Sinusitis is caused by the inflammation of the paranasal sinuses which resulted from bacterial, fungal, or viral infection or autoimmune issues. They are classified as follows: a) Maxillary sinusitis – pain or pressure in the cheek area; b) Frontal sinusitis – pain or pressure that is located either behind or above the eyes; c) Ethmoid sinusitis – ain or pressure located between or behind the eyes and sometimes patient will experience headache; d) Sphenoid sinusitis – pain or pressure often located at the apex of the head.
Studies show that it often occurs as the patient experience a respiratory tract disease that is often linked to asthma. It is a result of having an inflamed airway.
Sinusitis can either be acute, sub-acute, or chronic. They all have similar symptoms. Acute sinusitis is usually caused by upper respiratory tract infection. This will last less than four weeks. Chronic sinusitis is usually caused by allergy, dust or pollution, and bacterial infection. This will last more than three months. In addition, some medical practitioners had misdiagnosed most sinus headaches as migraines since they almost have the same symptoms. Patients who had experience nasal blocking results to migraine headaches thus creating a misdiagnosis. Some physicians had also found out that patients experiencing sinus headaches responds to migraine medications and are normally dissatisfied with sinus treatment such as decongestants or antibiotics.
Symptoms for these bacterial infections usually start with a headache or facial pain or feeling a constant pressure over the affected sinuses. Secondly, the patient might experience nasal congestion, night-time coughing, general malaise, green or yellow mucus discharge; dizziness and halitosis. Sometimes, patients’ ability to smell or detect odors is reduced. Because sinuses are nearer to the brain, complication of sinuses is dangerous. Abscesses or meningitis or other severe conditions may result.
If you have these kinds of symptoms, consult your physician right away before this condition worsens. Almost all types of sinusitis can be treated. Therefore prescription of medicines is easy. There are also over the counter medication that can help you relieve symptoms that is associated with sinusitis like headache. Secondly, since approximately all cases of sinusitis are viral etiology there’s no need for prescribing antibiotics. But in the event that prolonged symptoms are experienced, then antibiotics shall be given.
If you are worried of the side effects that resulted due to prescribed medicines or antibiotics, there are natural medicines that are available in the market. Natural nasal sprays are highly recommended by health physicians. This contains turmeric oil, tea tree oil, and capsaicin. They were clinically proven to have anti-allergenic, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, decongestant and expectorant properties.
For patients who experiences persistent sinusitis, you must consult an otolaryngologist for assessment and treatment. If the otolaryngologist finds out that you don’t get relief from optimal medication, then nasal surgery is advised. This type of surgery is called Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery. This is done by clearing the sinuses through removing the anatomical and pathological unhelpful variations that influences sinusitis. Another treatment that had been recently developed is Balloon Sinuplasty. This technique is used to clear the arteries of the heart which will operate the balloons to increase the openings of the sinuses.
