Everything You Need to Know About Subacute Sinusitis

What is Subacute Sinusitis?

Subacute sinusitis is a complication of acute sinusitis that has extended for a long period of time but is still undergoing medical treatment. Its clinical presentation lies somewhere in between acute and chronic sinusitis, depending on how long the infection has been present. However, it is different from recurrent sinusitis as RARS occurs episodically, with no symptoms in between each episode of sinusitis. It is generally managed medically, but in some cases, surgical intervention may be necessary.

Causes and Symptoms of Subacute Sinusitis

Causes of Subacute-Sinusitis:

• Common cold
• Bacterial nasal/sinus infections
• Fungal infection of the sinuses
• Allergies

Symptoms of Subacute-Sinusitis:

• Thick mucus drainage from the nose and down the throat (runny nose and postnasal drainage)
• Nasal congestion
• Pain and inflammation around the eyes, cheeks, nose, and forehead
• Ear pressure
• Coughing/sneezing
• Altered sense of smell
• Fever
• Headaches
• Teeth pain

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Diagnosis of Subacute Sinusitis

Physical Examination:

Since subacute infections can lead to severe complications, they should be properly diagnosed and treated. Physical examination for subacute sinusitis starts with the patient’s medical history and illness history. Then, they will examine the patient to examine the severity of the symptoms.

Diagnostic Tests:

Since subacute infections can lead to severe complications, they should be properly diagnosed and treated. Physical examination for subacute sinusitis starts with the patient’s medical history and illness history. Then, they will examine the patient to examine the severity of the symptoms.

Risks and Complications of Subacute Sinusitis

Risk factors that lead to subacute sinusitis:

• Allergies with nasal effects, like hay fever, dust mites, pollen, etc.
• Persistent bacteria, fungal, or viral infections of the sinuses
• Anatomical abnormalities affecting the flow of air in the nasal and paranasal passages
• Diseases affecting the immune system, like cystic fibrosis, HIV/AIDS
• Jobs like cleaners, metal workers, etc. that lead to chronic exposure to smoke
• Smoking

Prevention of Subacute Sinusitis

To prevent subacute sinusitis, the patient should get proper attention for their sinus infection. Most people ignore their sinus issues in the beginning stages, which causes them to get worse progressively. Therefore, the patient should manage their acute sinus infections as properly as possible. Some other preventive measures they can follow include:

Wear a mask and carry a sanitizer with you to maintain proper oral hygiene.
If you live in dry or arid regions, use a humidifier to add moisture to the air. Also, make sure your humidifier is clean and mold-free.

Eat a balanced diet and hydrate well. You can add water, Gatorade, electrolytes, etc., to your diet.
If your sinus infection keeps getting worse, you should seek proper treatment to avoid chronic sinusitis and its complications.

Should One Consult a Doctor for Subacute Sinusitis?

Subacute sinusitis is a severe form of acute sinusitis, and you should consult an ENT specialist for treatment to avoid severe complications of the condition like:

• Chronic sinusitis
• Loss of smell sensation
• Breathing difficulty
• Larynx infection
• Spread of the infection to skull bones, eyes, etc.

Treatment Overview of Subacute Sinusitis

Severity Check:

Generally, most patients and ENT specialists prefer medical management for the treatment of subacute sinusitis. However, if the patient’s symptoms are too severe or if they are not improving at all, even with maximum medical management, surgical intervention may be necessary for sinus drainage and sinusitis recovery.

Medical Management:

Medical management of subacute sinusitis includes a combination of medications like saline nasal sprays, nasal corticosteroids, nasal decongestants, allergy medications, over-the-counter painkillers, antibiotics, immunity shots, etc. In addition to these, the patient should follow at-home treatments like good hydration, wet & warm compresses, etc., to aid the progress of the patient’s recovery.

Surgical Treatments:

There are 3 main types of surgery that help recovery from sinusitis, as described below. However, the most common surgery for sinusitis is FESS due to its minimally invasive nature. Surgery treatments for sinusitis are:

• Functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS)

FESS is an endoscopic surgery in which the surgeon inserts an endoscope and surgical instruments into the inflamed sinuses to drain and treat them. The surgery involves minimal damage to the surrounding tissues and provides swift recovery.

• Balloon sinuplasty

During balloon sinuplasty, the surgeon uses an endoscope to insert a balloon into the infected sinuses. The balloon is gradually inflated to drain the sinuses and increase the size of the air passages.

• Caldwell-Luc surgery

Caldwell Luc surgery is a traditional sinus surgery for maxillary sinusitis in which the surgeon makes an incision to make a new opening over the maxilla to gain access to the sinus cavity to drain the sinuses.