A lot of people suffer from allergies and sinus issues. The symptoms can be unpleasant, but there are ways to treat these problems if you know when it’s time for a doctor’s visit.
An allergist is an expert in the diagnosis, management, and prevention of allergic diseases. Allergists are trained to recognize both the triggers for asthma and allergy symptoms. They are trained to understand how environmental factors can affect whether a person is exposed to something that triggers their allergies or asthma.
They will also help you reduce your risk by examining your environment for potential triggers, deciding which medications will best control your symptoms, and helping you develop an action plan for keeping yourself as healthy as possible.
A rhinologist, on the other hand, is a medical professional that focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of diseases affecting the nose, sinuses, mouth, pharynx, or larynx.
If you believe that your symptoms might be an allergy or sinus-related, it is important to watch out for these:
- Excessive sneezing.
- Feeling stuffed up or blocked up.
- Stuffy nose.
- Nose bleeds
- Frequent sinus infections
- Itchy eyes that are red and watery from allergies or from sinuses.
- Pus or mucous in the nasal passages.
- Frequent headaches.
- Chronic runny nose or postnasal drip, which is a constant dripping down the back of your throat from mucous produced by inflamed sinuses.
- Coughing that doesn’t seem to go away.
- A voice change, such as hoarseness or loss of voice after a cold.
Sinuses are air-filled spaces in the bones of your face around your nose. They help humidify inhaled air and make it easier to breathe. Allergies can inflame sinus passages, causing a stuffy or runny nose with thick nasal mucous (phlegm). Most often allergies cause inflammation of the membranes that line the nose, but allergies can also cause inflammation of the eyes and throat.
Allergies can be treated in many ways including medication (both oral antihistamines as well as nasal sprays), immunotherapy, decongestants, and environmental controls (such as HEPA filters). Sinus problems can be treated using medications such as nasal sprays, oral decongestants, and antibiotics.
When is it time to see an allergy and sinus doctor? If you are concerned about how often you’re using over-the-counter nasal sprays, or if your symptoms seem to be worsening despite treatment with medications prescribed by another medical provider.
An allergist will perform a thorough examination of your nose, eyes, throat, and skin to determine the underlying causes of your symptoms. If you are experiencing allergy symptoms, your allergist can identify which substances are causing the allergic reaction and prescribe medications to prevent or reduce symptoms.
If you are experiencing sinus problems, an ENT will perform a thorough examination of your nose (nasal endoscopy), pharynx, larynx (performing both flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy and rigid nasal endoscopy), and paranasal sinuses. Treatment can include medications, steroids injections into the nasal passages, or oral medications to reduce inflammation of the mucous membranes in your nose and throat.
Your ENT may also prescribe surgery for chronic sinus problems that do not respond to medication. Surgery is only recommended as a last resort when you’ve tried all available medical treatments.
In general, it is smart to see an allergy and sinus doctor when you have been struggling with symptoms for several weeks or months. If your symptoms are severe enough that they interfere with daily life – such as needing a lot of over-the-counter medications or difficulty sleeping due to nasal congestion – then seeing an allergist would be the next step.