Sinusitis is a very common disease. It is characterized by the development of inflammation in the sinuses. The disease is dangerous because it can imperceptibly flow into a chronic form, as well as give complications to the eyes, ears, brain, and cause sepsis.
Different types of sinusitis are characterized by different symptoms, have features in methods and treatment regimens. Only a doctor can correctly diagnose the type of disease and prescribe adequate ways to deal with it.
Etiology of disease
In the occurrence of any type of sinusitis, the main causal role is played by blockage of the outlet lumen of the maxillary sinus. It leads to internal inflammation and accumulation of purulent masses.
There are many factors that contribute to the occurrence of such a blockage and provoke the onset of sinusitis:
- getting into the nasopharynx of pathogens, the development of various infections in the upper respiratory tract;
- untreated runny nose;
- constant use of rhinitis drops;
- draft;
- trauma to the surface of the mucous membranes of the maxillary sinuses;
- common cold;
- decreaseimmunity;
- pharyngitis;
- tonsillitis;
- long stay in a room with dry or hot air;
- severe hypothermia;
- neglected diseases of the roots of the teeth located next to the sinuses;
- bronchial asthma;
- anatomical features and defects of the nasal cavity;
- transferred SARS and influenza;
- cystic fibrosis;
- polyps, adenoids, some tumors;
- underdevelopment of internal outlets from the nasal cavity (choan);
- allergens;
- radiation sickness;
- fungus;
- tuberculosis;
- scarlet fever;
- measles;
- exposure to the respiratory tract of aggressive media and chemical fumes.
Most often the disease occurs in the autumn-winter period. After all, at this time there is a natural decrease in the protective functions of the body due to hypovitaminosis.
In children under seven years of age, the disease does not occur, since the maxillary sinuses are not yet formed at this age.
Signs
There are different types of sinusitis. Symptoms associated with the disease help determine the etiology of the disease, as well as its form and stage. This is very important when diagnosing and choosing methods of treating pathology.
All signs are conditionally divided into general and local. The first group of symptoms include:
- increase in body temperature to thirty-nine degrees;
- feeling weak;
- rapid appearance of fatigue;
- pain in the head;
- excessive sweating;
- memory deterioration.
To local featuressinusitis include:
- constant aching pain in the sinuses, aggravated in the evening and when the head is tilted down;
- discharge from the nose, its congestion;
- impaired sense of smell;
- pressure at the bridge of the nose;
- breathing difficulties;
- coughing fits.
Stages of disease development
Symptoms of sinusitis do not appear suddenly and abruptly. Their intensity changes over time, as the disease develops in stages. The following stages of its course are distinguished:
- subacute;
- spicy;
- chronic.
The first signs of sinusitis are most often:
- blocking the nostrils;
- malaise;
- sneeze;
- runny nose;
- nasive voice.
Subacute stage of sinusitis is characterized by a noticeable daily deterioration of the patient's condition. Symptoms appear with increasing intensity.
Treatment at this stage of the disease is very effective. After all, the inflammatory process takes place only in the area of the paranasal sinuses.
In the absence of adequate medical care, the development of sinusitis passes into the next stage - acute. It is characterized by:
- chill;
- temperature;
- appearance of pain in the nasal sinuses;
- increased discomfort when tilting the head and in the evening.
When pressed, the pain spreads under the eyes. Sometimes puffiness appears, the eyelids turn red.
The acute form of sinusitis lasts from two to three weeks. With timelymedical care, the disease is completely cured.
Chronic stage of sinusitis occurs in case of incomplete cure of the disease at the previous stage. She has more subtle symptoms. The main features of this phase are:
- permanent rhinitis that cannot be cured by traditional methods;
- pain in the head and eye sockets;
- swollen eyelids;
- occurrence of conjunctivitis;
- dulling the sense of smell.
During the chronic stage, acute attacks of manifestations of the disease alternate with periods of remission. This happens every three to four months.
In chronic sinusitis, structural changes occur in the maxillary sinus. The duration and complexity of treatment depends on the degree of transformations that have occurred.
