Causes and Treatment Options of Acute Sinusitis
Millions of people in the United States suffer from acute sinusitis. People who suffer from this disorder always feel miserable because this keeps bothering them in their everyday lives. The underlying cause of acute sinusitis is an infection that can aggravate pain, congestion, and pressure in the sinuses. The sinus is a part of the respiratory system present in the head, on the other side of the nose, right behind and above our eyes. The problem can occur due to several reasons, like fungus, bacteria, viruses, and many other environmental factors. Acute sinusitis aggravates owing toa particular bacterial type and usually lasts almost four weeks. Acute sinusitis treatments are very effective and need your immediate attention.
Causes
The most common factors of acute sinusitis are the common cold, allergies, or seasonal flu. The causes usually start with the common cold, and mostly, it goes away within a week. Some people, unfortunately, develop the symptoms of bacterial infection. A factors increase the risk of developing acute sinusitis, like the ones we will discuss below:
Continuous exposure to the contagious virus
Hay fever
Smoking
Breathing pollutants
Weak immune system
Getting Kartagener Syndrome
Nasal polyps
Sometimes some medical procedure also causes this disease, like inserting a nasogastric tube from the nose to the stomach.
Symptoms
The main symptoms of acute sinusitis are as follows:
Stuffy nose
Loss of smell
Facial pain
Bad breath
Congestion
Green or yellow nasal discharge
Some Other Symptoms Include
Toothache
Fever
Headache
Ear pain
Tiredness
Treatment Options
Acute sinusitis is a short-term condition that usually goes away within some weeks. This only happens if the situation is not difficult. Acute sinusitis treatment is necessary if the condition stays for a long time, or else most people get better with normal medicine. Typical treatments include:
Antibiotics- Most ENT doctors first prescribe antibiotic tablets or capsules to treat the bacteria. The medicinal period is only for a few weeks.
Nasal sprays such as Flonase or Nasonex reduce sinus inflammation.
Decongestants like Actifed help to dry up the mucus.
Painkillers- Some over-the-counter painkillers can reduce infected sinus pains (like Paracetamol.) You should consider consulting an ENT doctor before taking any painkiller.
Warm packs- The most effective acute sinusitis treatment is applying warm packs to the infected sinus area. This can also help you to release your sinus pain.
Nasal cleaner- You can try cleaning the inside of your nose with saline spray to reduce nasal congestion.
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**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.