Essential Oils for Sinus Infection

Essential Oils for Sinus Infection There are several ways that you can get a sinus infection, some of them include having a cold or a virus or an accumulation of fungi and bacteria. When you get Sinusitis, you will have trouble treating it using traditional methods. If you are looking for something different, you may want to give essential oils a try to get rid of your sinus infection.

Essential Oils for Sinus Infection
1. Lavender

Lavender oil provides a lot of relief while treating a sinus infection. It fights the infection by clearing the sinuses while it fights to get rid of the bacteria that are responsible for the infection as well as by reducing the inflammation.

2. Peppermint

One of the best ways to use peppermint essential oil is with steam inhalation therapy. This essential oil has vital properties that are effective in fighting off sinus infections. Peppermint oil is anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory.

3. Chamomile

Besides being a strong antiseptic, chamomile essential oil eases the areas around the sinuses to provide a little relief. It has anti allergic, antiseptic, and sedative properties that help when you massage the nose all the way to the temples.

4. Tea Tree

One of the most effective essential oils for sinus infection is tea tree. It is best used by adding a few drops in a pot of boiling water, removing it from the stove, draping a towel over your head and inhaling it so that it can loosen the phlegm in the sinuses.

5. Clove

Clove oil can treat a number of respiratory problems including a sinus infection. It has anti-fungal and antiseptic properties that make it an effective treatment. But it also has a soothing effect because it has a nice cool effect on your nasal passages. Treatment is by adding a few drops to a vaporizer or diffuser for up to 20 minutes. You can also massage the oil right onto the nose and sinuses to help open up the passageways.

6. Oregano

Oregano oil is a powerful antioxidant and has proven antibacterial properties. Because it is a natural remedy it is safe yet effective. The best way to use it to cure sinusitis is similar to the method for tea tree oils– inhaling it from a steaming pot of water that has a few drops of the oil in it.

7. Sweet Basil

Sweet basil can help to ease the Headaches that usually accompany sinusitis. The oil acts as an antispasmodic, analgesic, and antidepressant. If you put about 10 drops in a vaporizer, you could expect relief in about 10 minutes.

8. Rosemary

Rosemary is a stimulant as well as an antimicrobial and analgesic, making it one of the best essential oils for sinus infection. Using the steam method, this essential oil will not only open the nasal passages but it will get rid of any blockage and treat the inflammation that may be in the sinuses.

9. Geranium

Geranium essential oil is an anti-inflammatory and is effective in helping to ease headaches that may accompany a sinus infection. It will work the best if you apply drops of the oil at the temples on each side of your face as well as right under the nose.

10. Thyme

Thyme essential oil works on sinus infections by reducing the swelling and inflammation in the nasal passages and helping them to not become blocked. It also helps to relieve the pressure that could build up in the walls of your sinus.

11. Lemon

Lemon essential oil is an antimicrobial and is effective in resolving sinusitis issues. You can use the tented steam treatment and inhale the lemon oil to relieve your sinuses or you could just rub it on each side of your nose and around your sinuses.

12. Pine

Pine essential oil helps to clear up the phlegm and Mucus that you may experience with a sinus infection. You can apply it directly to your nose and nasal passages and its clean cool smell will begin to open up your passageways.

13. Eucalyptus and Menthol

Eucalyptus and menthol are two aromatic essential oils that can help to relieve your sinusitis by putting them in a humidifier to help your nasal passageways open up. You can also use the steam inhalation process as well.

Ways to Use Essential Oils for Sinus Infection

• Steam inhalation: The best way to do this is to use tap water or distilled water and heat it in a bowl. Add your essential oils – around 7 or 8 drops – and stir. Put a towel over your head as you lean over the bowl and breathe in the steam through your nose and mouth. You can reheat the water when it cools down.


• Humidifier: This is an easier way to get the best of your essential oils. Put 25 to 30 drops of your preferred essential oils in the humidifier and keep it on in the room where you spend the most time.


• Diffuser: A diffuser takes about a half cup of water and about 4 to 6 drops of essential oils. Try to sit as close as you can to the diffuser to get the most benefit and breathe deeply.


• Bath: A nice hot bath is not only relaxing, it can help break up the mucus and phlegm from your sinusitis. Put from 8 to 10 drops of the essential oil you prefer on a sponge and let it sit in the bath while you bathe.


