CT Sinus Center remains committed to the health and safety of our patients and employees amidst coronavirus concerns. Throughout the past year, we have continuously reviewed the guidelines set by various national medical organizations and have based our care protocols in the best interest and safety of our patients and staff. Our COVID-19 safety protocols on the part of our providers and staff remain intact–and we will ask patients to participate in safety efforts as well.
For your personal convenience, comfort, and safety concerns, our providers are available for Telemedicine appointments so that you can still continue to receive the care you need while remaining at home. With a Telemedicine visit, you can easily interact with the provider in an audio or video call using the Smartphone, tablet, PC, or computer. See our Telemedicine FAQs for additional information. If you would like to schedule a telemedicine visit, you may request an appointment online, or call our office at (203) 574-5997.
For our allergy patients, all allergy services, including routine injections, must be scheduled in advance. No walk-in visits are possible so that we may better manage the flow of patients to keep everyone safe in our offices.
COVID-19 Safety Update Regarding Mask Requirements, May 2021.
While the CDC has recently changed the guidance for wearing masks for vaccinated individuals, the mask wearing guidance from the CDC and Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) remains unchanged for our CT Sinus Center medical practice – both continue to recommend the wearing of masks indoors by everyone in certain settings such as healthcare facilities to ensure providing the safest environment for everyone.
Our policy, therefore, remains unchanged. Masks continued to be required to be worn inside by all staff and all patients – removal of patient masks, however, may be required during examinations. Patients certainly can remove their masks after leaving any of our office buildings.
While making and confirming appointments, we will remind our patients that wearing a mask in our offices to be treated is still required. We are all hopeful the strong progress of vaccinations and decreasing COVID cases continue in Connecticut and in the region so that we may all enjoy a more safe environment for everyone soon without the necessity of routinely wear masks indoors.
You can review latest COVID guidance update posted on the CT GOV website related to mask wearing COVID 19.
When you seek care at CT Sinus Center, our experienced otolaryngologists (ear, nose & throat doctors) will target your specific ailments and provide healing where you need it most.
We specialize in non-invasive options for individuals suffering from chronic ailments including allergy and sinus conditions. Learn about balloon sinuplasty, a quick in-office procedure that opens the sinus passages and effectively treats many chronic issues.
Your doctor will work with you to develop the best, long-term treatment plan to manage your symptoms and to treat factors, such as allergies, that may contribute to chronic inflammation. It should be noted, however, that no matter the treatment, nasal polyps may return. That is why it is important to determine the cause of your chronic inflammation so that we can help prevent nasal polyps from returning.
Any condition that triggers chronic inflammation in your nasal passages or sinuses increases your risk of developing nasal polyps. Nasal polyps often result from chronic inflammation due to asthma, recurring infections (e.g., chronic sinusitis), allergies (e.g., airborne fungi), drug sensitivity (e.g., aspirin), or certain immune disorders. Family history may also play a role, as certain genetic variations associated with immune system function make you more likely to develop nasal polyps.
There are many options available to treat chronic rhinitis. Your doctor may first take a medical management approach and prescribe medications, such as nasal antihistamines, nasal corticosteroids, or oral antihistamines to help alleviate your symptoms. There are also some home remedies like nasal irrigation that can help, as well as some over-the-counter nasal decongestant sprays.
Your doctor may also advise you to avoid triggers that cause your symptoms, such as wood-burning stoves and fireplaces, cleaning agents and household sprays, perfumes, and scented products. You may also be advised to quit smoking or not to be around people who smoke, especially if this is one of your triggers.
If you don’t respond to medical management of your symptoms, your doctor may prescribe ClariFix treatment for chronic rhinitis (this treatment is only available by prescription).
Chronic rhinitis affects more than 24 million people in the United States. It is a recurrent nasal blockage/discharge that doesn’t resolve on its own, and symptoms often result from the constant irritation or inflammation of the inner lining of the nose. One of the most common characteristics of chronic rhinitis is a postnasal drip, which is mucus that accumulates in the back of the nose and throat that drips down from the back of the nose. Postnasal drip may lead to a chronic sore throat, a chronic cough, or throat clearing.
A septoplasty is the preferred surgical treatment to correct a deviated septum and improve breathing. It is a minor, minimally-invasive, outpatient procedure. The procedure can frequently be done in the office under local anesthesia with oral sedation. The procedure is performed entirely through the nostrils where the surgeon makes a small incision in the septum and then removes the excess bone or cartilage required to even out the breathing space of the nostrils.
