How Are Nasal Obstructions Treated
Not all patients can be cured of nasal polyps, but several treatments can help:
- Steroid sprays to shrink polyps and improve symptoms.
- Oral steroids .
- Injections under the skin to deliver a medicine called dupilumab.
- Outpatient surgery to place a tiny stent. It props open the nasal passages and delivers steroids or other medications.
- Outpatient surgery using endoscopy to remove polyps when other treatments dont work.
Your healthcare provider also may prescribe antibiotics if you have an infection.
How To Clean Indoor Mold
Get rid of it quickly if you see it in your home. Not only can it irritate your allergies, but it can also damage whatever surface it’s growing on.
If the moldy surface is larger than 10 square feet, consider hiring a contractor to do the job. Be sure the person has experience removing mold.
If your allergies are severe, ask someone else to clean it up. If this isnât possible, wear a facemask while you clean.
If you have milder allergies and the area is not too big, you should still wear gloves and goggles while cleaning. These items will protect your skin and eyes. Donât touch mold with your bare skin.
Use soap and warm water to scrub it from hard surfaces , and then make sure the area is completely dry. The American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology also recommends that you use a bleach solution to clean washable surfaces.
Once the area is dry, check to make sure that all of the mold is gone. It may be impossible to remove it from some things, such as ceiling tiles or carpeting. If these items are moldy, you may need to get them replaced.
Never paint or caulk over an area with mold. Remove the fungus first.
The Three Main Sinusitis Treatments
There are three main treatments currently offered to patients that suffer from sinusitis:
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Treatment Of Nasal Polyps In Dogs
The prominent and most effective treatment of benign nasal tumors is surgical removal. This surgery is typically a simple, routine procedure. If the nasal tumor is located deep inside of the nose, though, it may be difficult to remove with a surgical procedure. In the event of cancerous nasal tumors inside the nasal passage, radiation therapy is a limited treatment option to slow the growth of tumors within the nasal passage. There are anti-cancer drugs that can be tried, but benign nasal tumors are typically unresponsive to these medications.
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Animal Models Of Allergic Airway Diseases
Animal models of disease are an invaluable tool for contributing to the understanding of the pathophysiology of allergic airway diseases. Hoselton et al reported such model using A fumigatus. Balb/c mice were challenged with A fumigatus via intranasal inoculation. They were previously sensitized with intraperitoneal injections with soluble A fumigatus in alum. After a single challenge of inhalation, allergic pulmonary inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness were significantly increased compared with control animals. Later, a significant increase in epithelial thickness, global cell metaplasia, and peribronchial collagen deposition was noted. The authors concluded this was the first time they demonstrated that the consistent development of fibrosis and smooth muscle changes accompany exposure to inhaled fungal conidia in a mouse model.
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Clinical Forms Of Mold Allergy
Allergic rhinitis and/or allergic conjunctivitis are common problems in both children and adults. Allergic rhinitis or allergic conjunctivitis is usually a perennial problem, with seasonal fluctuation of symptoms in regions such as the southern part of the United States, where humidity and temperatures are high.
Many indoor fungal allergens can cause allergic symptoms. They are the result of type 1 hypersensitivity reactions.
Patients should have detectable IgE antibody to provoke mast-cell activation with fungal exposure. Studies also indicated the close association of mold allergy with prolonged coldlike symptoms in winter, sinusitis, and the presence of adenoid hypertrophy in children.
Allergic asthma or IgE-mediated asthma: Patients with fungal sporeinduced asthma often have IgE antibodies to more prevalent fungi, such as Alternaria and Cephalosporium species. As many as 25% of patients with asthma have skin prick test reactivity to a mixture of 4 species of Aspergillus. The fungal allergen-induced asthma can occur in both children and adults as a result of a type 1 hypersensitivity reaction. These patients manifest potent late-phase reactions.
What Causes Fungal Sinusitis
There are four types of fungal sinusitis:
Saprophytic FungusThis happens when fungus or mold grows on top of mucus or mucous crusts inside the nose. In this case, the fungus is not really infecting the nasal tissue, its just living off the mucus in the nose. This may not cause any additional symptoms that were not already present, and treatment is simple removal of the crusts with nasal washes or other methods.
Fungus BallThis is caused by fungus getting caught in one of the sinuses, forming clumps of material that often contain bacteria as well. This is most often in the maxillary, or cheek, sinus, and usually occurs in patients whose immune system is working fine. Often there are no symptoms, other than slight discomfort until the fungus ball grows large enough to block off the sinus. This form of fungal sinusitis requires simple surgery to open and wash out the sinus. Anti-fungal therapy is generally not prescribed.
Invasive Fungal SinusitisThis is a severe infection of the nasal and sinus lining that can lead to the destruction of nasal/sinus tissue. There are three different forms of invasive fungal sinusitis:
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Causes Of Nasal Polyps In Dogs
Frequently, with benign nasal tumors it is difficult to identify a cause. With nasal polyps, specifically, its possible the cause is an increase in inflammation and swelling of the nasal passage. It is possible that some benign nasal tumors are caused by viruses. Currently, there are no definitive causes of benign tumors in the nasal passage.
