Acute sinusitis is what most patients are familiar with as a sinus infection. Rapid onset of new symptoms including facial pain, facial pressure, colored nasal drainage, bad odor or flavor in the nose or throat, and headache. The symptoms usually last for 7-10 days and may require antibiotics, decongestants, and allergy treatments to resolve.
Chronic sinusitis on the other hand is simply the persistence of these symptoms at a low level for weeks or months. Typically starting off as an acute infection that the patient never gets completely over. Patients may also develop chronic cough or asthma like symptoms over time. Chronic sinusitis may require surgical therapy to resolve but can sometimes be successfully treated with office based balloon sinuplasty under local anesthesia.
Daniel Slaughter, MD