• Massage: Massaging certain essential oils right on your nose and around the sinuses can help to relieve your sinusitis. You can also rub the oils on the pressure points to help relieve headaches or any pain you may be experiencing.


• Oral consumption: If you have a bad cough you can take 1 or 2 drops of fennel oil that is therapeutic grade with a tablespoon of honey. It is safe for consumption according to the FDA.


• Neti pot: In order to benefit from the neti pot, you need to have your head turned to one side. Put the solution you are using into one nostril so you can drain it from the other one.

Steroid Shot for Sinus Infection

Steroid Shot for Sinus Infection

Sinusitis is a painful condition that affects the tissues in the lining of your sinus cavities. It can be very uncomfortable with symptoms of pressure, Headaches, facial pain, and stuffiness. Steroid shots are used when home remedies and antibiotics not work. They can quickly reduce severe inflammation to help your body heal and recover. The effects of one shot are "short-term" and side-effects minimal with only one injection. Read on to see when the doctor may use this treatment, side-effects to watch out for, and other home remedies that may bring you quick relief.

When to Give a Steroid Shot for Sinus Infection
Doctors will want you to try home remedies in the first few days to avoid antibiotic or steroid use if possible. If the infection lasts for a number of days to weeks without improvement, your doctor may give you antibiotics, topical nasal steroids, or even a steroid shot. There are many different types and forms of steroids that may help a severe sinus infection. And the doctor will only administer the shots if you have the following issues with your recovery:

• Swelling that is interfering with your breathing.


• Nasal Polyps that block air flow or Mucus flow.


• You have taken antibiotics, and/or oral steroids, nasal steroids (topical form).


• You have seasonal allergies that cause repeated sinusitis

NOTE: Your doctor may not want to use steroids for sinus infection due to side-effects that can complicate other conditions you currently suffer from, including Diabetes, Osteoporosis, high Blood Pressure, and other chronic conditions that your doctor thinks are not safe to use steroids with.

How Does Steroid Shot Work for Sinus Infection?
If a sinusitis is severe enough, your doctor will administer steroid shot for sinus infection inflammation. The sinuses are hollow cavities that surround the nose, eyes, cheekbones, and forehead. When you get an infection or large amount of mucus that doesn't drain out, bacterial growth can take over these hollow cavities. This causes inflammation and pressure, which leads to facial pain and headaches. Even if you take antibiotics and decongestants, sometimes the body needs help to reduce the inflammation.

Steroid shots can help quickly reduce the inflammation and bring relief from symptoms so your sinuses can fully heal from the infection. The anti-inflammatory action of the steroid reduces the immune system response to infection. Keep in mind that this action can put you at risk for other infections because it lowers the immune system. However, with antibiotic treatment your body will also continue to work to fight the infection.

How Fast Will Steroid Work?
A steroid shot for sinus infection will work within 24 hours after the injection if you are on antibiotics meanwhile. If the infection and inflammation are severe, it may take a few days to experience relief from symptoms. The steroid shot does not cure the infection, but will help speed up your recovery time.

If you are not taking antibiotics, the injection may take a little longer to work and may even slow down your immune response and delay recovery. Talk about this with your doctor to make sure you get the best treatment possible.

What to Expect—Possible Side Effects to Monitor
Corticosteroids, the most commonly used steroid shot for sinus infection, can have mild and serious side-effects. This is why doctors hesitate to use them until absolutely necessary. Keep in mind that any medication you use will have some side-effects and you have to outweigh the benefits of the medication against possible risks.Think about these few points:

• Sinusitis can cause severe effects if left untreated. The side-effects of steroids may not be as bad as permanent damage to the sinus tissues.


• Usually, the side-effects from steroid shot will be very short-lived after the first dosage. Yet, symptoms caused by side effect of steroid shot may remain for several days after the first shot.


• If you are on oral steroids and have side-effects, never skip a dose or stop taking this medication suddenly. Steroids must be tapered down to allow your body's natural steroids to come back. Call your doctor immediately if you have severe side-effects.