Foods Inflame Nasal Polyps
Nasal polyps are unwanted small tissue growths found in the nasal cavities. It is an annoying thing that could result in nasal blockages.
Some of the main factors that is known to cause growth of nasal polyp are: age, genetics, environment and some allergies.
These polyps are normally caused by chronic sinus infections or nose inflammation due to allergies.
Nasal polyps can cause nose blockages, nasal inflammation, nasal infections and even breathing difficulties. In rare cases, the severity of nasal polyps can even cause loss of taste and smell.
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Antifungal Therapy Directed At The Sinuses
In a study of treatment of patients with an intranasal antifungal agent , Ponikau et al. showed significant improvements in several clinical parameters in CRS patients . The authors concluded that reducing the amount of fungal antigen with the antifungal therapy led to clinical improvements. Varied results from studies of CRS treatments may be due to the fact that CRS can result from infection by bacteria, invasive mold, mold colonization in the presence of biofilms, the extent of sinus involvement or a combination of factors . Surgical debridement is also a common treatment in CRS . Identifying specific fungal organisms in CRS caused by mold requires specific fungal staining methods to identify hyphae in sinus specimens or identification of mold by Q-PCR . Treatment of fungal CRS may require the use of oral antifungals, as well as intranasal sprays with antifungal activity, depending upon the improvement of individual patient condition . In addition, biofilms, antifungal shelf-life and antifungal resistance must be considered as other variables in effectiveness of treatment .
Remove Carpeting And Install Hardwood Flooring
Carpets are another key area to target when removing mold in ones house. Carpet not only contain mold, but can grow mold as well as dust mites. Merely steam cleaning and vacuuming the carpets in not enough to remove it, because mold trapped in the fibers in the carpet is too deep to be seen. Opt for wood or pergo flooring instead.
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Is Mold Causing Your Sinus Problems Or Other Symptoms
Finding out if you have a mold problem is not as easy as you might think. Mold can grow in all sorts of hard-to-reach places, like inside walls, above ceiling tiles, underneath carpets and floorboards, and inside ventilation systems. You might be aware of a mold problem in your bathroom or basement, but mold spreads easily throughout the home and if you have mold in one area, you might have mold in other places as well where its just not visible.
We recommend calling in a professional mold tester, so you can find out the extent of your mold problem and locate all mold in the home. Most professional mold testers are engineers, and they are trained to test both the air and various surfaces in your home for mold, making sure they locate all areas affected by mold growth. If they find mold in your home, they can give you valuable advice about the mold removal process. To find certified mold testers in your area, just follow this link.
What Is A Fungus
A fungus is a living organism. It cant make its own food, so it takes its nutrients from decomposing matter in the soil, water or plants where it lives. Fungi live in the air, on surfaces, and on humans and other animals.
Scientists classify fungi in groups. They include mold, yeasts and mildew. Some fungi are big enough to see , and some are so small you can only see them with a microscope.
There are more than 100,000 species of fungi. They live all around us, and most arent dangerous. But some fungi can invade the body and multiply, leading to serious health problems. Different types of fungi cause infections in many parts of the body. Some examples are yeast infections, thrush and toenail fungal infections.
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Mayo Clinic Study Implicates Fungus As Cause Of Chronic Sinusitis
- Date:
- Mayo Clinic
- Summary:
- Mayo Clinic researchers say they have found the cause of most chronic sinus infections — an immune system response to fungus. They say this discovery opens the door to the first effective treatment for this problem, the most common chronic disease in the United States.
“We can now begin to treat the cause of the problem instead of the symptoms”
ROCHESTER, MINN. — Mayo Clinic researchers say they have found the cause of most chronic sinus infections — an immune system response to fungus. They say this discovery opens the door to the first effective treatment for this problem, the most common chronic disease in the United States.
An estimated 37 million people in the United States suffer from chronic sinusitis, an inflammation of the membranes of the nose and sinus cavity. Its incidence has been increasing steadily over the last decade. Common symptoms are runny nose, nasal congestion, loss of smell and headaches. Frequently the chronic inflammation leads to polyps, small growths in the nasal passages which hinder breathing.
“Up to now, the cause of chronic sinusitis has not been known,” say the Mayo researchers: Drs. David Sherris, Eugene Kern and Jens Ponikau , Mayo Clinic ear, nose and throat specialists. Their report appears in the September issue of the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
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What Are My Options For Treating Nasal Polyps
If allergies are causing your nasal polyps, its helpful if you can identify the trigger. Allergy testing, either through a skin prick or blood test, may be used to pinpoint any specific allergens, so you can eliminate exposure to them if possible.
Treating nasal polyps involves making them smaller or removing them altogether. Your doctor may suggest:
- Steroid sprays: Nasal sprays, such as fluticasone or mometasone , are a common first-line medication. They treat swelling and inflammation, shrinking nasal polyps and making it easier to breathe.
- Steroid pills or shots: An oral or injectable steroid, like prednisone, may be prescribed for harder-to-treat nasal polyps. Because of side effects, they should only be used short-term.
