Allergic sinusitis is an inflammatory disease of the maxillary sinuses with an allergic etiology. Its characteristic features are hyperemia, swelling of the mucous membranes of the nose and abundant mucous-watery discharge from the nose. The disease develops after the penetration of allergens into the body. Often there is bilateral allergic sinusitis. It should be noted that this is a seasonal disease. Exacerbation occurs in spring or autumn.
Features of an allergic reaction
Allergic sinusitis is one of the manifestations of pollinosis or body reactions to substances that enter the body with air. These allergens include:
- pet hair;
- construction and household dust;
- tiny particles of hair, skin, dandruff;
- mold components;
- pollen (hay fever);
- sprayable substances: perfumes, air fresheners, household chemicals,deodorants; volatile substances (essential oils, some types of drugs).
When these substances are inhaled, their particles settle on the mucous membranes of the mouth, paranasal sinuses, conjunctiva of the eye and cause severe allergic reactions.
Symptoms of allergic sinusitis in adults
Most often this disease develops against the background of allergic rhinitis. A person predisposed to it experiences severe headaches, itching in the nose, congestion, sneezing. Often, patients complain of a feeling of pressure in the cheeks, bridge of the nose, and maxillary sinuses.
It must be said that the clinical signs of allergic sinusitis do not occur in isolation. They are always combined with components of rhinitis, laryngitis, conjunctivitis, and other forms of sinusitis. This is explained quite simply: with a current of air, allergens cannot penetrate, for example, only into the maxillary sinuses. In the acute period of the disease, additional symptoms may occur:
- unpleasant and sometimes painful sensations in the area of the maxillary sinuses;
- pain in the jaws and eye sockets;
- severe, almost non-stop headaches;
- cough that gets worse at night;
- a significant increase in body temperature with the development of a purulent infection.
Diagnosis of an allergic reaction
Even knowing the symptoms of allergic sinusitis, treatment is prescribed only after the identification of the allergen and the establishment of an accurate diagnosis. Despite the fact that the majoritypatients know what causes them a negative reaction, in some cases it may be difficult to determine the main allergen. In this case, the allergist comes to the aid of hormonal panels, which are a special set of the most common allergens. They are tested on the patient and monitored for his reaction.
Treatment of adult patients
According to the basic principles, the treatment regimen for allergic sinusitis in adults is practically no different from other forms of allergy. The symptoms of the disease are quite bright, which facilitates the choice of treatment methods and therapeutic agents.
First of all, it is necessary to exclude contact with the allergen. But often such, at first glance, a simple recommendation is almost impossible to implement. For example, if a patient living in the city is allergic to poplar fluff, the only way out is to move out of town for this period.
For respiratory allergies, steam inhalation, rinsing the nose, instilling eyes and gargling with saline can be the best option for removing harmful substances. Drinking plenty of fluids will help dilute the allergen that has accumulated in the mucous membranes.
We talked about the fact that allergic sinusitis is a respiratory type of allergy, however, in this case, proper nutrition is also necessary. Eating powerful allergenic foods (citrus fruits, chocolate, seafood, etc.) can provoke another form of allergy - food.
Antihistamines
Allergy therapyinvolves the use of antihistamines. Today they are produced in various forms: capsules and tablets, topical ointments and gels, sprays and creams, as well as eye drops. Adult patients today are most often prescribed IV-generation drugs:
- Fexofenadine.
- "Loratadine".
- Ksizal.
- Suprastinex.
Vasoconstrictor sprays and drops will help to ease breathing through the nose, as well as reduce discharge from the nasal passages. Spray based on sea water perfectly cleanses the nasal passages. Most often prescribed:
- "Aqua Master".
- Aquamaris.
In especially severe cases of an allergic reaction, the doctor may prescribe hormonal drugs: glucocorticosteroids, which suppress some immune mechanisms and reduce the manifestations of allergies. Excellent results are demonstrated by Avamys.
You should not take such drugs in the presence of purulent complications - for example, purulent conjunctivitis or sinusitis. Usually, with allergic sinusitis, antibiotic therapy is not used as the main treatment, since it is not viruses and pathogens that cause the reaction. However, if purulent complications occur, it is unlikely that antibiotics will be dispensed with.
During the period of remission, allergists use the method of immunotherapy. Its essence lies in the introduction of small doses of the allergen into the patient's body. With each introduction, the dose of the substance is increased. The patient's body eventually adapts to the allergen and does not give such strong reactions.
