Sinusitis is a very common disease and is not usually serious, although it is quite uncomfortable due to the general discomfort caused by its symptoms in those who suffer from it. An ailment that if repeated continuously becomes chronic, with several preventive measures needed to be taken to prevent it or at least achieve minimization of its effects.
Diagnosis requires a series of tests and examinations ranging from a physical examination of the area to see if there is inflammation to rhinoscopies, MRIs, or CT scans. Being well informed about what sinusitis is, its causes, symptoms, and treatments are also an excellent starting point to prevent it, avoid it, and seek a good medical diagnosis in case it becomes chronic.
What Is Sinusitis?
Sinusitis is an inflammation of the sinus mucosa, i.e. the mucosa of the sinnasal sinuses. A situation that causes difficulties and discomfort to breathe in the affected people and that usually has the effects of a fungus, virus, bacteria, or an allergy.
The area of the sinuses are small air-filled holes through which it circulates freely. These breasts, divided into frontals, ethmodils, and maxillaries, are blocked by inflammation, and may even spread to the mucosa of the nasal cavity, in addition to passing to the eyes and middle ear.
Sinusitis can recur and become chronic, leading to a decrease in the quality of life of those affected.
Causes
In addition to having as its main cause a viral, bacterial, or fungicide infection, sinusitis can also be a reaction of the patient’s immune system. Causes also added to several risk factors, including:
Smoking: both being an active and passive smoker are risk factors, predisposing to this disease due to the harmful effects of tobacco.
- Cold and ambient humidity.
- Environmental pollution.
- Working with exposure to smoke or toxins that irritate the mucous membranes.
- Malformations, tumors, or growths: Deviations of the nasal septum, nasal bone spurs, nasal polyps, lack of development of the paranasal sinuses or adenoid hypertrophy.
- Allergies and asthma associated with chronic sinusitis.
- A fragile immune system and associated with HIV diseases or aggressive treatments such as chemotherapy.
- Because of atmospheric pressure or gravity when flying, scuba diving, mountaineering, etc.
- And diseases such as cystic fibrosis or vasculitis.
Symptoms of Sinusitis
Sinusitis can be acute if symptoms are present for about four weeks or less and are associated with a viral, or chronic infection when the paranasal sinuses remain inflamed for more than 4 weeks. The main symptoms of sinusitis are:
– Nasal discharge and congestion.
– Headache.
– Pain and continuous pressure in the area behind the eyes and the maxillofacial area.
– Feeling of tiredness
– Fever.
– Total or partial loss of smell
– Cough.
– Sore throat.
The symptoms are identical in both sinusitis, although they are usually somewhat milder in the case of chronic sinusitis. Other complications such as meningitis, osteomyelitis, skin infections in the face, or abscesses may also occur. It is important to go to the specialist if there is a fever, strong headache or you do not notice improvement after following an antibiotic treatment.
Prevention
One of the ways to prevent sinusitis is to reduce or eliminate contact with any type of pollutant, smoke, or toxic, as well as to maintain good hygiene of the sinus routes. Other tips that can be effective are to increase water consumption and place a humidifier at home to maintain moisture, as well as resorting to nasal decongestants to treat upper-rise infections.
In the case of having any allergy, it will be important to be attentive to any symptoms and treat them quickly to avoid complications.
Treatments for Sinusitis
Treatments are often always symptomatic, that is, aimed at treating symptoms to improve the patient’s situation. Thus, it will be important to resort to painkillers to cope with the smell, nasal washes with saline solutions, and nasal decongestants to palliative the effects of congestion.
Systemic antibiotics, such as amoxicillin, are also used, to treat acute sinusitis and when there are other risk symptoms such as fever, mucus, and pain. In chronic sinusitis, intranasal corticoids, and nasal washings with saline solutions are usually used to eliminate mucus.
Preventive treatment will be equally useful in reducing the effects of sinus congestion. The following guidelines for prevention and care for sinusitis include:
- Drink water to stay well hydrated.
- Make steam inhalations so that the sinus roads are clean.
- Use humidifiers to keep fighting the dry environment.
- Use nasal decongestants.
- Apply warm, wet cloths to reduce inflammation.
Also, in the case of chronic sinusitis, and if the treatments are effective for us, it may require treatment with nasal endoscopic surgery.