Acute sinusitis is caused by inflammation of sinus’ lining. Inflammation is responsible for the swelling inside the sinus cavities and also for the air and mucus shut in the sinuses. As sinus cavities are normally empty, this content causes increased pressure and pain and can be the cause of bacterial infection of sinuses.
If this problem persists for several weeks (up to 4 weeks) doctors refer to it as acute sinusitis. However, sinusitis may be really persistent and last for months and even years and this is what doctors call chronic sinusitis. Actually any sinus inflammation which lasts for more than 12 weeks is known as chronic sinusitis.
About Acute Sinusitis
Initially, sinus inflammation might be caused by an allergy or common cold. If the patient is immune-compromised, due to defects in their immune system or some other medical problem or the use of certain drugs, there is a chance to develop sinusitis because of the fungal infection. Everyone who has experienced sinusitis knows how irritating and painful it can be. People usually report facial pressure and pain as the symptoms of sinus inflammation. Besides these, patients may also suffer from congestion and thick mucus.Treatment Options
Sinusitis is treatable but the first step for you and your doctor should be to discover the cause of inflammation. Only then you will be able to treat the problem properly. Doctors usually perform some physical exam to discover the cause of sinusitis, but additional tests such as X-ray scan and CT (computed tomography) and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) may also be helpful for this purpose.
Home remedies may resolve many uncomplicated cases of sinusitis. Inhalation of steam, warm heat applied to the face and humidifiers around the house have been known to help many sinusitis sufferers. Some prefer using nasal saline solution to moist nasal passages, while others use salty water for nasal irrigation. Proper amount of rest and plenty of fluids (water and teas, not alcohol) are also beneficial. Over the counter (OTC) drugs may be helpful, but make sure you are not over-using them, because then they could even worsen your problem with the sinuses.
Talking about medications you could use for sinusitis, painkillers (ibuprofen or acetaminophen) are certainly the most commonly used. However, you shouldn’t use them over 10 days or they could cause other health problems.
Sinusitis provoked by bacterial infection is commonly treated with antibiotics and prescribed therapy usually lasts for about 2 weeks. Sinusitis due to some allergy can be treated with allergy medications. Decongestant nasal sprays or tablets are also frequently used in acute sinusitis patients. Inhalation steroids and surgery are more likely to be recommended to resolve chronic sinusitis.
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