, and stealth sinus surgery. Each aims to remove the infection and inflammation to provide relief from symptoms. Sinus surgery may also address the cause of your sinus problems and widen the sinuses slightly to prevent future infections. 

The surgical techniques usually follow the same paths as other sinus surgeries and enter the frontal sinuses through the nostrils. Out of all the sinus cavities, the frontal sinus is the most difficult to reach using endoscopic techniques. Modern advancements have not only made it possible for non-invasive frontal sinus surgery to occur, but it is becoming the standard.

Frontal sinusitis surgery is among some of the most difficult and complex. It requires a surgeon skilled in sinus surgery and experienced in surgery of the frontal sinuses. Dr. David Santos brings both qualifications to your frontal sinusitis treatment in Seattle.

Other procedures which Dr. Santos may recommend to treat chronic sinusitis and prevent it from recurring include:

• Septoplasty
• Nasal polyp removal
• Functional rhinoplasty

THE BEST FRONTAL SINUSITIS TREATMENT IN SEATTLE AT SINUSITIS IN SEATTLE

Sinusitis In Seattle is the top destination for sinus surgery in Seattle. With an ambulatory surgery center fully equipped to meet your needs. Dr. Santos performs sinus surgeries as well as facial plastic surgery. This makes him one of the foremost experts in surgery that makes a difference. His deep understanding of facial anatomy allows him to be immensely precise.

Dr. David Santos has performed sinus surgeries in the Seattle area for decades. Having supervised and performed thousands of surgeries, Dr. Santos offers an unprecedented level of skill and experience. To learn more about frontal sinusitis and schedule a consultation, call us at 206-242-3696. You can also contact us online.