Side Effects of Steroid Shot for Sinus Infection
Common Side Effects List	Serious Side Effects List
Breakouts of acne Dry skin Thin Skin Bruises Trouble sleeping Mood swings Sweating Headaches Feeling lightheaded or dizzy Nausea Abdominal pain Increased appetite	Call emergency care or 911 right away with difficulty breathing or facial, tongue, or throat swelling. Seek your doctor's advice if you have: Symptoms of a different infection i.e. Candida/yeast Severe abdominal pain; consistent vomit and nausea; black or blood in your stool Fast and unexplained weight gain Blurry vision or painful eyes Muscle cramping, weakness Feeling thirsty associated with frequent urination Hives or unexplained rash; skin changes like reddish purple lines or ache issues.

How Different Steroids Work
Before using steroid shots, there are other forms of steroid that can be applied to deal with sinus infection. They are:

Inhaled Steroids
When you are first diagnosed, your doctor may try a topical nasal steroid. These are sprayed into the nose and place steroid medication right on inflamed nasal tissues. These can't always get deep into the sinuses. This is especially true if you have polyps in your nose or sinuses that can block inhaled medications.

Oral Steroids
Before trying a steroid shot for sinus infection, your doctor may want to try a short course of oral steroids. A "steroid burst" of oral prednisone taken for five to seven days may help to reduce inflammation. It may even help shrink the size of any polyps in the nose and sinuses. This can also help inhaled steroids get where they need to go.

More Choices for Sinus Infections

Decongestants: These can help shrink the blood vessels in the nasal passages and sinuses and make it easier to breath. This can also help inhaled medications get where they need to go and take away stuffiness.

Antihistamines: These reduce your body's response to allergies. They lower the histamine and help reduce inflammation, congestion, and mucus production related to seasonal allergies.

Home Remedies: You can try warm compresses on the sinuses or humidifying the air in your room. Your doctor may also suggest plain saline nose drops to help loosen mucus.

Bacterial Sinus Infection

Bacterial Sinus Infection

Anything that can cause interference with the Mucus drainage out of the sinuses or flow of air can result in a sinus infection. Allergies, Common colds, and tissue irritants (like cigarette smoke, cocaine and OTC nasal sprays) can cause the sinus openings and tissues of the adjacent nasal passages to swell up, resulting in the blockage of the sinus openings. Growths or Tumors that are located in the vicinity of the sinus openings can block the sinuses too.

There are two types of sinus infection, viral sinus infection and bacterial sinus infection. The symptoms for both types are almost the same. Treatment for sinus infection depends on the cause of the illness. Therefore, it is important to diagnose the actual cause of the infection before any treatment is given.

Viral vs. Bacterial Sinus Infection
Viral Sinus Infection
Aside from causing common cold, viruses can cause inflammation in the sinuses. Symptoms like a runny nose and Nasal Congestion are some of the hallmarks of viruseswhich can furtherlead toinflammation of the sinuses. The discomfort from the illness reaches its peak usually on the fourthor fifthday and slowly begins to recede afterwards. It can take anywhere from a week to ten days for the above mentioned nasal symptoms to go away on their own. Improvement in patients with common cold can be seen after that, yet it might take them more time to return to normal.

Bacterial Sinus Infection
Bacterial sinus infection or bacterial Sinusitis occurs when drainage of the fluid collected within the sinuses is hampered somehow. This is often observed in common cold which causes an overload of the fluid in the sinuses. Bacteria tend to thrive in the sinus pockets that are wet, moist and filled with fluid. The bacterial growth usually occurs after 10-day duration of the common cold.

Doctors are not able to differentiate between viral or bacterial sinusitis since the diagnosis for both of them is to check the symptoms like nasal congestion, Headache, cough, thick post-nasal or nasal drainage, etc. In some cases, the help of other diagnostic tests like cultures or CT scans (computed tomography scans) is taken to reach a definitive diagnosis.

Symptoms of Bacterial Sinus Infection


As per the guidelines, a sinus infection is more likely to be bacterial than viral if any of the following conditions are present.

• No clinical improvement occurs in the symptoms even after the passage of at least 10 days.


• The severity of the symptoms is quite high, including facial pain, nasal discharge and a fever in excess of 102°F which remains for at least 4 days on the trot at the start of the illness.


• Worsening of the symptoms is characterized by the development of a new headache or fever or increase in the amount of nasal discharge, usually after a viral infection of the upper respiratory tract that has remained for 6 days and had seemed to improve initially.

