Ever come across that splitting headache that rips your skull apart? Redness of the nasal cavities that don’t let you breathe and throat congestion that chokes the voice out of you- these are only a few manifestations of the ailment called sinusitis.
Sinusitis is an infection or inflammation of the air cavities within the passage of the nose. In India, there are more than 10 million cases per year. It is quite a painful ailment. Hence, its best to nip it in the bud by paying attention to the early warning signs.
Broadly speaking, there are two types of sinusitis. These are the Infected type, which is caused mostly due to bacterial infection and due to fungal infection on rare occasions. The other type is the non-infected sinusitis, which is mostly due to viral infection, allergic disorder, and chemical substances.
SYMPTOMS & SIGNS:
How to recognize if you are suffering from sinusitis? Well, the illness is characterized by symptoms like facial pain, nasal congestion, throbbing headache, throat irritation, fever and mucopurulent discharge from the nose. Besides, these may also be accompanied by toothache, earache, bad breath, fatigue sneezing, running nose and pus-filled discharges from nasal passages.
What causes Sinusitis? While there are many causes, the primary ones among them area allergy, smoking, snorting cocaine, overuse of nasal spray, tumors and dry medication in excess (antihistamine). It is diagnosed based on the complaints of the patient and also depending on the duration of the complaints. CT Scan is recommended for chronic sinusitis. Besides, nasal endoscopy and tissue sample for histopathology also serve as diagnosis measures.
TREATMENT:
How is sinusitis treated? It varies depending on the source of the infection. If it is viral, then it should last for 5-7 days. In such cases, only symptomatic treatment is required. For bacterial infection, treatment is usually started with first line of Amoxicillin for 7 days. If there is no improvement, then second line drugs should be used like Amoxy-clavulinic acid. Other commonly used drugs are the Flouroquinol, Macrolide and Tetracycline groups. You can also ask a doctor online for immediate advice.
SURGERY:
This applies to recurring and chronic sinusitis cases, particularly for those patients who do not respond to antibiotic and other modes of treatment.
The following types of surgery are performed for sinusitis:
- Maxillary antral washout
- FESS
- Balloon sinuplasty
So, how do we prevent sinusitis rather than dealing with it in its full-blown phase? One needs to maintain good hygiene, especially ensuring proper hand washing habits. Avoid smoking, not sharing utensils or personal belongings like towel with others and ensuring plenty of fluid intake to keep nasal secretion thin.
It is important to understand the importance sinusitis. This is because if it is not treated properly then it can give rise to complications like meningitis, brain abscess, orbital cellulites and more.
So, say goodbye to sinusitis and lead a productive life!
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