Causes, symptoms and treatment of chronic sinusitis

What is chronic sinusitis?

Chronic sinusitis is a disease, characterizing a very long and sluggish flow, with alternating phases of exacerbation and remission, manifested by frequent headaches, aches and stuffy nose and other symptoms, depending on how much running is a pathological process in the affected sinuses. In this disease it is inflamed maxillary, or as it is called maxillary sinus. Generally, any sinusitis is a kind of sinusitis, so sometimes doctors call it a chronic maxillary sinusitis.

The symptoms of chronic sinusitis

Since we are talking about a disease that is chronic in nature, that are mainly the symptoms manifest themselves during the acute stage. This period is characterized by the following symptoms:

• Weakness and General malaise, a sense of "weakness".

• The body temperature rises, but usually not to high numbers and may be 37.5 degrees. This is often a easy chills.

• Nasal congestion with discharge characteristic green color.
• Due to the fact that the mucous membrane is irritated, sneezing appears.

• Donating to different places pain. Irradiation can occur in the forehead, root of nose and even teeth. Especially the pain worse when the person bends forward or coughs.

• The voice begins to change, there is a characteristic of this disease twang.
• Highlight change color most often one week after the acute illness, they become yellow and sinusitis flows into the purulent form.

If we consider the chronic sinusitis in the acute stage, there are also a number of symptoms indicating that the disease is present in the body:

• Stuffy nose, discharge appear from time to time, therapy can not be, can be purulent.
• The feeling of "lump in throat", because of the constant draining of mucus from the sinuses.
• Headache, which periodically increases, depending on what position a patient takes. The highest intensity discomfort type in the supine position. The pain is localized in the region of the globe.
• A person may become"heavy", as if bursting and presses from the inside, especially in the cheeks.
• Often, especially in the morning, patients with swollen eyelids, and conjunctivitis appear.
• The appearance of tears, without annoying external factors.
• The sense of smell is constantly disturbed, that significantly reduces the quality of life.

Also the symptoms of chronic sinusitis can be classified as follows:

• The local subjective, which include complaints from people on discharge from the nose, wearing purulent, persistent headaches, sensations of fullness of the affected sinus, discharge, wearing a putrid smell, in this regard, loss of appetite. Of course, that nasal breathing is virtually nonexistent.

• Local objective, which include swelling of the eye membranes, diffuse redness that is clearly visible during the inspection. Between the lip and nose, the symptoms, permanent dermatitis, cracks, eczema, or impetigo. Feeling painful during palpation of the relevant areas when performing rhinoscopy often found polyps, turbinate swelling and thickened. Teeth are often damaged by decay, there is periodontitis, fistulas.

• Common symptoms, which include sneezing, coughing, headache, fatigue. As for aggravation, the more often they are observed in the cold season, in the summer there is a lull. During manifestations of the disease in the General analysis of blood shows the changes characteristic of acute respiratory infections. General weakness increases.

The reasons for the development of chronic sinusitis

The reason that the sinuses begins a pathological process that develops after chronic often become microorganisms – streptococci. But sometimes the disease causing viruses, fungi and anaerobes.

The fact that a sinusitis becomes chronic, contribute to causes such as:

• Improper treatment, failure to comply with the therapeutic scheme, shortened the period of taking medicines during the development of acute sinusitis.

• The constant presence of chronic infection in the nasopharynx, and such foci as: chronic rhinitis, chronic tonsillitis.

• A deviated septum and as a consequence, the violation of the outflow of mucus. These violations occur both during fetal development and are innate and can be acquired during life, for example, as a result of the injury.
• Education such as cysts or polyps in a natural way disrupt the normal airflow in the sinuses, stimulating stagnation and disrupting the discharge of mucus, and as a result, the development of sinusitis.
• Dental problems such as dental disease, located in particular in the upper jaw.
• The environment has a significant impact on the development of this chronic disease. It concerns the air that is constantly breathing. The more it is polluted, dusty and toxic, the risk of developing the disease is higher.
• Bad habits.

• Allergy.

• The immune status of both local and General.
• A violation of both tissue and vascular permeability in the nasal sinuses.

The types of chronic sinusitis

If we consider the classification of chronic sinusitis, then allocate some of its subtypes:

• Catarrhal chronic sinusitis. In this case inflamed the entire mucosa of the maxillary sinus, on a reddened, swollen, and engorged. Inside it is a mucous content. It can be both one-way, to develop and from two sides.
• Purulent sinusitis. In this case, internally the mucous content is changed to pus. This happens in the case of aggravation of a chronic disease.

• Parietal-hyperplastic – this is a form of chronic sinusitis occurs hyperplasia of the mucosa, and then it formed polyps. Nose alternately laid, the allocation of frequent and abundant.

• Fibrous chronic sinusitis.
• Allergic sinusitis in the chronic form, occurs, as a rule, abruptly and unexpectedly, under the influence of a certain stimulus. The mucosa swells, its activity increases, there are abundant secretions.
• Cystic chronic sinusitis is characterized in that the inside of the nasal cavity formed a cyst, its size and the location of the nose can be almost any.
• Polypoid, caused by pathology of a chronic nature, it becomes a polyp, which grows in the nasal sinus.
• It sometimes there are mixed forms where, for example, whenthe presence of polyps in the sinuses starts purulent process.

