Sinusitis is a disease caused by inflammation of the maxillary sinus, which develops most often when rhinovirus enters the nasal cavity, sometimes the cause is an allergen, a decrease in general immunity or a poorly treated runny nose.
The content of the article:
The mechanism of development of sinusitis
Classification of sinusitis
Causes and risk factors of sinusitis
Symptoms of sinusitis
Diagnosis of sinusitis
Treatment of sinusitis
Sinusitis
The onset of the disease is accompanied by sneezing, itching, mild congestion, transparent discharge from the nose, indicating the development of swelling of the nasal passages mucosa. In the future, viruses grow inside the sinuses and spread in various cavities of the facial part of the skull. The accumulation of pus, sputum, and mucus in them causes pressure on the walls, irritation, inflammation, and swelling. This can occur in the sinuses of the latticed bones, the wedge-shaped sinuses of the frontal region, in the maxillary or paranasal sinuses.
With the development of catarrhal sinusitis, the patient’s nose is blocked, his breathing is difficult, and the person tries to breathe through his mouth, which is very harmful to the body. During the development of the purulent process, an unpleasant odor from the mouth and nose appears.
Sinusitis of the nose affects people of any age group and gender. The highest percentage of the disease occurs in the autumn-winter period. In early spring, when there is a decrease in general immunity, exacerbations of chronic forms of the disease often occur.
The mechanism of development of sinusitis
The disease can be unilateral or bilateral, and is accompanied by damage not only to the maxillaries, but also to other paranasal sinuses of the nasal cavity.
The mechanism of development of sinusitis begins with inflammation of the thin mucous membrane covering the maxillary sinuses. Inflammation has a negative effect on the blood vessels and connective tissue located in them. The inflammatory process is accompanied by an accumulation of pus in the paranasal sinuses located in the maxillary region. It presses on the walls of the cavities, and this leads to the appearance of tumors in the area of the sinuses on the face of a sick person. They are painful to the touch and when the head is tilted, pain is felt in them. Inflammation is accompanied by swelling of the nasal mucosa. This manifestation disrupts the outflow of mucus accumulating in the sinuses, which increases all the symptoms.
If we allow the transition of the catarrhal form into a chronic disease, then the bone walls of the maxillary sinuses and submucosal base will begin to be affected, which leads to difficulty breathing, especially at night.
Classification of sinusitis
The classification of this disease is related to the site of the lesion of the mucous tissues and the causes that caused it. They can be acute and chronic. Acute are called catarrhal. Sinusitis can be allergic, polypous, bilateral, unilateral, purulent. Chronic types can also be any of these forms, occurring with exacerbations and leading to the development of complications.
Odontogenic sinusitis is the name of a disease that begins against the background of an acute inflammatory process in the maxillary sinuses, the causative agents of which are E. coli, staphylococci, streptococci and caries.
Allergic sinusitis develops under the influence of an allergen with a decrease in immunity in spring and autumn.
Chronic sinusitis develops after an acute form, and worries patients, often moving from remission to the stage of exacerbation. It can develop against the background of various defects of the nasal septum and caries.
Polypous sinusitis is caused by the growth of polyps in the nose. This is a specific form of sinusitis, which should only be treated surgically in a hospital.
Purulent sinusitis can be both acute and chronic.
Bilateral sinusitis is rare, it is mostly unilateral with inflammation of the maxillaries on the left side.
Causes and risk factors of sinusitis
The main reason for the development of sinusitis is a decrease in local immunity. The mucous tissues in which the lymphatic vessels are located should painlessly fight all viruses that get on them. If the immune system fails, the rhinovirus is located on the tissues of the nasal cavity and begins its destructive work with impunity.
The defeat of the body by bacteria such as pneumococci, streptococci, staphylococci is often the cause of the development of the inflammatory process in the maxillary sinuses. This disease is preceded by acute respiratory infections, acute respiratory infections, bathing in dirty water, nosebleeds. Inflammation may occur due to allergic rhinitis.
Sinusitis can occur as a complication after suffering an acute runny nose, received during the flu, measles, scarlet fever. Curvature of the nasal septum can also cause the development of sinusitis in children and adults.
