You’re coughing, your nose is stuffy, and you feel tired and achy. You think that you might be getting a cold. Later, when the medicines you’ve been taking to relieve symptoms of the common cold are not working and you’ve got a terrible headache, you finally drag yourself to the doctor. After listening to your history of symptoms, examining your face and forehead, and perhaps doing a sinus X-ray, the doctor says you have sinusitis.
Sinusitis means your sinuses are infected or inflamed. But this gives little indication of the misery and pain this condition can cause. Health experts usually divide sinusitis cases into
Acute cases, which last for 4 weeks or less
Subacute cases, which last 4 to 12 weeks
Chronic cases, which last more than 12 weeks and can continue for months or even years
Recurrent cases, which involve several acute attacks within a year
Health experts estimate 37 million Americans are affected by sinusitis every year. Healthcare providers report nearly 32 million cases of chronic sinusitis to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention annually. Americans spend $5.8 billion each year on healthcare costs related to sinusitis.
What Are Sinuses?
When people say, "I'm having a sinus attack," they usually are referring to symptoms of congestion and achiness in one or more of four pairs of cavities, or sinuses, known as paranasal sinuses. These cavities, located within the skull or bones of the head surrounding the nose, include
Frontal sinuses over the eyes in the brow area
Maxillary sinuses inside each cheekbone
Ethmoid sinuses just behind the bridge of the nose and between the eyes
Sphenoid sinuses behind the ethmoids in the upper region of the nose and behind the eyes
Each sinus has an opening into the nose for the free exchange of air and mucus, and each is joined with the nasal passages by a continuous mucous membrane lining. Therefore, anything that causes a swelling in the nose—an infection, an allergic reaction, or another type of immune reaction—also can affect your sinuses.
Air trapped within a blocked sinus, along with pus or other secretions (liquid material) may cause pressure on the sinus wall. The result is the sometimes intense pain of a sinus attack. Similarly, when air is prevented from entering a paranasal sinus by a swollen membrane at the opening, a vacuum can be created that also causes pain.
Or in another Article
What are sinuses?
The air chambers in the bone behind your cheeks, eyebrows and jaw are called sinuses. They make mucus, a fluid that cleans bacteria and other particles out of the air you breathe. Tiny hairs called cilia (say: “sill-ee-ah”) sweep mucus out of your sinuses so it can drain out through your nose.
What is sinusitis?
Sinusitis (say: “sine-you-site-iss”) is the name for a condition in which the lining of your sinuses becomes inflamed.
What causes sinusitis?
Anything that causes swelling in your sinuses or keeps the cilia from moving mucus can cause sinusitis. This can occur because of changes in temperature or air pressure. Using decongestant nasal sprays too much, smoking, and swimming or diving can also increase your risk of getting sinusitis. Some people have growths called polyps (say: “pawl-ips”) that block their sinus passages.
When sinusitis is caused by a bacterial or viral infection, you get a sinus infection. Sinus infections sometimes occurs after you’ve had a cold. The cold virus attacks the lining of your sinuses, causing them to swell and become narrow. Your body responds to the virus by producing more mucus, but it gets blocked in your swollen sinuses. This built-up mucus makes a good place for bacteria to grow. The bacteria can cause a sinus infection.
What are the signs of acute sinusitis?
A cold that starts to get better and then gets worse may be a sign of acute sinusitis. Pain or pressure in some areas of the face (forehead, cheeks or between the eyes) is often a sign of blocked sinus drainage and can be a sign of acute sinusitis. Pain in your forehead that starts when you lean forward can also be a sign. Other symptoms may include a stuffy nose, fever and an ache in your upper teeth.
How is acute sinusitis treated?
Your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic (medicine that kills bacteria). You may take an antibiotic for 10 to 14 days, but you will usually start feeling better a couple of days after you start taking it. It is important to take this medicine exactly as your doctor tells you and to continue taking it until it is gone, even after you’re feeling better. If you have sinus pain or pressure, your doctor may prescribe or recommend a decongestant to help your sinuses drain.
See the box below for other things you can do to feel better when you have acute sinusitis.
Tips on taking care of sinusitis
Get plenty of rest. Lying down can make your sinuses feel more stopped-up, so try lying on the side that lets you breathe the best.
Sip hot liquids and drink plenty of fluids.
Apply moist heat by holding a warm, wet towel against your face or breathing in steam through a cloth or towel.
Talk with your doctor before using an over-the-counter cold medicine. Some cold medicines can make your symptoms worse or cause other problems.
Don’t use a nose spray with a decongestant in it for more than 3 days. If you use it for more than 3 days, the swelling in your sinuses may get worse when you stop the medicine.
