Tag: sore throat

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 Are Sinus Infections?

Sinus infections are also known as sinusitis. In fact, there are two types namely acute and chronic.

An acute sinus infection is caused by harmless bacteria that most healthy people have in their upper respiratory tracts. This happens to approximately 2 percent of adults and 20 percent of children who are suffering from a cold. It usually lasts for two to four weeks and those affected respond very well to medical therapy.

Among the two types, chronic sinus infections are very common. It is estimated that at least 37 million Americans are affected by this every year and this usually lasts for 3 months or more and it may keep on coming back.

The symptoms for acute and chronic are very similar. These include bad breath, cough, dental pain, difficulty breathing through your nose, erythema, facial pain, fatigue, fever, nasal congestion, nausea, pain or tenderness in the eyes, cheeks, nose or forehead and sore throat.

If you have acute or chronic sinus infection, you are advised to see a doctor because if left undiagnosed and untreated, complications could occur which may lead to severe medical problems and at times death. Just to give you an idea, here are some of the complications that could happen.

We know that fevers and headaches are common with a sinus infection. But did you know that this together with soft tissue swelling over the frontal sinus may indicate an infection of the frontal bone better known as Potts Puffy Tumor or Ostemyelitis?

The persons eye socket may also get infected due to ethmoid sinusitis and if it swells or becomes droopy, this may result in the inability to see and even permanent blindness. What is even worse is when it causes a blood clot forms around the front and top of the face. The persons pupils will become fixed and dilated and this will happen on both eyes.

A sinus infection could also make someone experience mild personality changes or altered consciousness. If this happens, it is possible that the infection can spread to the brain and result in a coma or death.

Given that anything can happen if you have a sinus infection, you are advised to see a doctor as soon as possible. This will the professional time to diagnose what is wrong and then recommend the proper medical treatment.

Some of the tests could be as simple as touching your face lightly to check for tenderness in the skin to CT scans, MRIs and X-rays.

The treatment that doctors initially recommend to a patient who has a sinus infection is usually an over the counter drug like Tylenol. If there is no improvement after a week, then he or she can assume that it is a bacterial infection and treat it with a proper antibiotic.

The length of the time that the patient will be under the medication depends on the person. Usually, the person will use antibiotics for 2 weeks but this can be extended for another 7 days should the infection be chronic.

Sinus infections can be treated so before you take any medicine out of the cabinet, have yourself checked by the doctor first to determine what is causing it. For all you know, your sinus infection is not caused by bacteria but rather an allergy.

What Is Chronic Sinus Infection

There are two types of sinus infection. It could be acute or chronic and among the two, more people get afflicted with the chronic sinus infection.

The difference between chronic and acute sinus infection is the fact that this can last for 12 weeks or longer and this can recur once you get better. An acute sinus infection is gone after a week.

Common causes for chronic sinus infection include allergies, airborne fungus, nasal or sinus obstructions, trauma to the face, certain medical conditions and respiratory tract infections.

As a result, some of the symptoms that most people feel include headaches, congestion, difficulty breathing, reduced sense of smell, ear pain, fatigue, cough, nausea, sore throat and aching in the upper jaw or teeth.

Since you probably tried already to self medicate yourself without any positive results, the doctor is your only hope to make it go away.

After reviewing your medical history, some test will need to be done such as an MRI, CT scan, nasal endoscopy, extracting nasal or sinus cultures and an allergy test.

An MRI or CT scan is similar to an X-ray machine because they can show details of your sinus and nasal area without inserting anything into your body.

If this is needed, the doctor will have to do a nasal endoscopy by putting a thin, flexible tube with fiber optic light up your nose to see what is happening inside.

Not many people like that because it is like putting a similar tube up your anus. If possible, they will give a nasal or sinus sample instead so this can be checked.

If your doctor has not yet determined the exact cause of the chronic sinus infection, you may be referred to another specialist especially if he or she suspects that this is caused by an allergy so they can conduct an allergy test.

