Sinusitis
“acute” and “chronic” sinusitis
If your sinuses are swollen and blocked, causing air and mucus to get trapped inside. You may be suffering from Sinusitis. If this happens, your face may feel tender or painful, and your nose may feel blocked up.
Sinusitis is when the lining of your sinuses become swollen and inflamed. Sinuses are small air-filled cavities around the nose and forehead that control the temperature and water content of the air going into your lungs.
Your IPSA doctors are experienced at recognising and diagnosing this and many conditions. We will take a comprehensive clinical history and conduct an in depth consultation.
This examination will rule out possibility of something more severe and our IPSA Doctors will teach you measure to manage your sinusitis from home.
There are generally two types Sinusitis “acute” and “chronic”. Acute sinusitis can clear up on its own within four weeks. Acute sinusitis usually has more severe symptoms and often follows a cold.
However if you symptoms persist for 12 weeks or more then it is likely to be chronicsinusitis. Chronic sinusitis can start out as acute sinusitis, but the symptoms persist and do not clear up.
Initially your IPSA doctor may prescribe a variety of treatments ranging from steroid sprays, decongestions, anti mucus medication or antibiotic at your doctors discretion.
We aim to get you better as soon as possible and we will support you throughout your recovery process. Our doctors will be available via phone to discuss any worries you may have following your consultation.
What is Causing My Sinusitis?
Acute sinusitis is often caused by a common cold, when the mucus membranes in your nose or upper airways become infected.
When the mucus in your sinuses become infected with bacteria, it can lead to more severe symptoms associated with sinusitis. This is called bacterial sinusitis.
Chronic sinusitis can be triggered by irritants and allergens that affect the sinus and lining of your nose, which is often already inflamed.
Other causes of sinusitis can include blocked or narrowed passages due to nasal polyps or injuries sustained to your face.
Allergens that could be causing your chronic sinusitis:
- Dust mites
- Smoke or air pollution
- Airborne allergens such as grass or tree pollen
- Chemical sprays, such as household cleaning products.
Sinusitis Symptoms
If you have acute sinusitis, you may experience pain. With chronic sinusitis, you are less likely to have painful symptoms.
You could suffer from the following:
- Pain
You could experience pain in different parts of your face, including your forehead, jaw, teeth and cheeks, between your eyes, your neck, and your ears. - A blocked or stuffy nose.
- Reduced sense of smell.
- Green or yellow mucus.
You may also experience these less common symptoms:
- Fatigue
- Cough or sore throat
- Bad breath
- Fever.
Extreme Cases
In very rare cases, sinusitis may develop into something more serious. The sinus infection can spread, affecting the bones of your face or your eye socket. If the infection spreads to your brain, it could cause meningitis.
If you have sinusitis and you detect swelling of your eyelids, this could be due to an infection of the eye socket. In this case, consult your GP immediately.
If you believe you are suffering from any of the symptoms of meningitis, seek medical help at once.
The following could be symptoms of meningitis:
- Severe headache
- Sickness
- Aversion to bright lights
- Stiff neck
- Fever.
Treating Sinusitis
There are a number of ways to treat sinusitis. Try to alleviate the symptoms using self-help methods.
Or if you need help treating sinusitis, book in for a consultation with a doctor at IPSA and we’ll help you find a treatment option that works.
Treating Sinusitis at Home
You may be able to ease mild symptoms of sinusitis by doing the following:
- Place a warm facecloth or soft towel over your face to ease pain and discomfort.
- If your symptoms include tiredness or fever, take on plenty of fluids and get lots of rest.
- For a blocked nose, you can use salt water sprays or drops to help ease the pressure.
Sinusitis Treatment at IPSA
We can offer different options for treating sinusitis. For more severe cases, we will advise a full consultation so that we can look into the causes and decide on the best course of treatment.
Over-the-Counter Treatments
If home remedies have not helped, the next step is to take over-the-counter painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen, or anti-mucus medication.
We may suggest a decongestant nasal spray, which could help to soothe your symptoms by reducing swelling and inflammation of your sinuses. We only advise nasal sprays for a short period of time, because they can cause sinus congestion with long-term usage.
Consultations
If you have acute or chronic sinusitis, we will advise you to have a full consultation with one of our doctors.
We will get to know your medical background in more detail and come up with an effective treatment plan.
Following your consultation, we may advise you to take a steroid nasal spray. If you have chronic sinusitis combined with allergies or hayfever, then we may suggest taking antihistamines to keep your symptoms under control.
If your symptoms are still not improving, or the nasal discharge has become coloured and thick, this may be a sign that the sinusitis has become infected with bacteria and we’ll prescribe you a course of antibiotics to clear up the infection quickly.
You may be more at risk of developing an infection if you are already unwell with a fever or you have other health problems such as cystic fibrosis or heart disease, which could put you at extra risk of infection.
During your consultation, we’ll be able to rule out the possibility of anything more severe.
Our aim is to get you better as soon as possible and we will provide follow-up advice to answer any more queries you have following your consultation.
Book your sinusitis consultation with IPSA today.