The most common symptom of a deviated septum is nasal congestion. Symptoms are usually worse on one side, and sometimes occur on the side opposite the bend. Other symptoms include difficulty breathing, recurrent or repeated sinus infections, frequent nosebleeds, facial pain, headaches, loud breathing, snoring and mild sleep apnea. For some patients, the crooked septum can interfere with the drainage of the sinuses, resulting in repeated sinus infections.
Symptoms of a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) can be life-threatening, requiring immediate emergency care. Call 911 if you or a loved one is experiencing any of the following symptoms:
Skin manifestations, such as hives, swelling, and flushing are usually in conjunction with the other symptoms listed above.
If you think you are suffering from an allergy, please contact CT Sinus Center at (203) 574-5997 for a full allergy workup. We treat adults as well as children, 6 years and older. Check out our page on Allergy Treatments.
Remember that children often present symptoms differently than adults. Their symptoms may include, ear infections, snoring, hives, swollen airways, irritability, and dietary problems. Please contact us to see how we may help you or your loved one.
Not everyone who snores has sleep apnea. But anyone who snores loudly, nightly and has other symptoms, like pauses in breathing at night or daytime sleepiness, should talk to a doctor to rule out sleep apnea.
Also, habitual snoring is more of an issue if the snorer is experiencing any of
the following symptoms:
These signs and symptoms may indicate a potential health issue.
If you have concerns about your snoring and feel that they may be related to a health issue, please contact us at CT Sinus Center for an evaluation.
There are many causes of breathing problems, some of which are chronic or long-term. From an ENT perspective, the nose and sinuses are often associated with many lung disorders, as the nasal passage is a pathway for viruses and allergens to enter your lungs. Inflammation of a sinus or nasal passage may trigger reflexes and causes asthma–and the number one trigger for asthma is allergies.
At CT Sinus Center, we can do a full evaluation for you to find out if chronic sinusitis, allergies, or asthma are the cause of your breathing problems.
Contact us today to schedule your appointment.
You might be a candidate for sinus relief at CT Sinus Center and not even realize it. From a simple consultation to one of our state-of-the-art procedures, such as Balloon Sinus Dilation, CT Sinus has a lot to offer to anyone suffering from any degree of sinus or allergy-related ailments.
Take our screening quiz to find out if CT Sinus Center and our sinus doctors can help improve your life.
Sinus treatments focus on reducing noise and sinus inflammation and keeping the drainage pathways open and functioning properly.
Medical management of sinusitis includes prescription medications as well as over-the-counter medications to relieve sinusitis symptoms. Medications commonly recommended include decongestant nasal sprays, decongestants, nasal antihistamines, nasal corticosteroids, nasal irrigation, oral antibiotics, and oral antihistamines.
For patients who don’t respond to medication, and who suffer from chronic and recurrent acute sinusitis, there are other treatment options available to alleviate their symptoms. Depending on the cause of your sinusitis, your sinus doctor may recommend one of several procedures, including a balloon sinus dilation, a septoplasty, a turbinate reduction, or polyp removal, to help relieve your sinusitis symptoms and help you breathe better through your nose.
Sinusitis, also known as a sinus infection or rhinosinusitis, is an inflammation of the mucous-lined, air-filled spaces in your skull that connect to the nose and throat. When the sinuses become inflamed, blocked or swollen, normal mucus drainage may not occur trapping air and other fluids, creating vacuums and/or pressure. This pressure can cause pain, which can sometimes be intense. Clogged sinuses may also lead to infections.
At CT Sinus Center our sinus doctors are board-certified in otolaryngology (ENT), and offer patient-centered care, taking a professional and personable approach to each patient’s case.
Our doctors all possess strong backgrounds and are well-versed in the latest advancements in ear, nose and throat medicine, treatments, and procedures.
You should see an ENT doctor if you have any of the following symptoms:
An ENT doctor focuses on problems concerning the ear, nose, and throat:
ENT doctors also address issues affecting the neck and head, including diseases, tumors, trauma, and deformities of the head, neck, and face. Additionally, they can perform cosmetic and reconstructive surgery to address issues in these areas.
A sinus specialist is an ENT (ear, nose, and throat) doctor, who diagnoses, manages, and treats any disorders of the sinuses. Your primary care doctor may diagnose you with sinusitis, and then refer you to a sinus specialist for further workup, diagnosis, and treatment for acute or chronic sinusitis.