Folk remedies
In addition to traditional methods of treating allergic sinusitis, folk remedies are used. However, before using them, you should consult with your doctor.
- Make cotton flagella. Soak them in a mixture of propolis tincture and sterilized sunflower oil. Insert them into both nostrils for 30 minutes. This procedure is carried out up to four times a day.
- Chop a medium-sized onion and wrap in gauze. The resulting gauze bag alternately apply to the nasal passages at the bottom for a minute, actively inhaling. The procedure is carried out twice a day for 10 minutes.
- Dip three drops of Kalanchoe juice into each nostril. It will cause intense sneezing and sinus clearance.
Features of the manifestation of pathology in children
This disease is much less common in children than in adults. It must be treated before it provokes the growth of adenoids. It is important for parents to know the childhood symptoms of allergic sinusitis. The treatment of this pathology largely depends on its manifestations, and young children are far from always able to articulate their feelings.
Typically, the main signs of this disease in children are:
- stuffiness;
- nasal discharge;
- fatigue and irritability;
- a runny nose that doesn't go away in a week.
Often this disease in children is confused with the common cold. In order to start treatment in a timely manner and prevent complications, it is important to recognize the first symptoms of the disease and identify the causes that causedhim.
Symptoms of disease in children
This type of allergic reaction in children can be accompanied by several symptoms:
- Headache. It is localized most often in the temples and forehead. Usually, the pain syndrome is more pronounced on the side of the face where the affected sinus is located. The pain is aggravated by sneezing, coughing, a sharp tilt of the head. Lying down, the child practically does not feel it. The pain may be constant, periodically increasing.
- Toothache. Significantly increases when chewing food. Chewing teeth are more likely to suffer, reacting to any changes in the sinuses.
- Stuffy nose. It occurs due to pus that accumulates in the sinuses, which is very difficult to remove in the traditional way. Often, with allergic sinusitis, the baby complains that he can only breathe through one nostril.
- Heat temperature. This indicates the onset of inflammation of the sinus due to the accumulation of pus in the sinuses. In addition, high fever is associated with the body's fight against the disease.
- Nasty. It occurs due to the accumulation in the sinuses of a secret that interferes with normal speech. When pressing on the inner corner of the eye or the middle of the cheek, the child experiences acute pain.
- Chills. Most often, this symptom appears after an increase in temperature. However, there are cases of his "unreasonable" appearance.
- Sore throat, itching and dryness. These symptoms appear when allergic sinusitis becomes chronic.
- Decreased sense of smell. When cloggedin the sinuses of the nose, the child cannot smell normally.
Treatment
Naturally, all parents are interested in how to treat allergic sinusitis in children. Since this disease is not caused by the activity of bacteria or viruses, but by swelling caused by an allergic reaction, after the elimination of the allergen and the antihistamine therapy prescribed by the doctor, the disease recedes.
Typically, children are prescribed the following drugs:
- Erius. The drug is prescribed in the form of a syrup. It is recommended for children from one year to 2.5 ml per day, from 6 to 12 years - 5 ml per day. "Erius" in the form of tablets is prescribed from the age of 12.
- Xizal. The basis of this drug is levocetrizine. It is prescribed for children over 7 years of age, 5 mg once a day.
What is the danger of this disease?
In addition to obvious discomfort and a decrease in the quality of life during an exacerbation of the disease, allergic sinusitis can cause a number of complications:
- Intensification of an allergic reaction or general sensitization (sensitivity) of the body to one or more allergens.
- An allergy that continues for a long time and is not treated can provoke the development of its more severe forms: an attack of bronchial asthma, swelling of the airways.
- As you know, full-blooded, inflamed and edematous mucosa is an ideal environment for the development of pathogenic bacteria. Therefore, allergic sinusitis can cause secondary purulent complications - purulent sinusitis or conjunctivitis.
Preventive measures
For allergy sufferers, precautions are extremely important. Having established the allergen that causes such a reaction of the body, you should protect yourself as much as possible from getting it on the mucous membranes. Often you have to take drastic measures - give your beloved cat to relatives or friends, throw away carpets and downy feather beds.
If for various reasons it is impossible to get rid of the allergen (poplar fluff, flowering plants in the city, household dust during repairs), then antihistamines should be taken during this period for preventive purposes. In addition, if there is a risk of developing allergies, you should regularly rinse the mucous membranes with saline solutions, ventilate and humidify the air in the room.
