Sinusitis: symptoms and signs in adults, treatment
The content of the article:
- Sinusitis causes
-
Signs of sinusitis
- Sinusitis
- Ethmoiditis
- Sphenoiditis
- Frontit
-
Sinusitis treatment
- Antibiotics
- Nasal drops and sprays
- Antihistamines
- Mucolytic agents
- Means for rinsing the nose
- Possible complications
- Is sinusitis contagious
- Video
Sinusitis, what is it? It is an inflammatory process that affects the lining of one or more paranasal sinuses. They are connected to the nasal cavity by narrow passages. Pathology usually develops with a violation of drainage.
Sinusitis occurs as a result of inflammation of the lining of one or more paranasal sinuses
Depending on the localization of the inflammatory process, there are:
- sinusitis (maxillary, or maxillary sinus);
- sphenoiditis (sphenoid sinus);
- frontal sinus (frontal sinus);
- ethmoiditis (ethmoid labyrinth).
The disease can be acute, and with improper or untimely treatment, it can turn into a chronic form. Depending on the prevalence of the process, there are:
- monosinusitis (damage to one nasal cavity);
- polysinusitis (damage to several cavities);
- pansinusitis (defeat of all accessory cavities).
By the nature of inflammation, the following types of disease are determined:
- purulent;
- catarrhal;
- hemorrhagic;
- necrotic.
Depending on the severity of the symptoms, they distinguish between mild, moderate and severe forms of the disease.
ICD-10 codes:
- J01 - sharp;
- 0 - acute maxillary;
- 1 - acute frontal;
- 2 - acute ethmoidal;
- 3 - acute sphenoidal;
- 8 - another sharp;
- 9 - acute, unspecified;
- J32 - chronic;
- 0 - chronic maxillary;
- 1 - chronic frontal;
- 2 - chronic ethmoidal;
- 3 - chronic sphenoidal;
- 9 - chronic, unspecified.
Sinusitis causes
The main reason for the development of the disease is stagnation of secretions in the paranasal sinuses. Subsequently, drainage is disturbed, while favorable conditions are created for the existence of pathogens.
One of the predisposing factors for the development of pathology is the curvature of the nasal septum
Factors predisposing to the onset of the disease:
- deformation of the intranasal structures. Often this process is influenced by hypertrophic rhinitis (a chronic pathology in which bone tissue and mucous membranes grow). Also, the cause may be a curvature of the nasal septum resulting from injury. Sometimes the deformity is congenital;
- viral diseases. The nasal mucosa reacts to the introduction of viral agents with increased edema, and the glands located in it begin to produce an excess amount of secretion, which becomes thick and fills the passages between the nasal cavity and the sinuses;
- bacterial infections. Most often, the patient initially develops a viral disease, and favorable conditions are created for the development of pathogenic bacteria in the sinuses filled with a secret;
- fungal infection. Fungal sinusitis is caused by the irrational use of antibiotics, in which the microflora is disturbed, and optimal conditions are created for the development of pathogenic fungi;
- hypothermia or exposure to chemicals. A prerequisite for the development of inflammation can be the frequent ingress of chemicals on the nasal mucous membranes or prolonged inhalation of cold air;
- vasomotor rhinitis. Usually it appears as a result of an allergic reaction, sinusitis develops as a result of an infection;
- chronic periodontitis or oroantral fistula. Pathology can occur when teeth are removed or improper filling, when material enters the maxillary sinuses and contributes to the development of the inflammatory process.
Signs of sinusitis
Sinusitis symptoms in adults may vary. The difference depends on which sinus is affected.
Sinusitis
With sinusitis, the patient shows signs of the disease such as:
- painful sensations localized in the forehead, maxillary sinus, root of the nose and along the zygomatic bone. Their severity increases when the head is tilted or when pressed;
- headache of varying intensity, worsening in the evening;
- nasal congestion, runny nose, and difficulty in nasal breathing;
- discharge from the nasal passages, initially they are liquid and serous, and as the pathology progresses, they become green and cloudy;
- increased body temperature and chills;
- lacrimation;
- general symptoms of intoxication.
In the acute form of the disease, the symptoms are pronounced, the temperature lasts for a long period, and in the chronic course of sinusitis, there are almost no symptoms. In this case, the patient may experience rare headaches, which are accompanied by a feeling of pressure behind the eyes. Sometimes there is a cough at night or keratitis.
Ethmoiditis
Inflammation occurs in the area of the ethmoid labyrinth and is characterized by the following symptoms:
- strong pain in the area of the root of the nose and the bridge of the nose;
- headaches;
- difficulty in nasal breathing and impaired sense of smell;
- increased body temperature;
- involvement of the eyeball in the process, puffiness of the eyelids and protrusion of the eye, which can be seen even in the photos of patients.
With ethmoiditis, the eyeball is involved in the inflammatory process
With the defeat of the frontal regions of the ethmoid labyrinth, the disease is complicated by sinusitis or frontal sinusitis. With the localization of the inflammatory process in the posterior parts of the ethmoid labyrinth, sphenoiditis may appear.
Sphenoiditis
The main symptoms of sphenoiditis:
- pain localized in the occiput, crown or orbit;
- headache that is felt inside the head;
- feeling unwell, chills, dizziness.
Often, the disease is latent, and its symptoms are mild. In the chronic form of the disease, the optic nerves are involved in the pathological process, and the patient's vision deteriorates. Isolated sphenoiditis is rarely diagnosed, in most cases it is combined with ethmoiditis.
Frontit
Frontitis is considered one of the most severe forms of the disease. It is characterized by the following features:
- intense pain in the forehead or eye sockets, which intensifies in the morning. After the contents of the sinuses come out, they shrink;
- an increase in body temperature to high numbers;
- difficulty in nasal breathing, serous contents are secreted from the nose;
- swelling of the upper eyelid (in some cases).
