What Are the Symptoms of Sinus Infections?

Sinus related infection, or more commonly known as sinusitis, is the inflammation the linings in your paranasal sinuses which usually comes with some typical symptoms of sinus Infections. Oftentimes, this is associated to a condition or an infection in the upper respiratory tract. Sinusitis is often due to a bacterial, viral, or fungal infection within the paranasal sinuses. It can also be due to air pollutants or allergens, colds, weakened immune system, different climatic conditions, dehydration, stress, dental infection, injury in the nasal bones and excessive smoking. A sinus related infection can be classified as infectious and non-infectious. Infectious sinusitis is due to an infection in your nasal cavity, while non infectious sinusitis can be due to allergens or other environmental irritants. Sinus type infections can be chronic, acute, or sub-acute and the classification often depends on the duration of the condition. Acute or sudden sinusitis usually last not more than four weeks, sub acute sinusitis may last for four to six weeks, while chronic or long term sinusitis has a duration of up to 12 weeks or more. Remember that whatever type of sinusitis you are suffering from, symptoms of sinus infections are the same. When your sinuses are inflamed, this may result to excessive mucus secretion, which can block your nasal passages. The most common symptoms of sinus infections include stuffy nose, presence of thick yellowish to greenish discharges from the nose, pressure around the face and headache, fever and cough, upper jaw pain, bad breath, difficulty breathing, sore throat, burning sensation in the eye area and the loss of smell, which may occur rarely. Other severe cases of sinus related infection may also lead to brain infection, meningitis, and osteomyelitis. Symptoms of Sinus Infections , Treatments, and Diagnosis The diagnosis of a sinus type infection is often done based on the symptoms of sinus infections, medical history, and physical examination of the patient. Symptoms are often similar to a cold bout so your physician may require you to undergo certain diagnostic exams, which may include endoscopic evaluation of your nasopharynx, microbial culture, and CT or computed tomography scan. Palpation and percussion of the face may also be helpful in determining which among your sinuses are infected. It is important to treat your sinus infection as soon as possible, as it may result to acute sinusitis, which may then lead to sub acute or chronic infection. The main goal of a sinusitis treatment is to get rid of the infection and relieve you of nasal congestion. For someone suffering from acute sinusitis, an antibiotic course therapy is often recommended. Decongestants - oral or topical - can also be used to clear the blockage in the nasal passages. Aside from that, your physician may also recommend some adjunctive treatments for symptoms of sinus infections , such as steam bath, healthy diet plan, corticosteroids, mucolytic agents, and antihistamines. It was also known that daily nasal irrigation could help relieve the patient from sinus related infections. You can do this by using a saline solution and a squeeze bottle or nasal spray bottle.