Some physicians identify the following types of sinusitis occurring in the chronic form, based on what was the source of the infection:

• Traumatic when the violation of nasal breathing, and as a result the development of the disease is due to different types of injuries of the skull.
• Rhinogenous, when sinusitis becomes chronic because of frequent rhinitis and sinusitis.
• Odontogenic, is a consequence of various diseases of the teeth.
• Hematogenous chronic sinusitis is the most common, as it is caused by the penetration of the sinuses specific causative agent – bacteria (bacterial) or fungus (fungal).

No matter what was the cause of the disease and to what subspecies it is not treated, chronic sinusitis can be unilateral and affect both the sinuses.

Complications of chronic sinusitis

Like any other disease occurs in a chronic form of sinusitis can cause quite serious complications. Among them there are the following consequences:

• The appearance of such chronic diseases, as tonsillitis (if it is constantly inflamed tonsils), laryngitis (swelling and inflammation of the larynx), pharyngitis (characterized by an inflammatory process in the mucosa of the pharynx.
• Dacryocystitis, when the inflammation affects the lacrimal SAC. There is a constant tearing, there may be purulent discharge, all the surrounding tissues are swollen, lacrimal SAC hurts palpebral aperture is narrowed.
• Impaired attention and memory due to the fact that owing to the disturbed breathing people constantly suffer from hypoxia. Mental activity suffers in the first place, but received less oxygen in the required amount, all bodies.
• Often patients with chronic sinusitis observed apnea. And this, in turn, leads to the development of heart disease, the increase of sleepiness during daytime.
• There may be inflammation of the soft tissues of the face when affected subcutaneous and muscle tissue.

• Often chronic sinusitis complicated by diseases such as: otitis, bronchitis, pneumonia.

• If purulent contents into the cavity of the skull, you can occur the most serious complication ismeningitis, encephalitis or brain abscess. Most often, these diseases are fatal.

• Sometimes sinusitis develops a disease that requires urgent surgical intervention is a purulent inflammation of the cranial bones.
• Partial or complete loss of vision associated with such a complication of sinusitis as inflammation of the eyeball.

• Sepsisin which the infectious agent gets into the blood stream.

• Asthma.

• A very painful complication as inflammation of the tertiary nerve.

It should be understood that any form of sinusitis, and, in particular, pus, can cause very serious complications. This is due to infection, and the close proximity of the maxillary sinuses with the brain. It is therefore necessary competent and qualified treatment of the disease, as in the period of exacerbation and during remission.

Topic: How to treat sinusitis at home?

How to cure chronic sinusitis?

Treatment of chronic sinusitis is different from therapy of common diseases that even in the low season it should not be ignored. After all how well will be prevention and treatment, depends on the frequency and severity of the disease in the acute phase.

• So, in the period of remission should be mandatory to perform a procedure known as lavage of the sinuses a variety of solutions. Best of all for this purpose you can use normal saline or weak salt solution. You can use special sprays that contain in their composition the steroid hormones and have anti-inflammatory effect. But although these drugs are considered practically harmless, however, consultation with a physician is required.
• Sometimes therapists and ENT doctors recommend the use of a long course of antibiotics, but they need to take in small doses. This applies to medicines macrolides, which feature low toxicity and high antimicrobial action. In addition, they also stimulate the immune system, reinforcing defenses of the body.

• If chronic sinusitis develops on the background of allergies, should avoid contact with the irritant, to take appropriatefunds and seen the allergist.

• As frequent cause of chronic sinusitis is the inflammation of the upper jaw, it is necessary every six months to be observed by the dentist and timely treatment, even as it seems, minor cavities.

• When sinusitis is caused by damage to the nasal septum, as injuries and congenital abnormalities, it is necessary to appeal to a plastic surgeon. In this case, after the operation a relapse does not occur, provided that all goes well.

• With regard to treatment of sinusitis in a time when it is in the acute phase, there are drug therapy, drug-free. The first include the use of sprays and drops, which are aimed at reducing swelling of the sinus mucosa that has undergone inflammation. Also these drugs contribute to the discharge of pathological content. Such treatment is carried out during the week, if the therapy has the desired effect, you should review the assigned resources.

• Drugs, which include antibiotics. If purulent sinusitis, they are used in injection and pill form. At the initial stage it is possible to use antibiotics that are included with a variety of drops.

• Also doctors prescribe mucolytics which thin the mucus and contribute to its elimination.

• If we talk about other methods of treatment, it is quite a common procedure is the puncture of the sinuses. To do this, use a special needle, then washed his bosom and antiseptics administered a certain drug. This method is very effective to relieve swelling, reduce headaches, until its elimination, and in General for the treatment of acute phase of sinusitis.

• As an alternative to the punctures, at this time, there is such a procedure as installing Yamik catheter. This procedure is virtually painless and is performed under local anesthesia and no need to do the puncture.

• Nasal lavage can be carried out both independently and in the office of the otolaryngologist. It depends on the severity of the disease. To achieve this goal are used as antiseptics and fibrestore.

• As adjuvant therapy prescribe restorative drugs, vitamins and immunomodulators. Physical therapy is appropriate if the patient is on the mend and chronic sinusitis is uncomplicated. Spa treatment gives good results. A visit to the salt room gives good results andsignificantly reduces the risk of cold, and, therefore, sinusitis.

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If we talk about prevention, the most effective method is adequate and competent treatment of the disease at the initial stage, starts easy when cold. That is why people who know about the presence of such diseases, it is important not to let it slide. The less exposure, the more regular will be the tempering procedure than it would be more rational and balanced nutrition, the easier it will be to leak the disease itself. Do not forget to wear masks, especially in the period of rampant SARS. To comply with the corresponding recommendations of the doctor, you can take long to forget about the recurrence of chronic sinusitis.