Sinusitis - Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Sinusitis is the medical term for inflammation (irritation and swelling) of the sinuses. It's usually caused by infection. Sinusitis simply means your sinuses are infected or inflamed, but this gives little indication of the misery and pain this condition can cause. The sinuses are cavities or air spaces in the skull which help to reduce the weight. of the head and make the voice more resonant. They connect through small openings into the nasal passages,and normally their mucous linings produce a secretion which silently drains away through the nasal passages.

A person with bacterial sinusitis usually will have more facial pain and swelling than someone with viral sinusitis, and he or she may also develop a fever. Your doctor also may use x-rays of your sinuses or obtain a sample of your nasal discharge to test for bacteria. Chronic sinusitis is a complicated spectrum of diseases that share chronic inflammation of the sinuses in common. Chronic sinusitis is a complicated spectrum of diseases that share chronic inflammation of the sinuses in common. Tiny hairs called cilia (say: "sill-ee-ah") sweep mucus out of your sinuses so it can drain out through your nose. When a mucous membrane becomes inflamed, it swells, blocking the drainage of fluid from the sinuses into the nose and throat, which causes pressure and pain in the sinuses.

Sinuses are the moist air spaces within the bones of the face around the nose. Diagnosis of acute sinusitis usually is based on a physical examination and a discussion of your symptoms. The sinuses may become chronically infected, with thickening of the linings and sometimes production of pus. Common symptoms arc nasal congestion, cough, postnasal drip, sometimes with headache (which is not as prominent a symptom as commonly believed).

Causes of Sinusitis

The most causes of Sinusitis include the following :

• The mucous membrane swells when it becomes inflamed, blocking the drainage of fluid from the sinuses into the nose and throat.
• Bacteria are more likely to grow in sinuses that are unable to drain properly. Bacterial infection in the sinuses often causes more inflammation and pain.
• Most cases of acute sinusitis start with a common cold, which is caused by a virus.
• Sometimes, fungal infections can cause acute sinusitis.
• Chronic inflammation of the nasal passages also can lead to sinusitis.
• If you are allergic to airborne allergens, such as house dust mites, mold, and pollen, which trigger allergic rhinitis, you may develop chronic sinusitis.

Symptoms of sinusitis

Some sign and symptoms related to sinusitis are as follows :

• Mucus discharge from the nose (this can occur with both viral and bacterial sinusitis but continuous thick discharge is more likely to be from bacterial sinusitis)
• A headache when you wake up in the morning or when bending over
• Pain when your forehead over the frontal sinuses is touched may mean that your frontal sinuses are inflamed.
• Infection in the sphenoid sinuses can cause earaches, neck pain, and deep aching at the top of your head, although these sinuses are less frequently affected.
• Pain around or behind the eyes is caused by ethmoid sinus inflammation.
• A cold that starts to get better and then gets worse may be a sign of acute sinusitis.
• A stuffy nose
• fever
• Tiredness
• A cough that may be more severe at night

Treatment of sinusitis

Treatment methods of sinusitis are as follows :

• Prevent the formation of scar tissue, and avoid permanent damage to the tissues lining the nose and sinuses.
• Improve drainage of mucus and reduce swelling in the sinuses.
• Medications most often used to treat sinusitis.
• Antibiotics , such as amoxicillin, which kill bacteria.
• Corticosteroids , such as beclomethasone dipropionate or prednisone, which reduce inflammation in the nasal passages.
• Apply moist heat by holding a warm, wet towel against your face or breathing in steam through a cloth or towel.
• Don't use a nose spray with a decongestant in it for more than 3 days.
• Decongestants to reduce congestion
• Surgery should be considered only if medical treatment fails or if there is a nasal obstruction that cannot be corrected with medications.