If the disease becomes chronic, polyps, fistulas, or bone necrosis are possible.
Sinusitis treatment
The doctor makes the diagnosis based on the clinical picture. Additional research methods include x-ray of the paranasal sinuses in two projections. The most informative is computed tomography.
Diagnosis and treatment of the disease is carried out by an otolaryngologist
How is sinusitis treated? Therapy should be comprehensive. The earlier it is started, the more effective it is. Preparations, dosage and duration of their use are determined by the doctor after an in-person consultation. Mild forms of the disease can be treated at home.
In severe pathology, the patient is hospitalized and prescribed detoxification, dehydration and symptomatic therapy. In severe cases with acute sinusitis, puncture of the affected sinus is performed. A puncture is made with a special needle, after which the cavity is washed, its contents are removed and an antibiotic is injected.
In some cases, surgery is necessary. Indications for the operation:
- severe course of the disease and lack of an adequate response to therapy;
- the progression of the inflammatory process, despite treatment;
- the development of complications (orbital or intracranial).
Antibiotics
In most cases, antibiotics are prescribed to treat the acute form of pathology:
- penicillins (Amoxil, Augmentin, Amoxiclav);
- cephalosporins (Ceftriaxone, Cefutil, Emsef);
- macrolides (Clarithromycin, Azithromycin);
- fluoroquinolones (Levofloxacin, Gatifloxacin).
The drugs can be used in the form of tablets or injection solutions. It is also possible to use antibiotics in the form of a nasal spray (Isofra). If there is no positive effect within three days after the start of treatment, the therapy is adjusted.
Nasal drops and sprays
Drugs in this group are necessary to reduce swelling of the nasal mucosa and improve the outflow of mucus. In complex treatment, agents based on oxymetazoline or xylometazoline are used. They take effect a few minutes after application.
As part of a complex treatment, vasoconstrictor drops or sprays are usually prescribed
Also, for the treatment of the disease, you can use drops containing plant components or essential oils (Pinosol, Euphorbium compositum, Delufen).
If the cause of the development of sinusitis is an allergic reaction, then the use of drugs that contain antihistamines (Kromoglin, Kromofarm) is shown.
In order to clear the paranasal cavities from the contents, intranasal drops based on cyclamen extract (Sinuforte) are prescribed. This substance helps to increase the secretion and outflow of pus from the sinuses.
Antihistamines
In the complex treatment of the disease, regardless of the reasons for its development, antihistamines are used. They help to reduce swelling of the nasal mucosa, thereby allowing for improved drainage and increased outflow of contents.
There are three generations of antihistamines that can be used for sinusitis. Preference is given to the II and III group of drugs, since they are taken once a day and they do not cause drowsiness.
Mucolytic agents
The purpose of the use of mucolytics is to liquefy the secretion that accumulates in the paranasal sinuses. For this, both preparations based on ambroxol, acetylcysteine or carbocysteine, and herbal remedies (Sinupret) are used.
Means for rinsing the nose
To cleanse the nasal cavity from accumulated secretions and restore breathing, rinsing agents are used:
- salt solutions. They can be purchased at the pharmacy (Humer, Aqua Maris, sodium chloride 0.9%) or prepared by yourself. To do this, add 0.5-1 teaspoon of salt to a glass of warm boiled water, mix thoroughly and filter. Rinsing the nose is carried out with a syringe or syringe;
- Furacilin solution. The tool is an antiseptic, can reduce the inflammatory process and is active against pathogenic microorganisms. In order to prepare the solution on your own, two Furacilin tablets are diluted in a glass of boiled water;
- decoctions or infusions of medicinal plants. In order to reduce the inflammatory process, you can use extracts of chamomile, calendula, sage, oak bark for washing. Pour one teaspoon of raw materials with a glass of water and boil for 2-3 minutes. After the product has cooled down, it is filtered and used for its intended purpose.
You can rinse your nose with a decoction of chamomile or other herbs.
During treatment, all doctor's prescriptions must be followed. Patient reviews indicate that in this case it is possible to speed up recovery and minimize the likelihood of consequences.
Possible complications
In the absence of treatment or improperly selected therapy, the patient may experience the following complications:
- osteomyelitis: pathology occurs in cases where the process extends inward and affects bone tissue;
- loss of vision: if the visual organ is damaged, the mobility of the eye is impaired, exophthalmos develops, in severe cases, complete loss of vision is possible;
- arachnoiditis or meningitis: occur when the sphenoid bone and ethmoid sinus are affected;
- otitis media: the development of this complication is possible when the process spreads to the ear area;
- brain abscess: can develop as a consequence of frontal sinusitis.
In some cases, without timely medical care, complications of sinusitis can be fatal.
Is sinusitis contagious
Is sinusitis contagious or not? If the disease is caused by an infection, then it is potentially dangerous to others. This applies to acute forms of the disease that develop as a result of a cold or infection with pathogenic bacteria.
Sinusitis of allergic etiology is not dangerous for others
If the cause of the pathology is an allergic reaction or curvature of the nasal septum, it cannot be transmitted by contact with another person. The disease is not contagious even when it occurs in a chronic sluggish form.
Sinusitis is a serious and dangerous disease that requires proper and timely treatment. It often develops during pregnancy. Since many drugs used in therapy can have a negative effect on the fetus, drugs should not be used without a doctor's prescription.
At the first signs of illness, it is necessary to seek advice from an otolaryngologist in a public or private clinic.
Video
We offer for viewing a video on the topic of the article.
Anna Kozlova Medical journalist About the author
Education: Rostov State Medical University, specialty "General Medicine".
The information is generalized and provided for informational purposes only. At the first sign of illness, see your doctor. Self-medication is hazardous to health!