What types of sinusitis are: area of distribution of the disease
Localization of the inflammatory process can occur in one sinus or both. Depending on this, two types of sinusitis are distinguished:
- one-sided;
- double-sided.
The first form is less severe than the second. It is diagnosed more frequently. Sinusitis can be left-sided and right-sided. It depends on the sinus in which the inflammatory process develops. Local symptoms in this case are observed only on one side of the face.
Bilateral sinusitis differs markedly in the strength of the manifestation of the clinical picture and the severity of the course. Most often, he is treated in a hospital, as the struggle at home is quite difficult.
Classificationsinusitis by causes
Types and signs of sinusitis are closely interconnected. External manifestations of the disease help determine its etiology. This allows you to choose the right treatment regimen and remove the factor that caused the development of the disease. In medicine, each type of disease, which has a different origin, has a name.
- Viral sinusitis - most often develops against the background of SARS. Pathogenic microbes enter the upper respiratory tract and cause swelling of the nasal passages and mucous membranes. This causes severe rhinitis. Puffiness prevents mucus from leaving the nasal cavity completely. This leads to the development of an inflammatory process there, which is the beginning of sinusitis. Symptoms of a viral illness are not too pronounced and painful.
- Bacterial sinusitis - occurs when pathogenic microorganisms enter the maxillary sinus. It is caused by streptococci and Haemophilus influenzae. It develops against the background of viral sinusitis in the absence of its treatment. The initial stage of the disease has a vivid clinical picture - there are strong discharge from the nose, high fever, and very poor he alth.
- Fungal sinusitis - not very common. Mycosis of the paranasal sinuses occurs when they are blocked due to the course of colds, due to a weakened immune system, and with nasal injuries. A pathogenic fungus or a whole association of them begins to develop in the cavity, which so far have not manifested themselves in any way. Mycoses can cause acute and chronic sinusitis. Pathology has a long period of development,no symptoms for a long time.
- Allergic sinusitis is a reaction to external stimuli that have penetrated the body and affect the nasal mucosa. Typical symptoms are: fever, the appearance of pain in the eyes and cheekbones. Often accompanied by cough, the occurrence of conjunctivitis, keratitis. Does not require special treatment. Symptoms resolve when the source of the allergic reaction is removed.
- Odontogenic sinusitis - occurs due to infection in the sinuses from the roots of the upper teeth. The initial stage is characterized by the presence of a serous form of the lesion. Accompanied by edema, difficulty breathing. It quickly turns into purulent sinusitis. If left untreated, tissue necrosis and severe intoxication can occur.
- Traumatic sinusitis - occurs as a complication of fractures of the cheekbone and jaw, causing inflammation of the sinus mucosa. Accompanied by headaches, nasal discharge, discomfort, swelling, nasal congestion. The main method of treatment is surgical.
- Aerosinusitis - occurs as a result of injury to the sinuses due to changes in atmospheric air pressure. Occupational disease of pilots and scuba divers. It is predominantly bilateral. Accompanied by shortness of breath and nasal congestion.
- Mixed sinusitis - characterized by the simultaneous occurrence of several forms of the disease.
Classification of the disease by morphological changes
Types of sinusitis in adults and childrendiffer not only in the cause of the disease. The disease is classified into groups, depending on the changes that occur in the nose.
- Catarrhal sinusitis is the easiest to treat. It is characterized by the presence of edema of the sinus mucosa and hyperemia. Accompanied by clear discharge from the nostrils and a feeling of slight pressure in the nose.
- Purulent sinusitis is a dangerous type of disease. May lead to blindness, eyeball abscess, intracranial complications. It is characterized by the flow of copious purulent discharge from the nose, which accumulate in the sinus. Mucus may have blood streaks.
- Polypous sinusitis - characterized by increased growth of cells of the nasal mucosa. Accompanied by congestion, fever, purulent discharge, painful sensations. Most often, hyperplasia develops in only one nostril. The growth of polyps and cysts can be diagnosed, the mucous membrane is deformed.
Consequences and complications
Any type of sinusitis requires immediate treatment in the hospital and treatment. In the absence of timely medical care, various complications and negative consequences can occur. The main ones are:
- flow of the disease into the chronic stage;
- the occurrence of problems with the organs of vision;
- transition of the inflammatory process to other organs;
- sepsis;
- meningitis;
- periostitis.
