Overview Of Sinusitis
When the sinuses become infected or inflamed, this is often termed sinusitis. The sinuses are located within the cheeks, forehead, and around the eyes. These are linked together, then run through the nose and throat, via the Ostia. The function of the sinuses is to moisten the inhaled air before it hits the lungs, while also ensuring that dirt and other types of pollutants do not get breathed in through trapping these in the mucus.
Why Sinusitis Happens
The main reason why sinusitis happens is that there is too much mucus in the sinuses, which then causes the channels to become more narrow. The reasons for mucus increasing can be due to allergies, colds, getting an irritation in the sinuses such as chlorine, and there can be bacteria present. When bacteria are present, often the person has pain and fever. When the sinuses are infected, the person will find that their mucus is yellow or green.
Symptoms
The symptoms often associated with sinusitis include:
- The nose is stuffy, feeling blocked
- There can be pain in the face, especially if the person leans forward
- Headache
- Teeth may ache
- Mucus is yellow or green in color
- Cannot smell or taste
- The face may swell
- Feeling unwell
- Having a cough
The Risk Factors
There are certain people who are going to be more prone to have sinusitis, and these include:
- Those who frequently have colds
- Cigarette smoke
- Using nasal sprays for more than two to three days at a time
- There are structural issues with the nose
- Having polyps in the nose
- Dental disease
Treating Sinusitis
Treating sinusitis is often thought to use decongestants or nasal sprays, but this can actually make the symptoms worse and cause more swelling in the face. Instead, a person should:
- Inhale steam
- Use a warm compress on the face, focusing on the bridge of the nose
- Utilizing over the counter pain medication
For those who have severe or persistent issues, then the removal of mucus via surgery is an option. For those who do have this, it is important to see if there is anything that you can do in order to limit this happening such as checking for allergies, dental issues or the like that could be causing this.
Visiting Your GP
If your symptoms are minor and you are feeling healthier, you don’t generally have to see your doctor and can treat yourself at home.
Speak to your doctor if:
- Your symptoms are serious or you are feeling worse
- You haven’t gotten better within ten days
- You experience occurrences of sinusitis regularly
Your doctor will generally be able to detect sinusitis based on your symptoms and by observing your nose.