What is Sinusitis?

    When the mucous membrane becomes inflamed, blocking drainage of sinus fluid to the nose and throat, causing pain and sinus pressure. Bacteria and fungi grow in the sinuses are most likely unable to drain properly.

     Sinuses become blocked during viral infection like cold, producing a sinus infection is inflammation and as a result. The difference between cold and sinusitis, is that accompanying cold symptoms, including runny nose, begin to improve after 5-7 days.Symptoms attributed to sinusitis last longer and gets worse after 7 days.

There are two types of sinusitis: acute (sudden onset) and chronic (long term). If chronic sinusitis symptoms do not disappear completely, always maintaining mild symptoms.

   Sinusitis is most often the result of viral infection, causing inflammation of mucous membranes inside the nasal lining:

-  When the mucous membrane becomes inflamed, blocking the drainage of fluid from the sinuses to the nose or throat

- Mucus and fluid buildup in the sinuses, causing pressure and pain

- Bacteria have a development environment in the sinuses are not draining properly, bacterial infection of the sinuses often cause more inflammation than pain.

While colds triggers this condition, any factor that causes inflammation of the mucous membrane, can cause sinusitis. Many people allergic rhinitis (Nasal allergies) shows the most likely chronic sinusitis with repeated episodes of acute sinusitis. Nasal polyps, Corpus foreign (frequently in children), structural disorders of the nose, like a deviated septum and other diseases can obstruction nasal passages, increasing the risk of developing sinusitis.

Fungal infections can also cause, sinusitis. They are more common in children with defective immune systems. Fungal sinusitis tend to be chronic and more difficult to treat than bacterial.

Pain and pressure in the face with feeling full of runny or stuffy nose are the most common symptoms. One can notice the appearance of yellow or green nasal secretions. Bending or moving your head often can enlarge facial pain and pressure.

Location of pain or sensitivity depends on the sinus affected:

- Pain in the cheeks and incisors is often caused by maxillary sinus inflammation

- Pain in the forehead above the eyebrows, may be caused by frontal sinus inflammation

- Retroocular pain (behind the eyes), the crown of the head or in both temples may be caused by inflammation of the sphenoid sinus

- Retroocular pain around the orbit or ethmoid sinus is caused by inflammation.

Other common symptoms of sinusitis include:

- Headache

- Yellowish or greenish secretions from the nose is leaking from the back of the neck

- Halitosis (Breath), foul-smelling

- Productive cough mucous

- Fever

- Dental pain

- Reduction of taste or olfactory sensation.

Acute sinusitis (Sudden onset) is usually caused by a viral infection and often develops rapidly. Usually lasts 4 weeks or less, and symptoms tend to disappear in a week without treatment. Acute sinusitis caused by bacterial infection is less likely to heal by itself and can lead to chronic sinusitis or to complications from the infection spreads away from the sinuses. Nasal secretions containing pus and that worsens after 5 days or persists for more than 10 days, is a pretty strong argument for acute sinusitis caused by bacterial infection.

   Chronic sinusitis is usually caused by a bacterial or fungal infection. This infection can be difficult to treat. If chronic sinusitis is not cured by the use of two different antibiotics, may consult their doctor about the need for surgery or allergy testing. Chronic sinusitis can lead to permanent changes of mucous membrane that lines the sinuses and prone to recurrent sinusitis.

Symptoms of sinusitis in children include: cough, Runny nose that persists for longer than 7-10 days, cephalalgia and facial pain. Many children older than 2 years with chronic sinusitis, allergies and ear infections can present (ear inflammation) frequently. Some vaccines, particularly antipneumococcic conjugate vaccine (VCP) and influnzae vaccine for Haemophilus type b (Hib), may help in preventing otitis and sinusitis.

   Other conditions with symptoms similar to sinusitis include allergies, dental pain, colds and other upper airway infections. However, if cold recur or worsen after 7 days, sinusitis is more likely than colds or other infections of the upper air ways.

   There are two types of sinusitis: acute (sudden onset) or chronic (long term). Sinusitis occur most often after a cold or a viral infection. Most sinusitis heal, but sometimes develop bacterial infection - swelling, inflammation and mucus production caused by colds, can cause obstruct nasal passages, which encourages bacterial growth.

   Acute sinusitis, both viral and bacterial infections can become chronic if it persists for 3-8 weeks. Chronic sinusitis can cause permanent changes in the mucous membrane lining the sinuses. As a result of this reshuffle, the patient may become more prone to recurrent sinusitis, which makes it hard to treat.

