Do I Have A Sinus Infection? How To Recognize Sinusitis

Sinusitis is among the most commonly diagnosed conditions across the world. In fact a lot of researchers have raised concern that it might be being over-diagnosed. The main reason for this is that the clinical presentation of sinusitis can mimic some other commonly found conditions, lasts for as short a few days to months on end and may not always be recognizable through microbial cultures.

What Is Sinusitis?

Sinusitis is an inflammatory condition which affects one or more paranasal sinuses. It is classified as acute, sub acute or chronic depending upon the duration of the symptoms. There is also a class known as recurrent sinusitis in which the patient suffers from multiple episodes (three or more) of acute sinusitis within a year.

Our sinuses are normally filled with air, but become filled with mucus and micro-organisms during bouts of sinusitis. There is a lining within the sinuses which is responsible for mucus production and this performs important functions like lubrication and immune protection under normal circumstances. Once inflamed, however this lining goes into over drive and starts producing more mucus than can be naturally cleared from the sinuses leading to a blockage of the sinuses and providing a favorable atmosphere for the micro organisms to thrive in. This is what leads to the various symptoms associated with sinusitis.

READ The Difference Between A Cold And A Sinus Infection

Symptoms Of Sinusitis

1. Pain: A characteristic dull kind of pain around the areas of the nose, eyes and even teeth is seen in sinusitis. The location of this pain corresponds with the anatomic location of the sinuses. A history of sinus pain should be told to the dentist so that it is taken into account while arriving to a diagnosis for dental pain.

2. Discharge: The over production of mucus leads to a constant discharge from the sinuses. This can either flow through the nose, causing you to blow it in an attempt to clear it often, or it can flow down the back of your throat. This is called as a post nasal drip and causes a feeling of discomfort, coughing and even apnea during sleeping.

3. Pressure: The sinuses which are normally empty are filled with mucus. This leads to feeling of heaviness and pressure. Some of the things that you might notice are pain on moving your head suddenly, a feeling of tiredness by the end of the day and a deep sleep which seems to be immediate in onset.

4. Congestion: Since your sinuses will be clogged with mucus, patients often find it difficult to breathe through their nose. It also affects their sense of smell and taste over a period of time.

5. Cough: This is due to the mucus dripping down the back of the patient’s throat. It is usually more severe during the night since the head position is laid back, however coughing fits are seen during the day time as well.

 6. Bad breath: The mucus that is constantly flowing down the back of the throat and into the oral cavity can lead to a bad odor from the mouth. There is also a change in the normal microflora seen in the mouth from one associated with health to one associated with bad breath and periodontal disease.

Causes, Diagnosis And Treatment of Sinusitis

What Conditions Lead To Sinsutis?

Inflammation of the sinuses can be caused by a wide variety of reasons. The most common among them are:

1. The common cold, a viral infection.
2. Anatomically small pathways for clearing of the mucus, leading to a build up.
3. Allergic reactions leading to an overactive mucus production from the sinus membrane.
4. The presence of a nasal polyp. A nasal polyp is an overgrowth of the sinus membrane in response to irritants present or due to a hyperactive immune response to normal stimuli.
5. A compromised immune system due to the presence of an autoimmune disease, systemic infection or nutritional deficiency will make you more prone to develop sinusitis.
6. People who smoke are also much more likely to suffer from sinusitis since irritants from the smoke are directly inhaled through the sinuses.

Sinusitis: Diagnosis And Treatment

The diagnosis of sinusitis is made most often on the basis of a detailed history and clinical examination alone. Some time however, the doctor may choose to order some radiographs or culture tests if they might prove beneficial in treatment planning.

There are a number of treatment options for Sinusitis and doctors will usually start with the most conservative and least invasive ones.

1. Decongestants: The first line of treatment in cases of acute sinusitis is the use of over the counter decongestants. These can help alleviate the symptoms in cases of simple sinus infection.

 2. Anti-allergic medication: The use of H2 blockers for anti allergic medication is also a common first choice drug. If the mucus being produced is clear and watery in nature then it is likely to be an allergic condition however if it is greenish and thick in nature then a bacterial origin is much more likely.

 3. Antibiotics: A curse of antibiotics lasting from 10-14 days is the most effective way of dealing with a sinus infection. Under most circumstances there is no need to do a culture sensitivity test, however if the patient does not respond to treatment, then doctors can opt for one to check for drug resistant organisms.

 4. Lifestyle changes like quitting smoking might have to be made by patients suffering from chronic or recurrent sinusitis alongside the other treatment modalities being administered to them.

 5. Surgery: Surgery might be necessary in certain cases where the presence of a structural or anatomic abnormality has been detected. This could include a widening of the sinus opening so that non dependent drainage can take place without any trouble. A surgery might also be necessary for reduction of the swollen nasal tissues that might be causing an obstruction to the sinus clearance.

READ Help For Sinus Pain, Pressure, And Headaches

A procedure to clear the sinus of a polyp if present may also need to be done. This procedure in particular is very technique sensitive and has a high rate of recurrence because even a small portion of the lining left behind can give rise to a full blown polyp.