Categories of Sinus Infection and Ways to Treat It

Sinus pressure is quite common if you suffer from allergies or a cold. This results in blockage of nasal passage, so when the sinuses cannot drain, it causes inflammation. The sinus specialist suggests that the pain you feel in your head, face, and nose is also caused by this presssure. Sinus infection, also called sinusitis, affects at least 16% of the adult population annually. This is mainly caused by viruses, fungus, bacteria, or is a result of some kind of allergy. Everyone has four pairs of sinuses, one located in your cheeks, one in your forehead, and the other two between your eyes and across your nose and back. Acute sinusitis treatments vary from person to person, depending on how severe the case is.

Types

There are different types of sinus infections, according to sinus specialists. Some of them are discussed below.

Chronic sinusitis- This one causes more subtle symptoms that can last for months. The two

most common symptoms of chronic sinusitis are post-nasal drainage and nasal congestion. You might also get a cough that increases at night and when you wake up in the morning. People who already have nasal polyps are more likely to face this infection. Sinus specialists usually recommend patients to use nasal spray during this time.

Acute bacterial sinusitis- The patient gets a sudden onset of cold symptoms like stuffy nose, facial pain, or runny nose, which may stay for at least ten days. Sometimes the symptoms improve only to return later and are worse than the initial ones. Acute sinusitis treatments mostly include antibiotics and decongestants.

Sub-acute sinusitis- This term is used if the symptoms only last for twelve weeks

Recurrent sinusitis- In this case, the symptoms might come back at least four times in a year.

Treatments

Sinus specialists say that there are several ways in which you can treat sinusitis. If the infection is not that severe, then the following ways are applied

  • Nasal saline irrigation

  • Decongestants

  • Drinking fluids

  • Over-the-counter medication

Acute sinusitis treatments sometimes include

  • Oral or topical decongestion

  • Prescribed intranasal sprays

  • Antibiotics

A sinus specialist will focus on the underlying condition if the infection is chronic. They usually treat that with:

  • Rinsing the nose with saline solution

  • Antihistamine sprays

  • Leukotriene antagonists

If none of the above treatments help with the infection, a sinus specialist recommends a CT scan to get a better look at your sinuses. Doctors might suggest surgery depending on the CT scan results to correct any structural problem. This usually happens because of polyps or fungal infections.

Check with a Specialist As Soon As Possible

Suppose you are suffering from any of the above problems. In that case, you need to contact Oklahoma Otolaryngology Associates, as they have the best group of specialists that have been providing care and service for a long time.

**Disclaimer: The information on this page is not intended to be a doctor's advice, nor does it create any form of patient-doctor relationship.

Brandon Shavers