Not every defeat of the body by a viral infection predisposes the development of catarrhal sinusitis. For such a disease, there must be factors that are conducive to this:
child or elderly age of the patient;
disorders in the endocrine system;
the structure of the bones of the facial part of the skull;
the state of the immune system;
the presence of chronic diseases;
bacterial infection;
allergic reactions;
parasites;
injury of the mucous tissues of the maxillary sinus;
dry air;
draft;
polyps and adenoids.
Symptoms of sinusitis
The most common symptoms of inflammation of the maxillary sinus are loss of sense of smell, heaviness in the head, severe pain in the front of the head, which can pulsate in the eye area and the bridge of the nose. When pus matures, the short-term temperature rises to 38 degrees. The acute form of sinusitis is accompanied by a feverish state, memory deterioration, decreased performance and increased fatigue. Patients complain of lacrimation, they develop photophobia.
One of the main symptoms of sinusitis is thick, yellow-green discharge from the nose.
Headache, which increases with the inclination or tension of the facial muscles, clearly indicates an inflammatory process occurring in the sinuses of the nose.
Symptoms of sinusitis with severe nasal congestion, such as pain in the eyes, visual disturbances, painful swelling on the face should make the patient urgently consult an otolaryngologist.
Diagnosis of sinusitis
Maxillary sinusitis is accompanied by copious discharge from the nose, which have impurities of pus and blood in their composition. Signs of sinusitis may indicate the development of the pathological process.
Each stage of catarrhal sinusitis is accompanied by special secretions, which indicates the degree of development of the disease. This helps to diagnose the disease. An otolaryngologist, when diagnosing a patient, can determine the phase of the disease by the color of nasal discharge. Currently, there are three main shades of secretions that indicate the development of sinusitis. They can be white, yellow-green or blood-brown.
The appearance of white mucus indicates the initial stage of development of catarrhal sinusitis. Mucous discharge of white color, thick consistency, may indicate the beginning of the stage of recovery of the patient. Thick yellow-green discharge indicates a strong inflammatory process of the maxillaries. With this form, there is always a temperature. These symptoms indicate that the intervention of specialists is necessary.
The most severe form is accompanied by blood-brown discharge, coming in dense clots when rinsing the nose. At the same time, the patient always suffers from a severe headache, which increases when bending. On the face, in the area of the affected sinuses, significant swelling forms. The teeth of the upper jaw hurt a lot.
This form requires urgent professional treatment. If you suspect the development of sinusitis, you should contact an otolaryngologist to clarify the diagnosis and treatment. The doctor will prescribe sinus radiography and diaphanoscopy to confirm the diagnosis.
Treatment of sinusitis
Treatment of maxillary sinus inflammation is conservative. It is aimed at ensuring a good outflow of mucus from the maxillaries. When the temperature rises, bed rest, antipyretics and painkillers are prescribed. With severe symptoms and obvious intoxication, antibiotics are prescribed, which are administered intramuscularly. To reduce swelling and swelling of the mucous membrane, vasoconstrictors are instilled into the nose. Apply essential oils of thuja, larch, which restore the mucous membranes well and cleanse the sinuses of mucus. Sinupret is prescribed, a drug for oral administration, which has long been used to treat catarrhal sinusitis.
Physiotherapeutic methods of treatment are used. The doctor may recommend a blue light lamp, sollux, UHF currents.
In individual cases, sinus puncture is resorted to. This is done in order to rinse the infected cavity with an antiseptic solution and inject an antibacterial agent into it.
From folk remedies for the treatment of sinusitis, cyclamen root juice is recommended. This flower has a unique combination of substances that help purify the sinuses from pus and regenerate the tissues of the mucous membranes. Since the active substance is poisonous, caution in use is required. In the pharmacy, you can buy ready-made preparations, which include cyclamen root juice, and use it.
It is necessary to treat inflammation of the maxillary sinuses in order to avoid not only the development of a chronic disease, but also the appearance of side effects — various complications in the form of inflammation of the membranes of the brain. This life-threatening complication can lead to disability or even death.
Without proper treatment, the chronic form of the disease greatly worsens the quality of life. The mucous tissues do not recover completely. A person suffers from a lack of sense of smell, respiratory disorders. He suffers from headaches. With the exacerbation of the disease, the protective functions of the body deteriorate.
