Re: AAAAI, ACAAI identify new recommendations for sinusitis diagnosis

[Guest guest]

Do people on here wash their nose out with saline? Since I started doing it

at night I have found that it makes a big difference in how well I sleep.

Sometimes if I cant sleep, I get up and do it in the middle of the night, it

helps me that much.

I live in a moldy house and washing out my nose has made a huge difference -

reducing the blistering in my nose..

I use plain saline.. just water with a little bit of salt.. its cheap and it

works..

On 11/29/05, tigerpaw2c <tigerpaw2c@...> wrote:

>

> Public release date: 29-Nov-2005

> [ Print Article | E-mail Article | Close Window ]

>

> Contact: Lemke

> nlemke@...

> 414-272-6071

> American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology

>

> http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-11/aaoa-aai112905.php

>

> AAAAI, ACAAI identify new recommendations for sinusitis diagnosis

> and management

>

> From the Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology

>

> Sinusitis is one of the most diagnosed diseases in the United

> States, affecting approximately 16% of the adult population, and is

> responsible for nearly $5.8 billion in health care costs annually,

> according to an updated practice parameter. The Diagnosis and

> Management of Sinusitis: A Practice Parameter Update is featured in

> the December 2005 issue of the Journal of Allergy & Clinical

> Immunology (JACI) and is currently available on the JACI's Web site

> at www.jacionline.org. The JACI is the peer-reviewed, scientific

> journal of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology

> (AAAAI).

> The practice parameter provides an updated definition of sinusitis

> and new recommendations for the diagnosis and management of

> sinusitis, including predisposing factors, antibiotic use, when to

> see a specialist, and other diseases associated with sinusitis.

>

> " This practice parameter is intended to improve on the diagnosis and

> management of patients, " said G. Slavin, MD, MS, FAAAAI, and

> lead author of the updated practice parameter. " This will result in

> reduced health care costs, and a better quality of life for patients

> with sinusitis. "

>

> Sinusitis is an inflammation of one or more of the paranasal

> sinuses, and can be divided into acute, subacute, chronic and

> recurrent. The classifications are based on how long symptoms last,

> the specific sinus involved, or both. The updated classification is

> as follows:

>

>

> Acute sinusitis: symptoms for less than 4 weeks consisting of some

> or all of the following: persistent symptoms of an upper respiratory

> tract infection, purulent rhinorrhea, postnasal drainage, anosmia,

> nasal congestion, facial pain, headache, fever, cough, and purulent

> discharge.

> Subacute sinusitis: symptoms from four to eight weeks.

> Chronic sinusitis: symptoms for eight weeks or longer of varying

> severity consisting of the same symptoms as seen in acute sinusitis.

> In chronic sinusitis there should be abnormal findings on CT or MRI.

> Some patients with chronic sinusitis might present with vague or

> insidious symptoms.

> Recurrent sinusitis: three or more episodes of acute sinusitis per

> year. Patients with recurrent sinusitis might be infected by

> different organisms at different times.

> The two most common predisposing conditions to developing sinusitis

> are viral upper respiratory tract infections and allergic rhinitis.

> Allergic rhinitis is one of the most common chronic diseases,

> affecting up to 35.9 million Americans annually.

>

> The diagnosis of sinusitis is based on a combination of clinical

> history, physical examination, imaging studies, and/or laboratory

> tests. The Diagnosis and Management of Sinusitis: A Practice

> Parameter Update recommends:

>

>

> The diagnosis of acute sinusitis should be primarily based on the

> history and physical examination of the patient. Imaging techniques

> such as radiographs or CT scans are not necessary.

> Antibiotics should be withheld for 10 to 14 days, unless severe

> symptoms develop such as fever, facial pain or tenderness, or

> swelling around the eye.

> The primary therapy for acute bacterial sinusitis is antibiotics,

> but with increasing resistance to penicillin being reported,

> alternative antibiotics may be necessary.

> Referral to an allergist/immunologist, particularly for patients

> with chronic or recurrent sinusitis associated with certain

> conditions, and in patients who have undergone prior surgical

> procedures and continue to experience sinusitis.

> Surgery is a consideration only after medical therapy has failed.

> According to the practice parameter and the AAAAI, referral to an

> allergist/immunologist should be sought when:

>

>

> The patient suffers chronic, recurrent infectious or fungal

> rhinosinusitis.

> There is a need to clarify whether an allergic or immune deficiency

> condition is playing a role.

> If the sinusitis does not respond to the usual antibiotic treatment.

> If the sinusitis significantly affects performance and quality of

> life.

> The sinusitis co-exists with allergic rhinitis.

> Working with an allergist/immunologist, the best qualified medical

> professional trained to manage the prevention, diagnosis and

> treatment of sinusitis and other allergic diseases, will demonstrate

> improved outcomes and quality of life for people suffering from

> allergic disease.

>

>

> ###

> To find an allergist/immunologist in your area or to learn more

> about sinusitis, call the AAAAI Physician Referral and Information

> Line at (800) 822-2762 or visit the AAAAI Web site at www.aaaai.org.

>

> The Diagnosis and Management of Sinusitis: A Practice Parameter

> Update was developed by the Joint Task Force on Practice Parameters

> for Allergy & Immunology, a joint coalition of the American Academy

> of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI), the American College of

> Allergy, Asthma & Immunology's (ACAAI), and the Joint Council of

> Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (JCAAI). The AAAAI is the largest

> professional medical specialty organization in the United States

> representing allergists, asthma specialists, clinical immunologists,

> allied health professionals and others with a special interest in

> the research and treatment of allergic disease. Allergy/immunology

> specialists are pediatric or internal medicine physicians who have

> elected an additional two years of training to become specialized in

> the treatment of asthma, allergy and immunologic disease.

> Established in 1943, the AAAAI has more than 6,000 members in the

> United States, Canada and 60 other countries. The AAAAI serves as an

> advocate to the public by providing educational information through

> its Web site at www.aaaai.org.

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