Mr. Phan Van Luan (68 years old, in Hanoi) came to Central Military Hospital 108 in a state of prolonged runny nose, continuous sneezing, nasal congestion and severe pain in the face area. Worried about the persistent disease, he said that it is necessary to use nasal spray daily to control the symptoms.
Previously, the patient had self-medicated with many types of nasal sprays and oral medication for a long time, but the disease still recurred many times. Prolonged nasal congestion makes the body tired, sleep is affected and daily activities encounter many difficulties.
After clinical examination and otolaryngology, Dr. Nguyen Viet Hai - Department of Otolaryngology, Central Military Hospital 108 - determined that the patient had sinusitis on the background of prolonged allergic rhinitis.
According to Dr. Hai, allergic rhinitis is often manifested by symptoms such as continuous sneezing, clear runny nose, stuffy nose, itchy nose or sore throat. If not well controlled, the nasal mucosa will be swollen for a long time, causing blockage of sinus openings, causing secretions to stagnate and creating conditions for sinusitis to develop.
The doctor explained that not every case depends on drugs, especially drugs containing corticosteroids. To control the disease effectively, patients need to clean their nose with physiological saline, keep the nose and throat area warm when the weather changes, limit exposure to dust, cigarette smoke and allergens, and maintain a clean living environment and have regular check-ups according to the doctor's instructions.
According to experts, nasal sprays containing corticosteroids are an effective and relatively safe treatment if used as prescribed. However, prolonged self-abuse of the drug can cause nasal dryness, nosebleeds, thinning of mucous membranes or ulcers in the nasal area.
More worryingly, oral corticosteroids, if used for a long time without specialized monitoring, can cause water retention, facial edema, disorders of fat distribution in the body and many other systemic side effects.
Doctors recommend that when signs such as prolonged nasal congestion, repeated runny nose, facial pain or reduced ability to smell appear, patients should go to specialized Ear, Nose and Throat facilities for examination, determination of cause and appropriate treatment, avoiding self-abuse of drugs that affect health.
