Sinusitis

If you have several sinus infections in a year, a runny or stuffy nose or are prone to allergies, the ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctors at Nebraska Medicine understand your discomfort and know how to provide relief. Our specialists, many of whom are fellowship trained, are skilled in the diagnosis and treatment of sinus infections. Because we offer the most up to date treatment options in the region and collaborate with experts in related fields we have the ability to deliver a solution designed precisely for you. 

When is it a sinus infection and not a cold?

If you routinely have these lingering symptoms, you could be dealing with a sinus infection called sinusitis:

• Congestion
• Runny nose
• Headaches
• Smell loss
• When you do have a cold, your symptoms tend to linger

A sinus infection begins as a cold, which is a virus, and evolves into a more serious bacterial infection. If two weeks after your cold hits you’re still sick it's a good idea to go to your doctor. By then the bacteria may have infected the trapped mucus in your sinuses. You'll typically feel feverish, with headaches, a sore face and achy teeth. There’s often a change in drainage color as well – it’s cloudy, and brown-gray-yellow. Chronic sinus infections can lead to the formation of nasal polyps.

Nebraska Medicine Offers Many Ways to Help Alleviate Sinus Infections 

The team of doctors at Nebraska Medicine are uniquely qualified to thoroughly diagnose the cause of your sinus infection and formulate a comprehensive, individualized plan of treatment to provide lasting relief.

Antibiotics are the typical treatment for somebody with acute sinusitis, or a sinus infection (the result of the tissue lining the sinuses swelling). An antibiotic should provide relief within a couple of days.

If sinus infections are frequent or become chronic they can be corrected with minimally invasive surgeries not normally requiring overnight stays. However, we offer alternatives to surgery.

Sinus Treatments

Nebraska Medicine offers the broadest breadth of sinus treatments in the region. This enables us to create a comprehensive, individualized plan for you that addresses your condition, not just the symptoms. Effective, long-term treatment options may include:

• Balloon Sinuplasty
• Endoscopy Sinus Surgery
• Topical treatments

One procedure we may offer patients who have battled these exasperating sinus problems for an extended period of time who have minimal sinus disease is a balloon sinuplasty. The procedure involves using a balloon to dilate the sinus openings so the sinus cavity can drain better. Because no incisions are made, most patients have a quick recovery.

Endoscopic sinus surgery is a minimally invasive surgery done through the nose with no cuts made on the outside. It is designed to open sinus passages to restore function, improve your daily symptoms and reduce the number of sinus infections you have. Recovery time for this is normally about a week.

If you have difficulty breathing though your nose due to a deviated septum, we may recommend an outpatient procedure to straighten the your septum. You can return to work in 5-7 days, and the swelling is gone within two weeks.

Nebraska Medicine's sinus experts are referred many patients from across the state and the region for help in managing patients with complicated sinus problems and sinus tumors. Our knowledge and surgical skills are used to improve your health and quality of life. 

Clinical Trials and Research

Thanks to our academic partner the University of Nebraska Medical Center, we remain up to date on all the research related to allergies and sinus issues. We have several ongoing research projects, ask your healthcare professional about these exciting studies.