Sinus Infection (Sinusitis) - WebMD

Sinusitis is an inflammation or swelling of the tissue lining the sinuses. Sinuses are hollow spaces within the bones between your eyes, ... MenuNewsReferenceSlideshowsQuizzesVideosMedicationsFindanAllergistOverview&FactsSymptoms&TypesDiagnosis&TestsTreatment&CareWhatIsSinusitis?Acutevs.ChronicSinusitisSinusitisHeadachesSinusitisandaColdStuffyEars&SinusitisAllergiesorCold?AllergyMapAllergyReliefAdvisorChildren'sAllergiesEyeAllergiesCold&FluMapSkinAllergiesFoodAllergiesAsthmaDrugInteractionCheckerSevereAllergiesMoreRelatedTopicsAllergiesA-ZAllergiesReferenceMenuMedicallyReviewedbyKumarShital, DOonJuly19,2020ArticlesOnSinusitis(SinusInfection)WhatIsSinusitis?Acutevs.ChronicSinusitisSinusitisHeadachesSinusitisandaColdStuffyEars&Sinusitis Sinusitisisaninflammationorswellingofthetissueliningthesinuses.Sinusesarehollowspaceswithinthebonesbetweenyoureyes,behindyourcheekbones,andinyourforehead.Theymakemucus,whichkeepstheinsideofyournosemoist.That,inturn,helpsprotectagainstdust,allergens,andpollutants.Healthysinusesarefilledwithair.Butwhentheybecomeblockedandfilledwithfluid,germscangrowandcauseaninfection.Conditionsthatcancausesinusblockageinclude:ThecommoncoldAllergicrhinitis,whichisswellingoftheliningofthenose causedbyallergensSmallgrowthsintheliningofthenosecallednasalpolypsAdeviatedseptum,whichisashiftinthenasalcavityTypesYoumayhearyourdoctorusetheseterms:Acutesinusitisusuallystartswithcold-likesymptomssuchasarunny,stuffynoseandfacialpain.Itmaystartsuddenlyandlast2to4weeks.Subacutesinusitus usuallylasts4to12weeks.Chronicsinusitussymptomslast12weeksorlonger.Recurrentsinusitishappensseveraltimesayear.WhoGetsIt?Lotsofpeople.About35millionAmericanshavesinusitisatleastonceeachyear.It’smorelikelyifyouhave:SwellinginsidethenoselikefromacommoncoldBlockeddrainageductsStructuraldifferencesthatnarrowthoseductsNasalpolypsImmunesystemdeficienciesormedicationsthatsuppresstheimmunesystemForchildren,thingsthatcancausesinusitisinclude:AllergiesIllnessesfromotherkidsatdaycareorschoolPacifiersBottledrinkingwhilelyingonthebackSmokeintheenvironmentThemainthingsthatmakesinusitismorelikelyforadultsareinfectionsandsmoking.AcuteSinusitisSymptomsThemainsignsinclude:Facialpainorpressure"Stuffed-up"noseRunnynoseLossofsmellCoughorcongestionYoumayalsohave:FeverBadbreathFatigueDentalpainItmaybeacutesinusitisifyouhavetwoormoresymptoms,orthick,green,oryellownasaldischarge.ChronicSinusitisSymptomsYoumayhavethesesymptomsfor12weeksormore:AfeelingofcongestionorfullnessinyourfaceAnasalobstructionornasalblockagePusinthenasalcavityFeverRunnynoseordiscoloredpostnasaldrainageYoumayalsohaveheadaches,badbreath,andtoothpain.Youmayfeeltiredalot.Lotsofthingscancausesymptomslikethese.You'llneedtoseeyourdoctortofindoutifyouhavesinusitis.TreatmentIfyouhaveasimplesinusinfection,yourdoctormayrecommendyouuseadecongestantandsalinenasalwashes.Youshouldn’tuseanover-the-counterdecongestant formorethan3days,though,becauseitcanmakeyoumorecongested.Youmaywanttotryanotherover-the-counteroption-abioelectricdevicethatemitsmicro-currentwaves. Thedeviceisplacedonthefaceandemitspainlessvibrations tohelpclearsinuscongestion.Ifyourdoctorgivesyouantibiotics,you’llprobablytakethemfor10to14days.Thesymptomsusuallydisappearwithtreatment.Warm,moistairmayhelpifyouhavechronicsinusitis.Youcanuseavaporizer,oryoucaninhalesteamfromapanofwarmwater.Makesurethewaterisn'ttoohot.Therearesomeotherthingsyoucandoyourselftohelpwithchronicsinusitis:Warmcompressescaneasepaininthenoseandsinuses.Drinkplentyoffluidstokeepmucusthin.Salinenosedropsaresafetouseathome.Over-the-counterdecongestantdropsorsprayscanhelp.Don’ttakethemlongerthanrecommended.Insomecases,yourdoctormayprescribesteroidsalongwithantibiotics.OtherOptionsYoualsoneedtoavoidanytriggerslinkedtoyoursinusitis. Ifyouhaveallergies,yourdoctormayrecommendanantihistamine.Ifafungusistoblame,you’llgetaprescriptionforanantifungalmedicine.Ifyouhavecertainimmunedeficiencies,yourdoctormaygiveyouimmunoglobulin,whichhelpsfightthethingsyourbodyreactsto.CanIPreventSinusitis?Thereisnosure-firewaytopreventsinusitis.Buttherearesomethingsthatmighthelp.Don’tsmoke,andavoidotherpeople'ssmoke.Washyourhandsoften,especiallyduringcoldandfluseason,andtrynottotouchyourface.Stayawayfromthingsyouknowyou’reallergicto.Talktoyourdoctortoseeifyouneedprescriptionmedicines,allergyshots,orotherformsofimmunotherapy.Ifyoursinusproblemskeepcomingback,askyourdoctorabouttheprosandconsofsurgerytocleananddrainthesinuses.WhatHappensifSinusitisIsn’tTreated?You’llhavepainanddiscomfortuntilitstartstoclearup.Inrarecases,untreatedsinusitiscanleadtomeningitis,abrainabscess,oraninfectionofthebone.Talktoyourdoctoraboutyourconcerns.NextInSinusitis(SinusInfection)Acutevs.ChronicSinusitisBestTreatmentsforAllergiesInsectStingAllergiesWhattoKnowAboutAllergyShotsHowAreAllergiesDiagnosed?HowtoExerciseOutsideWhenYouHaveAllergiesAreYouAllergictoYourClothes?Sinuses(HumanAnatomy):Function,Picture,Location,DefinitionSinusitisTreatment,Diagnosis,SymptomsWhenaColdBecomesaSinusInfectionAnOverviewofSinusitisIsItSinusitisorAllergies?DoIHaveSinusitis?IsItaColdoraSinusInfection?SinusInfectionTopics12NaturalWaystoDefeatAllergiesMakethesetweakstoyourdiet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