Do You have Chronic Sinusitis?
Chronic Sinusitis? Sinus infections, also known as sinusitis, are a common condition that many people suffer from. A sinus infection is characterized as inflammation of the lining of the sinus cavities. Sinus cavities are the hollow spaces in and around your cheeks and eyes. The inflammation of the sinuses can be caused by either a viral, bacterial or fungal infection. Even though all people have sinus cavities, there are certain people who are at more risk than others. People who have a nasal passage abnormality are more at risk. When the nasal passage is off, the mucus can no drain properly and this is a breeding ground for an infection to occur.
Chronic Sinusitis – Risk Factor
People who have certain medical conditions or immune system disorders are also at a higher risk for sinus infections. Medical conditions such as cystic fibrosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder are conditions where the body’s defense system is lowered and sinus infections occur more often. The same goes for HIV and AIDS patients. The immune system is not functioning completely as it should be and the body is open to many infections to include a sinus infection. For people who know they have a lowered immune system, they need to pay attention to the signs and symptoms that may indicate they have sinus infection and seek treatment accordingly.
Sinus infections can either be acute or chronic. The symptoms for both are the same. The difference between acute sinusitis and chronic sinusitis is the length of time the symptoms will be present. For acute sinusitis, they symptoms will be present for roughly 10-14 days. For chronic sinusitis, symptoms can last as long as 12 weeks. It can be tough to tell if the symptoms truly represent chronic sinusitis because the symptoms may seem like they come and go. Because of this, people many not realize that they are suffering from chronic sinusitis. They tend to think they have acute sinusitis and never seek out additional treatment from a doctor.
The symptoms for acute sinusitis and chronic sinuses are generally the same. Sinus headaches are very common. People tend to feel pressure in their face and their face may even be tender. This pain is generally located in the area of the affected sinus cavity or cavities. Many people will even experience tooth and gum pain. Gum and tooth pain can be confusing because people tend to think they need to see a dentist.
For people who are suffering from chronic sinusitis, a doctor should be consulted for treatment. A chronic case needs to be treated differently than an acute case would be. For an acute case, a doctor can prescribe antibiotics for a bacterial infection. The antibiotics will be taken for approximately 10 days and the condition should be cleared up. For acute cases of a viral or a fungal infection, the treatment will be to wait it out. Antibiotics do not help with these infections but plenty of fluids, rest and the occasional pain reliever can help.
For chronic sinusitis, a doctor most likely will not prescribe antibiotics because the infection will most likely not respond. A doctor will do a full examination and many determine that an ear, nose and throat specialist needs to be seen. This is a doctor that specializes in this area and knows sinuses well. It may be discovered that surgery is needed to take care of the chronic sinusitis condition. Sinus infections are a common condition that many people of all ages suffer from from time to time. If caught early and treated properly, the condition can be cleared up relatively quickly. If the condition does not respond to treatment and persists, a doctor’s assistance will be needed to get some relief. I hope this helps you with your Chronic Sinusitis.