Sinusitis

v Sinusitis is an inflammation or swelling of the tissue lining the sinuses. Healthy sinuses are filled with air. But when they become blocked and filled with fluid, germs can grow and cause an infection.

v Conditions that can cause sinus blockage include:

a.  The common cold

b.  Allergic rhinitis, which is swelling of the lining of the nose

c.   Small growths in the lining of the nose called nasal polyps

d.  A deviated septum, which is a shift in the nasal cavity

Types

•     Acute sinusitis usually starts with cold like symptoms such as a runny, stuffy nose and facial pain. It may start suddenly and last 2-4 weeks.

•     Sub acute sinus inflammation usually lasts 4 to 12 weeks.

•     Chronic inflammation symptoms last 12 weeks or longer.

•     Recurrent sinusitis happens several times a year.

•     Immune system deficiencies or medications that suppress the immune system

v For children, things that can cause sinusitis include:

•     Allergies

•     Illnesses from other kids at day care or school

•     Pacifiers

•     Bottle drinking while lying on the back

•     Smoke in the environment

The main things that make sinusitis more likely for adults are infections and smoking.

Acute Sinusitis Symptoms

The main signs include:

•     Facial pain or pressure

•     "Stuffed-up" nose

•     Runny nose

•     Loss of smell

•     Cough or congestion

You may also have:

•     Fever

•     Bad breath

•     Fatigue

•     Dental pain

It may be acute sinusitis if you have two or more symptoms, or thick, green, or yellow nasal discharge.

Chronic Sinusitis Symptoms

You may have these symptoms for 12 weeks or more:

•     A feeling of congestion or fullness in your face

•     A nasal obstruction or nasal blockage

•     Pus in the nasal cavity

•     Fever

•     Runny nose or discoloured postnasal drainage

You may also have headaches, bad breath, and tooth pain. You may feel tired a lot.

All these types of sinusitis have similar symptoms, and are thus often difficult to distinguish. Acute sinusitis is very common. Roughly ninety percent of adults have had sinusitis at some point in their life

By location

There are several paired paranasal sinuses, including the

 1-frontal,

2- ethmoidal,

3-maxillary and

4-sphenoidal sinuses. The ethmoidal sinuses are further subdivided into anterior and posterior ethmoid sinuses, the division of which is defined as the basal lamella of the middle turbinate. In addition to the severity of disease, discussed below, sinusitis can be classified by the sinus cavity which it affects:

•     Maxillary – can cause pain or pressure in the maxillary area (e.g., toothache, or headache)

•     Frontal – can cause pain or pressure in the frontal sinus cavity (located above eyes), headache, particularly in the forehead

•     Ethmoidal – can cause pain or pressure pain between/behind the eyes, the sides of the upper part of the nose (the medial canthi), and headaches 

•     Sphenoidal – can cause pain or pressure behind the eyes, but often refers to the skull vertex (top of the head), over the mastoid processes, or the back of the head

Causes

Maxillary sinusitis may also be of dental origin ("odontogenic sinusitis"), and constitutes a significant percentage (about 20% of all cases of maxillary sinusitis),given the close proximity of the teeth and the sinus floor. The cause of this situation is usually a periapical or periodontal infection of a maxillary posterior tooth, where the inflammatory exudate has eroded through the bone superiorly to drain into the maxillary sinus. Once an odontogenic infection involves the maxillary sinus, it is possible that it may then spread to the orbit or to the ethmoid sinus. Complementary tests based on conventional radiology techniques and modern technology may be indicated, based on the clinical context.

Chronic sinusitis can also be caused indirectly through a common but slight abnormality within the auditory or eustachian tube, which is connected to the sinus cavities and the throat. This tube is usually almost level with the eye sockets but when this sometimes hereditary abnormality is present, it is below this level and sometimes level with the vestibule or nasal entrance.

Treatment

1-Recommended treatments for most cases of sinusitis include rest and drinking enough water to thin the mucus. Antibiotics are not recommended for most cases.

2-Breathing low-temperature steam such as from a hot shower or gargling can relieve symptoms. There is tentative evidence for nasal irrigation. Decongestant nasal sprays containing oxymetazoline may provide relief, but these medications should not be used for more than the recommended period. Longer use may cause rebound sinusitis. It is unclear if nasal irrigation, antihistamines, or decongestants work in children with acute sinusitis

Ayurvedic treatment

1-shnehna

2-shwedna

3-nashya

4-dhumpaan

5-sitopaladi churna 

6-tankan 

7-chandrakant rash 

8-gojihadi kwatha