Sinusitis

Sinus infection facts

Sinus infections are caused by infections from a pathogenic microorganism (virus, bacterium, or fungus), which grows within a sinus and causes intermittent blockage of the sinus ostium.

Most people do not transmit sinus infections; most clinicians agree that except for rare instances, sinus infections are not contagious but arise from mainly viruses and bacteria that, by chance, contaminate a person who sinuses support their proliferation because of minor, and rarely, major abnormalities in the person's sinus tissue (for example, swelling, inflammation, abnormal mucus production, and rarely, facial or nasal trauma).

Sinusitis is inflammation of the air cavities within the passages of the nose. Sinusitis can be caused by infection, but also can be caused by allergies and chemical or particulate irritation of the sinuses.

Sinusitis may be classified in several ways such as acute sinus infection, subacute sinus infection, chronic sinus infection, infected sinusitis, and noninfectious sinusitis.

Sinus infection symptoms include sinus headache, facial tenderness, pressure or pain in the sinuses, fever, cloudy discolored drainage, and feeling of nasal stuffiness, sore throat, and cough.

Bacterial infection of the sinuses is suspected when facial pain, pus-like nasal discharge, and symptoms that persists for longer than a week and are not responding to over-the-counter nasal medications.

Sinus infection is generally diagnosed based on patient history and physical examination by a health care practitioner.

Bacterial sinusitis is usually treated with antibiotic therapy.

Early treatment of allergic sinusitis may prevent secondary bacterial sinus infections.

Home remedies for sinus infections include OTC medications such as Tylenol, decongestants, and mucolytics. Nasal irrigation can be accomplished with a Neti-pot or rinse kit (nasal bidet).

Rare fungal infections of the sinuses (for example, zygomycosis) constitute a medical emergency.

Complications of a sinus infection that may develop are meningitis, brain abscess, osteomyelitis, and orbital cellulitis.

There are no fungal vaccines available to prevent fungal sinus infections.

Sinusitis is most often the result of a viral infection that causes the mucous membrane lining the inside of the nose and the sinuses to become inflamed.

The mucous membrane swells when it becomes inflamed, blocking the drainage of fluid from the sinuses into the nose and throat.

Mucus and fluid build up inside the sinuses, causing pressure and pain.

Bacteria are more likely to grow in sinuses that are unable to drain properly. Bacterial infection in the sinuses often causes more inflammation and pain.

Colds usually trigger this process, but any factor that causes the mucous membrane to become inflamed may lead to sinusitis. Many people with nasal allergies (allergic rhinitis), for instance, are likely to have recurring or long-term (chronic) sinus infections. Nasal polyps, foreign objects (usually in children), structural problems in the nose such as a deviated septum, and other conditions can also block the nasal passages, increasing the risk of sinusitis.

Fungal infections may also cause sinusitis. This is especially true in people with impaired immune systems. Fungal sinusitis tends to be chronic and harder to treat than bacterial sinusitis.

What are the types of sinusitis?

Sinusitis may be classified in several ways, based on the time span of the problem (acute, subacute, or chronic) and the type of inflammation (either infectious or noninfectious).

Acute sinus infection (also termed acute sinusitis caused by infection) is usually defined as being of less than 30 days duration.
Subacute sinus infection as being over 1 month but less than 3 months.
Chronic sinus infection as being greater than 3 months duration.
There is no medical consensus on the above time periods.

Infected sinusitis usually is caused by uncomplicated virus infection. Less frequently, bacterial growth causes sinus infection and fungal sinus infection is very infrequent. Subacute and chronic forms of sinus infection usually are the result of incomplete treatment of an acute sinus infection.
Noninfectious sinusitis is caused by irritants and allergic conditions and follows the same general time line for acute, subacute and chronic as infectious sinusitis.

What are the signs and symptoms of sinus infection?

Commonly the symptoms of sinus infection are headache, facial tenderness, pressure or pain, and fever. However, as few as 25% of patients may have fever associated with acute sinus infection. Other common symptoms include:

cloudy, discolored nasal drainage,
a feeling of nasal stuffiness,
sore throat, and
cough.
Some people notice an increased sensitivity or headache when they lean forward because of the additional pressure placed on the sinuses. Others may experience tooth or ear pain, fatigue, or bad breath. In noninfectious sinusitis, other associated allergy symptoms of itching eyes and sneezing may be common, but may include some of the symptoms listed above for infectious sinusitis. Nasal drainage is usually clear or whitish-colored in people with noninfectious sinusitis.

With rare fulminant fungal infections, there may be ulceration, with sharply defined edges and a black, necrotic center in the nasal area. Some fungal infections cause a dark, black-appearing exudates. This requires immediate medical evaluation.

 

Are there home remedies for a sinus infection?

Sinus infections caused by viruses can use home (over-the-counter) treatments such as pain and fever medications (acetaminophen [Tylenol]), decongestants, and mucolytics. In addition, some health care providers suggest that nasal irrigation or a sinus rinse solution will help relieve symptoms of sinus infections, even chronic sinusitis symptoms. This irrigation is accomplished with a "Neti-Pot" or a sinus rinse kit (sometimes termed a nasal bidet). The last reference of this article shows a video of a sinus rinse procedure.

Bacterial and fungal sinus infections usually require antibiotic or antifungal therapy so home treatments without them are often not successful. However, some authors suggest home treatments may reduce symptoms after medical therapy has begun; some health care practitioners recommend nasal irrigation after sinus surgery.