Sinusitis: Hi there. My name is Ankita Sharma. I recently underwent the Functional Endoscopic Sinusitis Surgery as well as Septoplasty from Pristyn Care after suffering for 20 years. Read to know my journey of getting rid of sinusitis permanently. Here are its Causes, signs and Treatments.
What is Sinusitis: Symptoms, Diagnosis, Causes & Treatments
Signs of Nose Blockage
Sinusitis: It all started 20 years ago when I was 7 years old. I was playing football and when the ball just hit me on the nose. There was bleeding however, it got better within a couple of days. The doctor then informed me that my nose might have got bent. Since then, I suffered from frequent episodes of nose blockage.
I was down with a fever and headache. But these episodes became frequent, especially during seasonal change. Due to the pollens in the air, my allergies also kicked in making the symptoms worse. With proper medicines and some home remedies such as inhaling steam, the symptoms got better.
Since then, I kept a pack of paracetamol handy to get rid of the symptoms. A couple of weeks back while I was at work, the symptoms relapsed. I started having headaches along with some general discomfort. Without any further delay, I took a paracetamol. Unfortunately, it didn’t help.
Sinusitis: I went back home and inhaled steam. But this didn’t help me too. Within a few hours, I had a sore throat. The nasal congestion along with headache and sore throat made it impossible for me to sleep. I made the decision of getting relief from the problem on a permanent basis. I checked the symptoms online when I came across Pristyn Care.
I glanced through their website and saw several positive patient testimonials. The website said that they provided treatment for sinusitis. I went through the doctor’s profile and saw some pictures too. Convinced, I booked an appointment for the next day.
Sinusitis Diagnosis & treatments
Sinusitis: The next morning, I reached the clinic on time. I was not sure about the doctor’s competence although the website said that he was highly experienced. There was a long queue so my heart sank thinking that there might be a long waiting time. Surprisingly, I was immediately called in as the appointment was pre-booked.
I sat in front of the doctor. His name was Dr. Siddhartha. I explained to him the whole scenario and he listened intently. I explained to him that 20 years back due to an accident my nose got deviated on the left hence, I have frequent episodes of nasal congestion. I added that usually taking antibiotics and nasal sprays soothe out the symptoms which were not helping this time. There was a sore throat too. He physically examined me and asked me about medical history.
After a thorough check-up of my nose and throat, he diagnosed that along with sinusitis I have enlarged adenoids. Hence, it is making it difficult for me to breathe. He suggested me undergoing a FESS Surgery and septoplasty. He said that enlarged adenoids is the reason for sore throat and these will get better within a couple of days. For curing the enlarged adenoids, he prescribed me some medicines and home remedies.
How to treat Sinusitis? On seeing my questionable face, he explained to me that a Functional Endoscopic Sinusitis Surgery is performed to drain the infected Sinusitis with a special instrument, an endoscope. While the septoplasty is recommended to correct the deviated septum. He further explained that there won’t be visible scars as both these procedures would be performed inside the nose.
Also, I would be sedated during the whole procedure hence, I won’t be able able to feel any pain. Once the Sinusitis surgery is complete, he’ll place a nasal packing inside the nose to curb the bleeding. However, there might be mild pain and swelling after the surgery which can be cured with some post-operative instructions.
He clarified all the doubts I had related to the Sinusitis surgery so that I could make an informed decision.
He explained to me everything so patiently that I got convinced and I wanted to cure the problem once and all. Hence, I decided to undergo surgery. I was scheduled for surgery three days after which was a weekend.
Before The Surgery
After leaving the clinic, I was really tensed about one particular factor that was the cost of the entire surgery. Although I had insurance to cover the cost, the fear of too much paperwork for getting a claim kept me on my toes the most part of the day. Fortunately, the medical coordinator and the insurance team from Pristyn Care took care of the entire procedure. I just sent them the necessary documents that they are asked for on WhatsApp and on the same day itself, I got a message that my insurance claim has been approved. I didn’t expect this part to be so easy.
Now that the expense was taken care of, I took the necessary steps that the doctor asked me to do before the surgery such as not taking any herbal supplements, no blood thinners nor drinking any alcoholic beverages. However, I kept taking the medicines for adenoids after proper consultation with the doctor.
On the day of the Septoplasty
I got up on the day of the surgery and I must say I was scared. I was supposed to reach with an empty stomach to the hospital so I didn’t take any for breakfast followed by a quick shower. Within a couple of minutes, the medical coordinator informed me that a cab was waiting for me at the doorstep to take me to the hospital. Without any further delay, me and mother got into the cab which took us to the hospital.
On my way, I was thinking that there will be so many formalities to complete including the admission process. But when I reached the hospital, I was surprised to see a care Buddy waiting for us. He completed the entire admission process and asked my mother to stay with me for support. It only took a couple of minutes for the paperwork to complete.
I was wheeled into my private room which was very hygienic and well-ventilated. Within a couple of minutes, a nurse came in and prepped me for the surgery. Then the doctor came in and checked my body temperature and blood pressure. Everything was normal. The anesthesiologist physically examined me and made an IV channel on my arm to administer the anesthesia. Within a couple of minutes, I became unconscious.
After a couple of hours, I woke up feeling nauseated and a mild headache. The nurse attended me quickly. The doctor rushed in to check up on me and curled his fingers into a thumbs-up to reassure me that the surgery was 100% successful. He confirmed that there were no major complications during both surgeries too. After hearing this, I dozed off again.
It was only the next morning that I woke up. I could feel a nasal packing inside the nose. The doctor checked me thoroughly and asked if there is any pain. I nodded in a no. He was convinced that there won’t be any risks, hence, he discharged with a set of instructions about Sinusitis diet and care plan and a list of medications.
I didn’t have to worry about returning home. From the hospital, we were again dropped at my home with free transportation services.
Sinusitis After the Surgery
After coming back home, I continued feeling fatigued and tired due to the effects of anesthesia. As per the doctor’s instructions, I took complete rest. While taking rest, I made sure that the head is elevated so I put some extra pillows under my head. After resting for a while, I got up and decided to irrigate the nose and sinuses as prescribed by the doctor. My mother assisted me and helped me remove the nasal packing.
As soon as she removed the packing, I felt my nose blocked. I didn’t get worked up as the doctor explained to me that after sinus surgery, some swelling and nasal congestion is normal. I used the saline solution and rinsed the nose carefully. There was some bleeding but I felt better.
In the initial 48 hours, I was extremely careful as suggested by the doctor while eating or performing any kind of activity. I took proper rest and followed the prescription word-to-word while taking medicines.
It was on the third day that the anesthesia effects wore off. I felt better and resumed with some daily activities. Making sure that I don’t damage the packing, I took a bath. I even resumed work although I was extremely careful the entire day. Meanwhile, I irrigated the nose twice a day.
By the end of the 7th day of the recovery, I felt completely normal hence, went for my follow-up. After asking about my general wellbeing, the doctor removed the packing and asked me to breathe. Suddenly, air gushed through the nasal cavity. I inhaled the air deeply after being able to do so after so long. He took one last look at my nose and reassured me that the results are coming out as expected.
It has been 3 weeks after the surgery and I am able to breathe freely now. Now that there is no congestion nor any headaches, I am also able to sleep better. I must admit that I was not sure initially, but the decision of undergoing the surgery from this clinic worked really great for me. I thank Pristyn Care for straightening my nose and curing the adenoids permanently.