How to Treat Bacterial Sinus Infection

Take a Rest and Keep Hydrated

Taking rest and consuming plenty of fluids are highly effective natural remedies for a sinus infection and need to be used in case of both viral and bacterial sinus infections.

Relieve Your Congestion

Congestion in the sinuses can be reduced by trying the following steps:

• Applying a moist and warm washcloth to the face several times throughout the day.


• Drinking a good amount of fluids for thinning the mucus.


• Inhaling steam for 2 to 4 times a day.


• Spraying with a nasal saline many times throughout the day.


• Using a humidifier.


• Using a Neti pot for flushing the sinuses.


• Note: The use of OTC spray nasal decongestants should be done very carefully. They are helpful in the beginning but continuous use can worsen nasal stuffiness.

Ease the Sinus Pressure or Pain

Use the following self-care methods for easing sinus pressure or pain:

• Don't board an airplane if you are congested.


• Refrain from bending forwards and avoid sudden temperature changes.


• Make use of ibuprofen or acetaminophen.

Antibiotics

Antibiotics can be required for treating a bacterial sinus infectionas they can fight the bacteria that have grown inside the sinuses.

Antibiotics should be prescribed for adults for preventing serious complications or speeding up the recovery process only if the diagnosis confirms that the patient is suffering from an acute bacterial sinus infection.Antibiotic treatment becomes necessary for adults if the following symptoms are observed.

• Mild to severe symptoms that persist for over 10 days.


• Pain and high fever that remains for over 4 days.


• Symptoms that worsen after improvement.

Antibiotic treatment for adolescents and children is only recommended in the following situations by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

• Severe cases of bacterial sinusitis accompanied with a fever of over 102°F, facial pain and nasal discharge that has lasted for more than 3 days.


• Worsening of the symptoms after initial improvement and development of a new fever or increase in cough or nasal discharge.


• Occurrence of other conditions like streptococcal pharyngitis (Strep Throat), Swollen Lymph Nodes, Pneumonia or Ear infections come along with the sinus infection.

It is best to consult your doctor and get yourself properly diagnosed if you think that you are suffering from bacterial sinusitis. People experiencing chronic sinusitis should consult a nasal and sinus specialist to evaluate their condition. People experiencing sinus infections that come back after a few days need to visit a specialist and consider alternative treatments to cure their condition permanently.

Are Sinus Infections Contagious?

Are Sinus Infections Contagious?

A sinus infection occurs when the tissue of the sinuses becomes swollen and inflamed. Sinuses are normally full of air; however, the sinuses can become blocked and filled with fluid, creating the perfect environment for germs such as viruses, bacteria, and fungi to grow and cause infection. A sinus infection can cause Headaches and pain in part of your cheek, eyes, and upper teeth. But are sinus infections contagious?

Are Sinus Infections Contagious?
Whether or not your sinus infection is contagious depends on the causes of the infection.

1. Bacterial Sinus Infections
Bacterial sinus infections are not themselves contagious, but the infections that cause them are.

Sinusitis caused by bacteria often develops after a viral infection of the upper respiratory tract, such as the flu or a cold. The most common bacteria that cause sinusitis are staphylococcus aureus, streptococcus Pneumonia, haemophilus Influenza, and moraxella catarrhalis. The Infectious Disease Society of America notes that adults and children are more prone to develop bacterial sinusitis if the symptoms of sinusitis are severe or are present for greater than ten days. Severe symptoms can include nasal discharge, a fever of 102 degrees or more, and facial pain remaining for more than 3 or 4 days.

2. Viral Sinus Infections
The viruses of the respiratory tract that cause the flu, cold and sinusitis are spread through hand to hand contact; thus, they are highly contagious.

When you cough or blow your nose, tiny droplets fly into the air: these droplets are the major source of respiratory viruses. Whenever you come into contact with something or someone carrying a virus, then you touch your own mouth, eyes, or nose, you put yourself at risk of developing a cold infection or acute sinusitis.

3. Other Causes
There are several other causes of sinus infections, including allergies, irritants, a deviated nasal septum, nasal Tumors, and conditions such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and Cystic Fibrosis. These types of sinus infections are not at all contagious.