Once the results come in, the doctor will probably prescribe some antibiotics until you are free of the symptoms. To deal with the inflammation and swelling in the nasal cavity, you will be prescribed a corticosteroid. If this doesnt work, then you will probably try antihistamines, decongestants and expectorants.

The doctor may also try moisture or humidification to help flush the nasal cavity and loosen the dried mucus. Should the chronic sinus infection be caused by an allergy, it can be treated with immunotherapy. A method designed to stimulate the antibodies that block the bodys reactions to a specific allergy.

Chronic sinus infection can be prevented and the steps that you take are not that different when you are suffering from an acute sinus infection. You just have got to practice proper hygiene, get flu shots once a year, stay away from people who have colds as it is a contagious illness, limit your drinking, keep yourself hydrated at all times, buy a humidifier and avoid being in polluted areas or around people who smoke.

Should you already have chronic sinus infection, just follow the instructions of the doctor and update him or her on any progress.

Chronic sinus infection is no joke. Just to give you an idea of how serious it is, over 30 to 40 million Americans get it every year. If you dont want to be another person added to the statistics, do what is needed so you are always healthy.

Sinus Infections

Modern living has its consequences. There are now complex health conditions and problems that arise like sinus infections. But because of todays modern world, there are also lots of medications and treatments for different kinds of illnesses or diseases.

Achieving optimum health is not as easy as you think. People are already used to bad diets, polluted areas, and unhealthy lifestyles. Because of this, they are more prone to chronic fatigue, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, sinus problems, and many other health conditions.

Antibiotics are overused these days. People tend to use them in inappropriate conditions and so it complicates thing further. There are even times when sinus infections dont react or respond to antibiotics especially if the root cause is fungus. Antibiotics can be narrow or broad spectrum.

The right antibiotic should be prescribed at the right health condition or problem. This is to prevent resistance to the medicine. Are you aware that improper use of antibiotic can cause side effects? Thats true and if there is no improvement in your sinusitis, it only means two things the wrong antibiotic was prescribed or you need a new treatment.

For instance, if the sinus infection did not respond to the antibiotic prescribed by the doctor, you can turn to alternative treatments like Chinese herbal remedies, acupuncture, and Ayurveda. However, the effectiveness of these alternative treatments vary from one individual to another; so you still need to find a suitable treatment that can work for your current condition.

Some people afflicted with sinus infections tend to have white or clear mucus in their sinuses. This indicates that the antibiotics wont work. Other symptoms include fatigue, loose stool, and lowered appetite. The doctor must be informed of the symptoms youre feeling.

The usual symptoms of sinusitis are greenish nasal discharge, nasal congestion, dental or facial pain, headache, eye pain, and frequent coughing during the night. Other people feel ill, have sore throat, bad breathe, and fever. Chronic sinus infections are hard to diagnose. If you have the symptoms for over two months now, then you have chronic sinusitis; but still, only the doctor can properly diagnose your true condition.

Fungal sinusitis is also possible and antibiotics wont work for this kind of infection. It can be caused by molds and other irritants. You can use alternative treatments for this kind of infection and according to some individuals, some of these treatments can work miracles. You can drink a warm cup of apple cider vinegar (disregard the taste even if its nasty), use a saline solution, or you can also regularly take garlic capsules. There are still other ways to treat fungal sinusitis and you can easily obtain the needed information online.

Maintaining a healthy and physically fit body can prevent future sinus infections. A healthy body will also have a strong immune system which can easily fight off infections. If the sinusitis is caused by bacteria, then a certain kind of antibiotic might work for it but the doctor should consider the severity of the infection, and age/weight of the patient.

Sinus infections can be cured although there are times when the infection returns. A serious dialogue with your doctor is needed so that the two of you can come up with an effective solution to address your condition.

If you want, you can also join yoga practices and use other herbal treatments in conjunction with your medical prescriptions. Always talk to your doctor first before trying any medicine or treatment.