Use an over-the-counter medicine such as acetaminophen (one brand name: Tylenol) for pain.
Rinse your sinus passages with a saline solution. You can buy an over-the-counter saline solution or ask your doctor how to make one at home.
Sinusitis means your sinuses are infected or inflamed. But this gives little indication of the misery and pain this condition can cause. Health experts usually divide sinusitis cases into
Acute cases, which last for 4 weeks or less
Subacute cases, which last 4 to 12 weeks
Chronic cases, which last more than 12 weeks and can continue for months or even years
Recurrent cases, which involve several acute attacks within a year
Health experts estimate 37 million Americans are affected by sinusitis every year. Healthcare providers report nearly 32 million cases of chronic sinusitis to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention annually. Americans spend $5.8 billion each year on healthcare costs related to sinusitis.
What Are Sinuses?
When people say, "I'm having a sinus attack," they usually are referring to symptoms of congestion and achiness in one or more of four pairs of cavities, or sinuses, known as paranasal sinuses. These cavities, located within the skull or bones of the head surrounding the nose, include
Frontal sinuses over the eyes in the brow area
Maxillary sinuses inside each cheekbone
Ethmoid sinuses just behind the bridge of the nose and between the eyes
Sphenoid sinuses behind the ethmoids in the upper region of the nose and behind the eyes
Each sinus has an opening into the nose for the free exchange of air and mucus, and each is joined with the nasal passages by a continuous mucous membrane lining. Therefore, anything that causes a swelling in the nose—an infection, an allergic reaction, or another type of immune reaction—also can affect your sinuses.
Air trapped within a blocked sinus, along with pus or other secretions (liquid material) may cause pressure on the sinus wall. The result is the sometimes intense pain of a sinus attack. Similarly, when air is prevented from entering a paranasal sinus by a swollen membrane at the opening, a vacuum can be created that also causes pain.
Or in another Article
What are sinuses?
The air chambers in the bone behind your cheeks, eyebrows and jaw are called sinuses. They make mucus, a fluid that cleans bacteria and other particles out of the air you breathe. Tiny hairs called cilia (say: “sill-ee-ah”) sweep mucus out of your sinuses so it can drain out through your nose.
What is sinusitis?
Sinusitis (say: “sine-you-site-iss”) is the name for a condition in which the lining of your sinuses becomes inflamed.
What causes sinusitis?
Anything that causes swelling in your sinuses or keeps the cilia from moving mucus can cause sinusitis. This can occur because of changes in temperature or air pressure. Using decongestant nasal sprays too much, smoking, and swimming or diving can also increase your risk of getting sinusitis. Some people have growths called polyps (say: “pawl-ips”) that block their sinus passages.
When sinusitis is caused by a bacterial or viral infection, you get a sinus infection. Sinus infections sometimes occurs after you’ve had a cold. The cold virus attacks the lining of your sinuses, causing them to swell and become narrow. Your body responds to the virus by producing more mucus, but it gets blocked in your swollen sinuses. This built-up mucus makes a good place for bacteria to grow. The bacteria can cause a sinus infection.
What are the signs of acute sinusitis?
A cold that starts to get better and then gets worse may be a sign of acute sinusitis. Pain or pressure in some areas of the face (forehead, cheeks or between the eyes) is often a sign of blocked sinus drainage and can be a sign of acute sinusitis. Pain in your forehead that starts when you lean forward can also be a sign. Other symptoms may include a stuffy nose, fever and an ache in your upper teeth.
How is acute sinusitis treated?
Your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic (medicine that kills bacteria). You may take an antibiotic for 10 to 14 days, but you will usually start feeling better a couple of days after you start taking it. It is important to take this medicine exactly as your doctor tells you and to continue taking it until it is gone, even after you’re feeling better. If you have sinus pain or pressure, your doctor may prescribe or recommend a decongestant to help your sinuses drain.
See the box below for other things you can do to feel better when you have acute sinusitis.
Tips on taking care of sinusitis
Get plenty of rest. Lying down can make your sinuses feel more stopped-up, so try lying on the side that lets you breathe the best.
Sip hot liquids and drink plenty of fluids.
Apply moist heat by holding a warm, wet towel against your face or breathing in steam through a cloth or towel.
Talk with your doctor before using an over-the-counter cold medicine. Some cold medicines can make your symptoms worse or cause other problems.
Don’t use a nose spray with a decongestant in it for more than 3 days. If you use it for more than 3 days, the swelling in your sinuses may get worse when you stop the medicine.
Use an over-the-counter medicine such as acetaminophen (one brand name: Tylenol) for pain.
Rinse your sinus passages with a saline solution. You can buy an over-the-counter saline solution or ask your doctor how to make one at home.
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