All in all, "Are sinus infections contagious?" is a question without a simple answer—some sinus infections are indeed contagious, but not all.

How to Prevent Contagious Sinus Infections
You can take many precautions so that the spreading of sinus infections caused by respiratory viruses is reduced. Among these precautionary measures are hand hygiene, vaccination, masks, and social distancing.

• ŸWashing your hands with water and soap or disinfection of your hands with hand sanitizer reduces your risk of contamination with respiratory viruses.


• ŸGetting an influenza or pneumococcal vaccination will help to prevent sinusitis caused by bacterial and pneumococcal infections.


• ŸWearing a mask on face may help to prevent spreading of sinusitis-causing viruses. You can purchase a mask at almost any pharmacy.


• ŸIf you or your child suffers from a sinus infection, you should consider staying away from going to work or school.

What If I AlreadyHad a Contagious Sinus Infection?
Now that the question "are sinus infections contagious?" has been addressed, you may be wondering how to treat a contagious sinus infection.

If your sinus infection is viral, you do not have to treat it medically. Once the virus has run its course, the condition will resolve on its own. Nevertheless, there are several self-care measures that you can take in order to ease your symptoms and minimize your discomfort. These include:

• Get plenty of rest. This will help your body fight against any invaders.


• ŸDrink lots of fluids. This will help you relieve headaches and promote drainage in your sinus cavities.


• ŸBreathe in hot steam or hold a towel that you've soaked in warm water up to your face. Either option will help to open up your clogged sinuses and relieve sinus pressure and headaches. Even taking a hot shower will help you loosen Mucus. A cool mist vaporizer will have a similar effect.


• ŸAvoid cigarettes and limit your exposure to other pollutants.


• ŸStay indoors and keep yourself as warm as possible. Cold temperatures can worsen the symptoms of your sinus infection.


• ŸUse a nasal spray or a decongestant. Both help to reduce swelling in your sinuses. Over-the-counter pain relievers may be helpful for combatting headaches and pain in the affected area.


• ŸSuck on ice chips or lozenges to soothe your Sore Throat.

Your doctor will treat you with antibiotics if you have a severe bacterial sinus infection that has lasted more than ten days. In most other cases, the self-care measures listed above can help you manage the illness.

If your sinusitis symptoms worsen considerably or continue for more than a week, call your doctor and schedule a medical visit. You should also consult a doctor if you have a persistent fever, swelling around your eyes, difficulty breathing, or changes in your vision.

Allergies or Sinus Infection

Allergies or Sinus Infection

With allergies getting common, we often neglect them and let them go away on their own. But, what we don’t know is that we might be suffering from a severe case of sinus infection. It’s not that we have judged the symptoms wrong; it is because allergies or sinus infection project the same symptoms-- runny nose, pain, fatigue and sensory troubles. According to a survey done by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, the patients find it hard to distinct them both. Additionally, researches took an online survey of over 600 asthma and allergy patients to conclude that more than 50% weren’t aware of their budding sinus infection, taking them to be a severe and prolonged case of allergies.

How to Tell If It Is Allergies or Sinus Infection
Differing allergies and sinus infection from each other can be really troublesome because their almost similar signs and symptoms. But, knowing following points can help:

1. Know the Symptomatic Differences
Although they have similar symptoms, there are still many symptomatic differences that can help you tell them apart.

Facial pressures and pain

It is the most important factor that singles out sinus infection from allergies. In allergies, the facial pressures and pain are almost negligible when compared to that of sinus infections. In sinus infection, one feels pressure and pain in the nose, cheeks, forehead and upper jaw, which occasionally spreads to inner ear. Researchers state that the Headache of a sinus infection worsens with passing days.

Fever, Body Aches, Nausea

A spot-on symptom, whichtells whether you are suffering from allergies or sinus infection. It has been found out that only sinus infections are responsible for causing fever and body aches with added lack of appetite or nausea. The patient tends to feel more fatigued and sick while suffering from sinus infection when compared to seasonal allergies.

Itching

Different types of itches indicate different diseases, but an Itchy Nose and congestion in the nasal area projects allergic Rhinitis or hay fever, rather than sinus infection.

