The following symptoms indicate the defeat of one or another sinus (sinus):
- Frontite - accompanied by pain in the forehead.
- Sinusitis - causes pain in the area of the upper jaw and teeth, soreness over the cheeks.
- Etmoiditis - is the cause of pain between the eyes and sometimes leads to swelling of the tissues around the eyes and loss of smell.
- Sphenoiditis - causes pain in the ears, in the neck and aching pain in the upper part of the head.
Most cases of acute sinusitis develop after a respiratory infection of the upper respiratory tract, often viral. Viral infection often causes mild inflammation of the sinus mucosa, which is resolved within two weeks. However, in some cases, there is a violation of the outflow of mucus from the paranasal sinuses, which becomes a favorable environment for secondary bacterial infection. In this stagnant mucus within the sinus, bacteria begin to multiply intensively, which are normally found in the nasal passages (usually Streptococcus pneumoniae or Haemophilus influenzae). Occasionally, the cause of sinusitis can be a fungal infection. Chronic sinusitis is more often caused by a combination of infection and an allergic component. Patients suffering from bronchial asthma or allergic rhinitis often have chronic inflammation of the paranasal sinuses. In such cases, the inflammation and swelling of the sinus mucosa develop in response to the action of the allergen (eg, pollen or house dust) or other irritant.
Diagnosis of sinusitis is not an easy task, since the symptoms in many respects correspond with manifestations of common cold and flu-like infections. Headaches can be mistaken for a symptom of sinusitis, when they can be a consequence of high blood pressure or migraine. The diagnosis is based on a detailed history of the disease and survey data, sometimes it is necessary to conduct special tests, such as endoscopic examination of sinuses or MR-imaging. Sinusitis is a fairly common disease. It is believed that 14% of the population suffers from various forms of sinusitis. More than 85% of people with colds have inflammation of the paranasal sinuses. The most often affected are the maxillary sinuses (located behind the zygomatic bone), followed by the inflammation of the ethmoidal sinuses (located between the eyes). Treatment of acute sinusitis consists in an attempt to restore the normal outflow of the discharge from the sinus, eliminate inflammation and alleviate pain.
Medication
Although the effectiveness of antibiotics in acute sinusitis remains controversial, most doctors still prescribe broad-spectrum drugs, sometimes for several weeks. Simple acute sinusitis usually responds well to such treatment in combination with decongestants for nasal or oral administration and inhalation. Nasal decongestants should not be used for more than four days, as it threatens the development of withdrawal syndrome with increased edema of the mucous membranes, but the end of the use of the drug. Inhalants effectively relieve symptoms and stimulate the drainage of the paranasal sinuses. Since the cause of chronic sinusitis is rarely an infection, antibiotics have limited application. The goal of treatment in this case is to avoid contact with irritants (for example, cigarette smoke) or allergens and to suppress inflammation by regular use of nasal steroid sprays.
Surgery
With ineffective drug therapy resort to surgical treatment; Operations are usually performed through endoscopic access. Most patients experience significant improvement after interventions. For the treatment of sinusitis, the following procedures are carried out:
- Straightening of the septum of the nose (bone-cartilaginous wall dividing the nasal cavity into two halves).
- Removal of excess tissues from the inside of the nose and creating a communication between the sinuses and the nasal cavity for effective drainage of the mucosal mucous membranes.
- Removal of sites of inflammatory-altered mucosa of sinuses.
- Children often manage to solve the problem of sinusitis by removing adenoids, which in case of inflammation and edema cause obstruction of the lawsuits.
In most cases, acute sinusitis is resolved without any treatment or against the background of the use of small doses of steroid inhalations. Chronic sinusitis is much more resistant to therapy, and in combination with an allergic component may require long-term treatment along with the exclusion of contact with allergens and irritants. Very rarely, inflammation of the paranasal sinuses can lead to more severe complications, for example, the spread of infection in the brain or eye until the obstruction of the blood vessels of the head. In addition, with the penetration of infection into surrounding tissues, it is possible to develop erosions in the bone surrounding the sine. Chronic sinusitis (as well as, for example, bronchial asthma) refers to diseases that need constant monitoring, since complete cure is unlikely; the patient should take simple measures to reduce symptoms. Many patients argue that the installation of a special apparatus in the house, moisturizing the air, greatly alleviates the symptoms of the disease, especially in apartments with central heating. In addition, the use of filters for air conditioning systems helps reduce the content in it of allergens and other irritants. In general, the patient feels better by avoiding contact with agents that cause allergic reactions, such as pollens and house dust. Excessive use of alcohol is unfavorable for a patient with chronic sinusitis, since alcohol has a diuretic effect, which leads to thickening of nasal mucus. Many allergy sufferers have reactions to yeast, sulphites and other components of wine.