Sinusitis, the sinus infection, signs and symptoms. What is the treatment for most sinus infections and what other conditions can it lead to?
Sinusitis is the inflammation or irritation of the sinuses caused by a bacteria that invades the sinus cavity. Your sinuses are located across your forehead, under your eyes in your cheeks. These areas are called maxillary and ethmoid sinuses.
Often a sinus infection or sinusitis is mistaken as being a cold, since the symptoms are so much alike. If a cold lasts longer than a week, more than likely you have developed a sinus infection. When pressure is applied to these areas of the face the patient will experience discomfort when they have sinusitis.
Signs and Symptoms:
Having cold symptoms lasting longer than a week. Sore throat, stuffiness, nasal congestion, pressure or pain in the face, feeling as though your teeth hurt without visible signs of a tooth infection or abscess, fever, yellow to green nasal discharge, watery eyes, headache that runs across your forehead, dizziness, fullness in head and at times photosensitivity.
Causes:
There are many possible causes for sinus infections they are but not limited to, bacteria invading after a person has a viral infection from cold or flu, allergies, polyps, cysts, other inhaled irritants, some substance abusers will developed chronic sinusitis from sniffing what ever substance they use, and persons with decreased immunity problems.
Treatment:
Depending on the severity of the complaints many different medications may be given. Antibiotics will be given for the duration of two weeks, and very important that all of the medication is taken or the sinusitis will return, and a new regime of medication will have to be given. Steroidal nasal inhalers may be prescribed, or a saline nasal spray. He or She may give you a decongestant to help drain the sinuses and relieve some of the pressure. Tylenol or Advil is used for pain; if the pain is severe the physician may order Tylenol with Codiene for a short duration.
Warning, taking over the counter nasal sprays can become addictive and cannot be used for more than 3 days or you have what is called a rebound effect. It causes the exact opposite of what you are trying to achieve. Again do not take over the counter nasal sprays for more than 3 days unless your physician has instructed you to do so. There are also herbal remedies, depending if you use convention or herbal therapy. It is not recommended to wait longer than 10 days before seeking medical attention. The complications can become severe enough to spread the infection into the fluid around the brain causing a stroke of the brain. However this condition is rare, but it does occur.
If this treatment does not work for you and the infection does not subside, your physician will refer you to an ENT specialist. It is possible that polyps or sinus cysts are present and need removed or treated.
This should not be mistaken for full medical advice: please contact your physician if you feel you are suffering from sinsusitis.