Other Symptoms

There are various other symptoms that are different in both allergies and sinus infection. While in seasonal allergies one may experience bouts of cough and dark circles under the eyes, a patient suffering from sinus infection may not have them. But sinus infection causes muscle ache and a high temperature, often above 101.5˚F. So, you can tell whether it is allergies or sinus infection, if you notice the referred differences.

2. Know Their Different Causes
Allergies: Allergies are caused by a counter-action of our immune system against the entry of any foreign object in our body like dust, pollens, etc. The antibodies produced by our immune system to fight against these unwanted substances helps in reducing allergies and protect us from getting sick.

Sinus Infection: Sinusitis is a specific term highlighting inflammation of the tissue inside the sinuses. The normal void ducts of sinus, when filled with fluid, can cause cultivation of many germs such as virus, bacteria, fungi, thus paving way for an infection. There are several other reasons that lead to sinus blockage including Common cold, allergic rhinitis, Nasal Polyps or even a deviated septum.

3. Know Their Different Duration
Allergies:The onset of allergies is almost sudden when exposed to allergens and the symptoms can bother you for half a year if you have seasonal allergies. If you are diagnosed with indoor allergies, you may have to endure symptoms year-long. The duration of the allergies totally depends upon your type of allergy, treatment or your exposure to the allergen.

Sinus infections:There are four different types of sinus infections. Acute sinusitis starts in a blink and normally has a time period of 4 weeks or even more; the subacute sinusitis may last for 4-8 weeks; chronic sinusitis has duration of 8 or more weeks; and recurrent sinusitis, as the name suggests, will re-occur several times in a year. Sinus infections have a tendency to clear up on their own, but in extreme re-occurrences, you might need to see ENT and get some antibiotics.

How to Treat Allergies or Sinus Infections
Referring to the above points, you may have come to know about your kind of disease. But that leaves you with the "hows" and "whys" of proper and accurate treatment. Here are some of the treatment options:

For Allergies
As nasal allergies cause troubles in the whole respiratory system, it is really important to treat them effectively.

• Keep a tab on your allergic triggers and try to avoid getting exposed to them as far as possible.


• Get in touch with a good physician and they may prescribe you with a generic version of the antihistamines fexofenadine, cetirizine or loratadine, commonly named Allegra, Zyrtec and Claritin.


• Steroid nasal sprays such as Flonase and Nasonex helps as an instant relief in such allergies.


• If drugs aren’t helping with your treatment, you can get allergy shorts of immunotherapy, which is uncommon but highly effective.

For Sinusitis
For an accurate treatment of sinusitis, never rush for the antibiotics as the infection is usually a virus inflected one, not from bacteria. In an addition, these drugs even risky more often than not, causing rashes, diarrhoea, stomach ache. Also, excessive use of antibiotics in the system paves way for an uncontrolled cultivation of bacteria.

• If you are suffering from sinusitis, you should rather take full rest.


• Take up a good dosage of warm liquid that can clear out congestion and phlegm.


• A warmer, humid environment helps in soothing inflammation.


• Do several rounds of gargling with warm water and salt to clear out your throat.


• You can even use a commercial steam or rinse device daily for several weeks that will unblock your nasal area.


• Additionally, to get rid of stuffy nose, nasal sprays containing oxymetazoline are the best with lesser side effects than an oral medication.

Bear in mind that be it allergies or sinus infection - always go with your doctor’s prescribed medications.

Sinus Infection

Sinus Infection






Sinus is a small cavity present within the underlying tissue or bone. They are common found on the nasal cavities and on the bones of the face. When these areas of tissue develop infection caused by virus or bacteria it leads to sinus infection. Sinus is also found on various other organs like heart, under the eyes and on the forehead. Sinus infection is not contagious and is caused by bacteria or virus and other pathogens. It causes swelling of concerned tissue which leads to abnormal mucus discharge.

The air cavities of the nose develop inflammation leading to cough and sneezing. Many times sinus infection develops due to allergic reactions. Antibiotics are given if the Sinusitis is caused by bacterium. Acute sinus is caused often due to Common Cold. Chronic sinusitis can cause complications extending for many weeks.

Symptoms :

Persistent cough, mucus discharge from the nose or throat, congestion in the nasal cavities, Sore Throat, pain and tenderness in the areas around the eyes and forehead and decreased sense of smell and taste are some of the signs of sinus infection. For many children/adults, cough gets worse during night. In addition there may be fever, Headache and body pain. The phlegm produced will be greenish yellow in color with foul smell during sinus infection.

