“Headaches are temporary phenomena so a lot of people tend not to get worried.”

Sinusitis is the name of the condition that affects the nasal cavity. It is caused by an infection and leads to inflammation of the air cavities within the nasal passages. Sinusitis can also result from allergies and chemical or particulate sensitivity of the sinuses. Sinus infection is not always contagious but it needs a lot of care. Mostly, people ignore symptoms such as sinus headaches, but if ignored for a long time, the headaches can become chronic.

Sinus infections can be classified as:

• acute sinus infection
• subacute sinus infection
• chronic sinus infection
• infected sinusitis
• noninfectious sinusitis

Sinusitis symptoms include:

• sinus headache
• facial tenderness
• pain in the sinuses
• fever
• cloudy discolored nasal
• postnasal drainage
• nasal stuffiness
• sore throat
• cough
• facial swelling

Sinus inflammation caused by bacteria exhibits the following symptoms:

• facial pain
• pus-like nasal discharge
• pain persists for longer than a week

Sinus infection or sinusitis can be diagnosed as per the patient history and physical examination. Sinusitis or sinus inflammation can be treated with antibiotics if it’s caused by bacteria. If you diagnose allergic sinusitis at earlier stages and get proper treatment, it deters secondary bacterial sinus infections.

Also Read: 10 Most Common Causes for Sore Throat

Is it possible to manage sinus headaches or facial pain at-home?

There is an especial branch of medicine and specialized doctors who take care of sinus problems such as nasal congestion, altered sense of smell and sinus headaches. But, home remedies for sinusitis and sinus infections have proven effective to counter pain and other symptoms. The at-home treatments for sinusitis include over-the-counter (OTC) medications or decongestants. A patient can take acetaminophens such as Tylenol or can also Nasal sprays. It can help to counter the problem. Some patient who knows how to use a Neti-pot or rinse kit finds the relief from the same. It is fairly easier and you can learn it online.

I will share a personal experience of a friend who was diagnosed with sinus in her childhood. She lives in Hyderabad. Here what she mentioned about the horrors that sinus infection inflicted.

Words of a life-long patient of sinusitis!

“It always started with a headache and pain in the facial muscles behind the nasal cavity and head. I used to complain about it to my mom and she would reply, “Don’t watch TV”.

It usually went away after some time, and I didn’t about the problem first hand. As I grew older, the problem persisted. They were sinus headaches and I ignored them confusing them with headaches from other reasons or exertions. The condition became chronic and use to visit like a semester when I joined college. The infection has progressed till now.

I get a throbbing pain and even the slightest touch starts to irritate me with pressure in the sinuses. The headache was the most common problem but the condition only worsed because I underestimated the threat. I left it untreated for a long time. When I was a little kid, I remember, my mom would always warn that I need to watch out for the sinus infection as it can reach the brain.”

Severe complications caused by sinus in the long-term!

The infectious bacteria that infiltrate sinuses can make its way to the brain but only in rare conditions. However, given its rarety, no one should underestimate sinus infection or wait for it to cause major problems. There have been instances that the rare occurrences made to the news as a case of death from sinus. The chances of happening the unfortunate tragedy are extremely slim but if the infection makes its way to the blood vessels, it can reach the brain. The complication is incredibly scary in such a case.

You know, even if the condition is chronic, it is eaisily treatable with advanced medical procedures. Sinusitis is considered as a typical viral respiratory illness. The viral infection usually clears up on its own from the sinuses.

The thing that you should not ignore is the viral illness inflames and weakens the upper respiratory tract. It can also weaken the immune system. The vulnerability provides the ideal environment for bacteria to come in and invade. Another thing that sinus is mostly caused by bacteria rather than a virus. If you have sinus headaches and the same is caused by a viral infection. It’s highly likely you have been sick for a long time. There is a fair chance that your headaches last around five to seven days.

Can I resolve my sinus headaches with medications?

If you have reached that point where the infection is causing some bad symptoms. If you live in Hyderabad, making an appointment with an ENT specialist at a modern clinic in Hyderabad is in the best of your favor. Just so you know, most doctors prescribe antibiotics as they usually do the trick. If two week period has passed and bacteria has taken over, the complications can get worse. Though, the human body makes a lot of effort to protect the brain from pathogens, with a blood-brain barrier, which is a semipermeable membrane that allows only select fluids and nutrients to pass through. Unfortunately, on rare occasions, bacteria can enter as well.

Because the sinuses are so close to the brain, these rare complications are something called subdural empyema in which pus collects in the space between the outermost membrane of the brain and the fine middle membrane known as the arachnoid. Once there, the infection can lead to swelling of the brain, seizures, altered mental state, and vomiting.

A guide to curing sinus headaches and sinusitis with modern healthcare

Modern surgical devices are helping the surgeons perform very delicate and precise surgery with the functional approach. The name of the treatment is FESS – Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery. You can take the same procedure from a modern ENT clinic for sinus surgery in Hyderabad. The surgery, when performed with microdebrider and LASER, has proven useful in ending the recurrence of sinus problems. The problems of chronic sinusitis, nasal disorders, sinus headaches, and congestion can easily get a blocked nose or frequent cold. The best way to solve the problems is the most advanced surgical treatments. You make an appointment with the best ENT specialist in Hyderabad. Get an accurate consultation and enjoy health breathing and life without sinus headache.

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Dr. Siddharth Vashishtha

MBBS, M.S. | Specialist in Ear, Nose and Throat Surgeries

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