Sinusitis called inflammation of the paranasal sinuses (sinuses), acute or chronic, which occurs when bacteria enter the nasal cavity. It can manifest itself:
sinusitis - inflammation of the mucous membrane of the maxillary sinus;
- frontitis - inflammation of the frontal sinus;
- ethmoiditis - inflammation of the ethmoid labyrinth;
- sphenoiditis - inflammation of the sphenoid sinus.
Distinguish between unilateral sinusitis or bilateral, when the sinuses are affected on both sides. According to the duration of the inflammatory process, sinusitis can be acute, subacute and chronic (lasting more than 2 months).
Sinusitis - causes
As a rule, sinusitis occurs due to bacteria and viruses that cause inflammation of the upper respiratory tract. Often acute sinusitis occurs due to acute runny nose, flu, measles, scarlet fever and other diseases of an infectious nature, less often - due to root disease of four posterior upper teeth.
Sinusitis - Symptoms
Sinusitis is usually characterized by common cold symptoms in the form of malaise, weakness, fever. All forms of acute and chronic sinusitis can also occur:
- the release of purulent sputum from the nose, which has a green-yellow color, in which there may be an admixture of blood;
- strong nasal congestion;
- weakening of smell;
- a strong dry cough that occurs at night;
- redness of the skin area, which is located above the inflamed paranasal sinus;
- headache or facial pain.
For frontitis, pain is most characteristic in the forehead and over the nose; with ethmoiditis, it is localized in the nose; with sinusitis, pain is felt in the cheeks and below the eyes.
Chronic sinusitis may have symptoms that are less pronounced than with acute sinusitis, but more prolonged. As a rule, chronic sinusitis is manifested by periodic purulent discharge from the nose, persistent nasal congestion, periodically appearing head or facial pain, and a high susceptibility to colds.
Sinusitis - diagnosis
In case of suspicion of sinusitis, an ENT doctor can diagnose and prescribe treatment. Diagnosis of sinusitis consists in a general examination of the patient, rhinoscopy (a painless examination of the nasal cavity) and X-ray of the skull, to detect darkening of the area of inflamed paranasal sinuses.
Sinusitis - treatment and prevention
Treatment of sinusitis, first of all, is aimed at stopping the inflammatory process in the paranasal sinuses and cleansing them of mucus and pus, which were the cause of swelling of the nose. Most often, sinusitis is treated with medication; if drug treatment does not bring the desired effect, then other forms of treatment are used, surgical (puncture).
To date, otolaryngologists most often practice a combination of antibiotic treatment and puncture. With the help of antibiotics, the infection is destroyed, and puncture is needed to destroy the accumulations of mucus and pus in the sinuses of the nose. It is a puncture of the inflamed sinuses with their subsequent drainage and removal of the overgrown mucous membrane, which interferes with the necessary ventilation of the sinuses.
The main way to prevent sinusitis is the effective treatment of acute respiratory infections, since sinusitis usually manifests itself as a complication of SARS. It has also been observed that patients with problematic nasal breathing, allergic rhinitis and other diseases of the nose are more likely to experience acute sinusitis. Therefore, with frequent cases of SARS complications with sinusitis, an ENT specialist should be consulted outside the disease in order to identify possible causes leading to the development of inflammation.
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