Complications of sinusitis (such as facial bone infection called osteomyelitis and) are relatively rare. However, when complications occur, they can be life-threatening and often require advanced medical treatment or surgery.

Acute sinusitis, both viral and bacterial infections can become chronic if it persists for 3-8 weeks. Chronic sinusitis can cause permanent changes in the mucous membrane lining the sinuses. As a result of this reshuffle, the patient may become more prone to recurrent sinusitis, which makes it hard to treat.

Complications of sinusitis (such as facial bone infection known as osteomyelitis) are relatively rare. However, when complications occur, they can be life-threatening and often require advanced medical treatment or surgery.

Risk of developing sinusitis increases if this was a cold recently, other viral or bacterial infection or an infection of the upper air way. Also, allergic rhinitis can lead to chronic sinusitis.

Sometimes a deviated sept, broken nose, nasal polyps and tumors that favor sinusitis. Diseases of the nose structure may prevent proper drainage of mucus from the sinuses into the nose.

Other factors that increase the risk of sinusitis include smoking pollution, excessive use of decongestant sprays, cold, sudden changes of pressure (such as during flight or scuba diving), swimming in contaminated water. Additionally, the use of continuous positive air pressure (PPCA) to treat sleep apnea may increase the risk of sinusitis.

It appeals to specialist medical advice if symptoms of sinusitis do not improve after two days of outpatient treatment and if symptoms are present:

- Facial pain or incisors

- Pain that extends from the lower eyelids nasal pyramid

- Headache not improves after taking acetaminophen (Tylenol) or aspirin.

It addresses the family doctor if after 3 or 4 days of outpatient treatment are symptoms that persist:

- Fever over 101 F (38.3 C) or higher

- Runny nose to begin to reduce the amount and later become thick and discolored (yellow or green)

- Epistaxisuri repeated (nosebleeds).

It is also necessary medical advice if:

- Cold symptoms persist for more than 10 days or worsen after 7 days

- If this one is easy on the face chronic pain that lasts more than a month, which has changed its character has not been evaluated by a physician.

- Facial pain or incisors

- Pain that extends from the lower eyelids nasal pyramid

- Headache is not relieved after taking acetaminophen (Tylenol) or aspirin.

It addresses the family doctor if after 3 or 4 days of outpatient treatment are symptoms that persist:

- Fever over 101 F (38.3 C) or higher

- Runny nose to begin to reduce the amount and later become thick and discolored (yellow or green)

- Epistaxisuri repeated (nosebleeds).

It is also necessary medical advice if:

- Cold symptoms persist for more than 10 days or worsen after 7 days

- If this one is easy on the face chronic pain that lasts more than a month, which has changed its character has not been evaluated by a physician.

Investigation

Diagnosis of sinusitis is usually based on history and physical examination. A detailed history of the disease can often be more useful for diagnosis than the patient's physical examination. If symptoms and signs found are typical for sinusitis, other tests are not usually needed.

Additional tests may be conducted if:

- Diagnosis is not clear

- Antibiotics failed to treat disease

- Complications (e.g. osteomyelitis) are suspected

- Surgery is considered.

Imaging tests may be used when symptoms persist or are recurrent sinusitis despite treatment or when the suspected tumor or other proliferate lesions that cause the common epistaxisurilor:

- computed tomography (CT) head and neck: structure provides detailed images of the sinuses, CT scans may help in evaluating chronic sinusitis and to identify likely complications of sinusitis or exclusion of other diseases, this investigation is used to diagnose acute sinusitis

- sinus radiography: can be performed to confirm suspected cases of sinusitis, an X-ray examination made a picture of dense tissues inside the body, however, a CT scan provides more accurate information.

Sometimes, other tests may be performed by an ENT specialist or by an allergist. These investigations include:

- Endoscope examination of sinus (nasal endoscope) nasal endoscope using a light source tool called endoscope to view structures inside your nose and sinus cavities, nasal endoscope is used to evaluate chronic sinusitis

- Puncture with fine needle aspiration of sinus contents: which will be followed by a culture of nasal secretions obtained to detect bacteria or fungi that cause disease?

- scanning magnetic resonance (NMR): An MRI examination should be performed if there is reason to suspect that the infection has spread away from the sinuses, may be useful to detect formations or tumors within the nasal passages or sinuses.