Additional pressure is applied on the sinus tissues which may cause headache for some people. The same pressure can cause itching of eyes, ear pain and bad breath. In case of rare fungal infection it may cause ulcers on the oral cavity and on the nasal region.

Causes :

There is swelling of thin lining of mucous membranes of the nose when sinus infection develops. This additional swelling will not let out the mucus which was previously discharged normally from the nostrils. Sinus infection is caused by viral infection, bacterial or fungal infection. If the symptoms mentioned above continue for more than a week then it is likely to be of bacterial infection.

When the body’s immunity gets weakened for other reasons it can cause fungal infection. Nasal Polyps or tumors in the nasal passage, hay fever, allergic fever and tooth infection can cause sinusitis. Certain medical disorders like GERD (a reflux disease), Cystic Fibrosis and disorders in the body’s immune system can induce sinusitis. Common cold, exposure to allergies like dust or smoke, cigarette smoke can block the nasal passage leading to sinus infection.

Types :

Sinus infection is classified according to the time span the disease takes. Acute sinusitis is one which exists for few days or weeks whereas chronic sinusitis may continue for months together causing nasal blockage and runny nose.

Risk Factors :

You are likely to develop sinus infection when you are exposed to allergic smoke, chemicals, dust, or grains. Any deviation in the nasal septum or development of nasal tumors or polyps can cause sinus infection. People who are habitually smoking are more likely to develop sinusitis than others. In rare cases, sinus infection may develop into Asthma attack, if left untreated for several weeks. If the infectious bacteria or virus spreads to the bloodstream it may reach the brain causing Meningitis. In rare cases, the infection can severely damage the eye socket leading to loss of vision.

Diagnoses :

Your doctor will physically examine the body looking more particularly on your nose and throat. He will examine the nasal passage to check for any inflammation or development of any polyps inside. He may recommend a nasal endoscopy to inspect the nasal passage clearly. For severe cases, CT or MRI scan is done for ruling out any abnormalities inside.

Treatment :

Often acute type of sinus infection do not require any treatment if it is caused by common cold. You can try home remedies to get relief from symptoms. You can use decongestants in the form of tablets or nasal sprays for managing most of the symptoms of acute sinusitis. Your doctor may prescribe saline nasal spray to clear off the nasal blockage. Corticosteroid medications like Flonase, Nasonex, Budesonide, Nasacort and Beconase are largely prescribed for treating inflammation.

In case of fatigue or fever you can use aspirin or Tylenol for getting relief from pain. But it is not recommended for children. Avoid taking antibiotics since sinus infection is caused by virus. Unless it is bacterial infection antibiotics should not be used. For severe bacterial infection medications like Amoxil, doxycycline or Monodox are prescribed. Once your doctor gives you antibiotics ensure that you are completing the course of the medication. If you stop them after getting relief from symptoms, it can come back within few days.

If the sinusitis is caused by fungal infection, your doctor may prescribe antifungal drugs. If the root cause is weakened immunity then you will be put on immunotherapy. Chronic sinus infection can be treated by taking long course of drugs like Augmentin. In severe cases, surgery is done for clearing/opening the blocked sinus tissues.

Home Remedies :

Most of the symptoms of acute sinusitis can be managed by simple home remedies. You need to drink plenty of water/fluids to keep yourself hydrated. Avoid taking coffee/tea/alcohol since it may worsen the symptoms. Take complete rest to help the body fight against infections which would speed-up the process of recovery.

Warm compression can be applied on the entire face to loosen the blocked sinuses. Try using neti pot or other rinsing methods for clearing off the sinuses. It may be difficult for you to breathe normally while having sinus infection. Hence keep your head elevated position by adding more pillows.

Prevention :

You cannot prevent sinus infection but you can avoid Allergy causing environment. No vaccine has been developed against sinusitis. Cigarette smoke in any form can gradually damage the tissues of the lungs blocking nasal passage. So, avoid active/passive smoking. Allergy may be the real culprit of sinus infection and hence you need to get tested for allergic infection and treat the same. Treating the underlying problem is vital to prevent getting chronic sinusitis.