- Antihistamines and other allergy medications: Antihistamines or medications used to treat seasonal allergies can help decrease congestion and other nasal polyp symptoms.
- Surgery: A minimally invasive procedure to physically remove polyps may be needed in some cases. Unfortunately, nasal polyps may grow back.
- Injection of a biologic medication: Dupilumab is a newer medication that works by blocking certain proteins in your body that cause inflammation. Its used to treat nasal polyps that dont respond to nasal steroids and may decrease the need for systemic steroids and surgery.
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Sinus Health And Allergies: Mold & Mildew
Mold and Mildew
Unlike those troubled from pollen allergies who experience flare-ups of sinus problems in the spring months, if you find yourself suffering from itchy eyes, congestion, sinus pain and pressure during the fall months, then it is likely that you have an allergy to mold and mildew.
A large percentage of chronic sinus infections are related to mold exposure, according to the Mayo Clinic, the largest not-for-profit medical practice and research center in the world.
In this installment of the Spotlight series, Dr. Bennett answers your questions about mold and mildew and how reducing your exposure with tips to help ease your sinus pain.
In general, if you suffer from mold allergies, it is best to avoid outside mold spore, piles of leaves, dense vegetation and plant debris when out of doors. As for indoor tips, invest in a dehumidifier and a HEPA filter machines that should be run to regulate the moisture in the air and purify the air, respectively. Also, be sure to keep only a few indoor plants and keep your windows closed if the mold spore counts are high.
What Doctor Diagnoses Nasal Polyps
If your child’s pediatrician suspects nasal polyps, your child will likely be referred to a specialist, called an otolaryngologist, or ears, nose, and throat doctor .
Nasal endoscopy is also used to diagnose nasal polyps and is often performed in the doctor’s office. This procedure uses an endoscope, which is a long, flexible tube with a light at the end of it. This tube is inserted into your child’s nose and sinuses to look for potential polyps.
Less commonly, more imaging might be required to diagnose nasal polyps. This could include a CT scan or magnetic resonance imaging .
Because nasal polyps often occur with other medical conditions, your doctor might also recommend allergy testing or other blood tests for your child. Other diseases can have similar presentations to nasal polyps, so it is always helpful to have an ear, nose and throat doctor examine the patient. For example, a benign tumor called a juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma can cause symptoms that are very similar to symptoms from benign nasal polyps.
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Keep Outdoor Mold Out Of Your Home
Most exposure to molds happens outside. But spores from the outdoors can get into your home through windows and doors and on your shoes and clothing.
- Keep your doors and windows closed when outdoor mold spore counts are high. Use an air conditioner with a HEPA filter instead.
- Leave your shoes at the door so you donât track it through your home.
- Take a shower and change your clothes after spending time outside.
- Clean and vacuum regularly. Use a vacuum that has a HEPA filter to catch small particles and dust.
Why Do Mayo Clinic Researchers Believe Chronic Sinusitis Could Be Caused By Mold
Three Mayo Clinic DoctorsâDavid Sherris, Eugene Kern, and Jens Ponikauâbelieve chronic sinusitis is caused by a fungus that causes an immune reaction:
âMedications havenât worked for chronic sinusitis because we didnât know what the cause of the problem was. Fungus allergy was thought to be involved in less than ten percent of cases. Our studies indicate that, in fact, fungus is likely the cause of nearly all of these problems. And it is not an allergic reaction, but an immune reaction. This is a potential breakthrough that offers great hope for the millions of people who suffer from this problem. We can now begin to treat the cause of the problem instead of the symptoms. Finally we are on the trail of a treatment that may actually work.â
The researchers studied 210 patients with chronic sinusitis, collecting mucus samples from the noses of the patients. They discovered fungus in 96 percent and identified 40 different kinds of fungi, each patient averaging 2.7 kinds.
Nasal polyps were also removed from 101 of these patients. The researchers found eosiniphils, which are a type of white blood cell activated by the bodyâs immune system, in the nasal tissue and mucus of the patients.
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What Are The Types Of Fungal Sinusitis
Providers classify fungal sinus infections as invasive and noninvasive. Invasive infections can spread to other areas, such as the eyes and brain. Noninvasive sinus infections, the more common type, only affect the nose and sinus areas.
The types of noninvasive fungal sinusitis are:
- Allergic fungal rhinosinusitis: This is the most common type of fungal sinus infection. It results from an allergic reaction to fungi inside the nose. Untreated, the sinuses fill up with thick mucus and nasal polyps can form. People with asthma or allergic rhinitis are more likely to develop this condition.
- Fungal ball : Fungi build up in the sinuses and form a clump or ball. The fungal ball can get bigger and block the sinuses. Providers use surgery to remove fungal balls and clean out the sinuses.
- Saprophytic fungal sinusitis: This type of infection doesnt actually affect the nose tissue. Instead, fungus grows on crusts of mucus inside the nose. When providers remove the crusts, they remove the fungus, too.
Untreated, invasive sinus infections are life-threatening. The infection can destroy tissue inside the nose and move into the skull and brain. The types of invasive fungal sinusitis are:
