Sinus Infection - Causes and Treatment

What is a sinus?

Sinus disease is a major health problem affecting more than 30 million people just across America. It is an inflammation or swelling of the tissue lining the sinuses. Healthy sinuses, are filled with air, but as they become blocked and get filled with fluid, germs can grow and cause a severe infection.

Commonly there are four pairs of these cavities each referred to as the:

1.       Frontal Sinus (in Forehead),

2.       Maxillary Sinus (behind Cheeks),

3.       Ethmoid Sinuses (between the Eyes), and

4.       Sphenoid Sinus (deep behind the Ethmoids).

People who have allergies, asthma, structural blockages in the nose or sinuses, or people with weak immune systems are at greater risk.

Causes

Common causes of chronic sinusitis include:

·         Nasal Polyps — These are soft, painless, noncancerous growths on the inner layer of your nasal passages or sinuses.

·         Deviated nasal septum — A deviated nasal septum happens when the thin nasal septum between your nasal passages is moved to one side.

·         Respiratory tract infections (RTIs) — Infections in your respiratory tract, commonly caused due to cold, this can inflame and thicken your sinus membranes and block mucus drainage. One need to be extra careful as these infections are viral, bacterial or fungal.

·         Allergies such as hay fever — Certain types of soreness or irritation caused due to allergies can block your sinuses.

Common Symptoms

o   Nasal stuffiness or congestion

o   Postnasal drip

o   Tenderness of the face (under the eyes or at the bridge of the nose)

o   Bad breath

o   Frontal headaches

o   Discolored nasal discharge

o   Coughing

o   Pain in the teeth

o   Fever

o   Fatigue

o    

Other Common Risk Factors

You're at higher risk of getting infected by chronic or frequent sinusitis if you have:

o   Abnormality in the nasal passage

o   Asthma - highly linked to chronic sinusitis

o   Aspirin sensitivity

o   An immune system disorder

o   Hay fever or another allergic condition

o   Regular exposure to pollutants or smoking

Diagnosis

Primary assessment to diagnose sinus, your doctor will feel for tenderness in your nose & face and look inside your nose.

Other methods for diagnosing chronic sinusitis include:

·         Nasal endoscopy or Rhinoscopy.

·         Imaging studies - CT scan or MRI

·         Nasal and sinus cultures

·         An allergy test

Treatment

The objective of treating chronic sinusitis is to:

Ø  Reduce sinus inflammation

Ø  Maintain your nasal passages draining

Ø  Remove or reduce the common causes

Ø  Lessen the number of sinusitis flare-up

Sinus Infection treatments include:

·         Saline nasal irrigation

·         Nasal corticosteroids.

·         Oral or injected corticosteroids.

·         Aspirin desensitization treatment

·         Antibiotics

·         Immunotherapy

·         Endoscopic sinus surgery