The medical treatment of chronic sinusitis does not carry any risks other than the occasional side effects from the medicines used. The surgical treatment is also very safe with a low complication rate. An incidence of 1-2% of these complications is seen. The following are the complications you can see during endoscopic sinus surgery
- Bleeding
- Septum surgery complications
- Change in the voice
- Bruising around eye
- Reduced sense of smell
- CSF leak
- Vision problems
Precautions to be taken to avoid chronic sinusitis in children
You can take the following precautions to prevent the occurrence of sinusitis in your child
- Vaccinate your child as per the vaccination schedule. Flu shots can be helpful. Every year flu shots are manufactured based on that year’s strains. So, always select the current year’s flu shots
- Avoid your child from going near or playing with children or adults suffering from upper respiratory tract infections
- Avoid exposing your child to irritants like cigarette smoke. Some children are easily irritated by fumes from incense sticks commonly used during prayers. If your child is one of them, avoid exposure
- If your child has allergies, i.e. there is repeated sneezing, itching and watering from the nose, try to identify the causative allergens and keep him away from them. If these symptoms are present all through a year or if you are unable to determine the allergen, seek an ENT doctors help
- Use saline nasal washes and nasal drug delivery sprays to keep your child’s nose moist all the time
- Using a humidifier during the dry season can help in reducing the inflammation in the nose
- Teach your child good hand hygiene
- Avoid chlorinated swimming pools. If your child loves swimming, advise him not to jump into the swimming pool as water gushes into the nose and sinuses, causing inflammation
It would be best to visit an ENT doctor near you when any of the above symptoms are troubling your child.