Diagnosis
To avoiddangerous consequences, treatment should be not only timely, but also effective. This requires a correct diagnosis, which can only be performed by a doctor. There are several methods for detecting sinusitis. However, before conducting each of them, the doctor will definitely conduct a visual examination of the patient and listen to his complaints.
- X-ray. Does not require special preparation of the patient. Helps to determine the presence and localization of the inflammatory process (in one or two sinuses). The disadvantage of this method is that it is impossible to determine the polyposis type of sinusitis from a photo. Cysts, polyps and tumors in the picture are no different from simple edema.
- Endoscopy. The procedure is carried out by inserting a miniature camera attached to a tube into the nostrils. Allows you to carefully examine the turbinates and take tests.
- Computed tomography. Helps to see a more detailed picture of the sinuses and passages. Ideally helps to identify the types of sinusitis and their treatment. The study makes it possible to diagnose the presence of neoplasms and foreign bodies, the development of a chronic form of the disease, changes in the structure of tissues.
- MRI. Shows structural changes in great detail. The disadvantage of the procedure is its high cost.
- Bacteriological research. Used to determine the type of infection that caused the disease.
Drug therapy
A visit to a doctor and an accurate diagnosis are necessary not only to determine the correct typediseases and exclude other types of sinusitis. Symptoms and treatment are inextricably linked. And the correct therapy regimen allows you to quickly get rid of its manifestations, and soon completely restore the he alth of the sinuses.
Most types of sinusitis are successfully treated with therapeutic methods. Their goal is:
- ensure the release of mucus from the sinuses;
- sanitation of the nose;
- removal of edema;
- stopping the inflammatory process;
- destruction of pathogenic organisms.
In most cases, drug therapy does the job just fine. For this apply:
- nasal drops;
- nasal rinses;
- antibiotics;
- bacteriophages;
- antipyretic;
- anti-inflammatory;
- mucolytics.
Any drug can only be prescribed by a doctor. A quick recovery is possible only with the exact and systematic implementation of all the specialist's prescriptions, as well as compliance with dosages.
Puncture method of treatment
When purulent sinusitis treatment with medication alone may not work. For greater efficiency and to reduce the risk of complications, doctors perform a puncture:
- with the help of a puncture, all the pus is removed from the sinus, it is washed;
- after that, antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs are injected there.
Sometimes make one puncturenot enough. A series of punctures has to be performed over several weeks. In this case, a special catheter is placed in the nasal sinus. This helps to avoid additional pain for the patient.
Folk remedies
In addition to medications, doctors may also recommend the use of alternative medicine recipes. About the effectiveness of many folk remedies for sinusitis, reviews from doctors and patients are better than about drugs. However, they should still be used only in parallel with pharmaceuticals, and not instead of them.
The most popular are:
- rinsing the nose with saline;
- instillation of thuja oil, propolis;
- tampons with Kalanchoe leaves;
- applying compresses with bay leaf decoction;
- performing warmings with s alt;
- Inhalation with medicinal herbs, potatoes, menthol.
Surgery
In especially severe cases, surgery can be used to treat sinusitis. Most commonly used:
- with traumatic sinusitis;
- for severe chronic forms;
- when polyps, cysts, neoplasms are found in the nasal passages;
- in the absence of the effect of the use of therapeutic agents.
Prevention
There are a few rules you can follow to reduce the chance ofthe occurrence of acute sinusitis or recurrence of a chronic disease. Required:
- moisturize indoor air;
- do self-massage in the area of the maxillary sinuses;
- when you feel discomfort in your nose, blow your nose;
- do breathing exercises.
If it was not possible to avoid the onset of symptoms of the disease, then at the first disturbing manifestations, you should immediately consult a doctor. It is forbidden to be treated for sinusitis according to reviews from the Internet or the advice of friends. Only a specialist can make the correct diagnosis and determine the correct methods of dealing with a dangerous disease. This is necessary to completely and quickly defeat him.
