Tag: Nasal Polyps

What Is Acute Sinus Infection?

Acute sinus infection occurs when your nasal passages become inflamed making it difficult for the normal drainage of the mucus. As a result, you have difficulty breathing and may also experience a headache, fever or cough.

The common cause of acute sinus infection is the cold. Other causes include bacteria, allergies, nasal polyps, deviated nasal septum and certain medical conditions. When the doctor is able to determine the exact cause, only then will treatment be given.

But most of the time, acute sinus infection is either bacterial or viral. Since it is hard to pinpoint what is the exact cause doctors speculate that if the problem persists longer than 14 days, then it is more likely that the cause is bacterial.

You will know if you have acute sinus infection if you have any of these symptoms. These include bad breath, cough, dental pain, erythema, fatigue, fever, nasal congestion, nausea or a sore throat. You may experience one or a few of these at the same time and you should treat it immediately to prevent this from becoming a chronic sinus infection even worse cause complications.

This means that the sinus infection could last longer than 8 weeks or you could develop acute asthma, aneurysms, meningitis or vision problems.

If the symptoms of acute sinus infection are mild, you can try self-care like drinking lots of fluids and bed rest. However if the ever exceeds 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit or 39 degrees Celsius, then you have to seek medical advice.

When you to the doctor, he or she will be asking you a few questions to gather information about your medical history, conduct a physical examination and in some cases call for a CT scan to pinpoint which areas are inflamed.

If the test results show that the cause is bacterial, then you may be prescribed some antibiotics like amoxicillin or the combination drug trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. If there are no changes, then a different antibiotic will be recommended.

Should this be caused by an allergic reaction, the doctor will likely recommend an antihistamine.

Other possible treatments for acute sinus infection include the use of prescription decongestants, nasal corticosteroid spray, oral corticosteroid pills to relieve stuffiness, over the counter decongestants or pain relievers and spraying a saline solution inside your nose several times a day.

But do you always have to wait for acute sinus infection to strike before taking any action? The answer is no because this can be prevented. Some simple things you can do includes practicing proper hygiene, getting flu shots annually, staying away from people who have colds, keeping yourself hydrated, limiting alcohol use, investing in a humidifier, avoid going to polluted areas and hanging out with people who smoke.

If you already have acute sinus infection, steam your sinus cavities by mixing Vicks Vaporub with warm water or with a few essential oils then inhale it for about 10 minutes. You can also take a hot a shower and breathe the warm air. Dont forget to also take some decongestants and drink lots of fluids as this will all reduce congestion and promote drainage.

An acute sinus infection doesnt last that long but when its there, you will really have a bad day. It can happen to anyone and at anytime so you have to take good care of yourself.

What Causes Sinus Infection

Ever wondered what really causes a sinus infection? There are many possibilities and it is sometimes hard to pinpoint which one is the culprit. You could have gotten it while you are at work, out in the mall, doing a certain activity or even at home so here are some of the known causes of sinus infections.

Most sinus infections are caused by the common cold otherwise known as viral influenza. This causes congestion in the nasal passages and inhibits the drainage of the sinuses which is why it becomes inflamed.

When this happens, the nose is filled with mucus caused by the accumulation of white blood cells in the lining of the nose. This makes it difficult for the person to smell or even breathe and the only way to get rid of it is to blow it out.

Generally a common flu stays a maximum for a period of one week. After that we usually recover, but it leaves our sinuses inflamed. The nose is a very sensitive part of our body which catches a viral infection very easily.

Sinus infection can also be caused by exposure to dust particles, pollen and other irritants in the air. If there is too much of this already in the nasal passages, it prevents mucus from draining away. When these bacteria such as streptococcus pneumoniae and haemophilus influenzae end up in our upper respiratory tract and multiply, then it causes us to have a sinus infection.

You can come into contact with these every time you go outdoors or when you are inside the house especially in places where natural sunlight cannot reach. Another example is the fungus known as aspergillus that can cause problems to the immune system.

If you have asthma, you are a high risk for sinus infections because your nasal polyps inside your nose are swollen. This results in chronic sinus infections that could last for 2 weeks.

Lack of water also causes a sinus infection. This is because the mucus will thicken making it difficult for the cilia to move it through the sinuses.

Sinus infections can also happen whenever we are stressed. To prove the point, one such condition known as vasomotor rhinitis shows that stress does cause excessive swelling and mucus production.

You can also get a sinus infection by blowing your nose too much. This is because your nose will swell after blowing it too hard or too much.

Certain activities that are fun can also cause sinus infection. Traveling by air and scuba diving are very common because to much pressure in the sinuses causes bacteria to grow.

If you dont watch your kids carefully, they may inhale harmful substances or other foreign objects that introduce bacteria into the sinuses.

Certain medications are also known to cause sinus infections as a side effect because it may affect the functioning of the mucus membrane.

Lastly, although very rare, you can get a sinus infection from disease teeth because the maxillary sinus in the cheekbone becomes infected by the root of a diseased upper tooth.

There are many causes of sinus infections and it is not only bacterial or viral. Now that