What is acute sinusitis, how to recognize and cure it
Sinusitis is an inflammatory process affecting the mucous membrane of the paranasal sinuses. Only one such cavity can be affected, several or even all of them can be affected. Symptoms of sinusitis can be very bright or erased, so the diagnosis can be complicated.
Classification of sinusitis
In addition to dividing the process itself into acute and chronic, a classification based on the principle of localization is used - taking into account which sinus is affected. Acute sinusitis is divided into:
- maxillary (sinusitis, or Antrim);
- frontal;
- ethmoid;
- sphenoidal;
- pansinusitis (infection of all sinuses at the same time);
- combined forms, when more than one sinus is inflamed, but not all, as in pansinusitis.
Causes of sinusitis
The reasons for the development of this pathology can be divided into two categories - general and local. The first include:
- environmental factors;
- individual features of the immune system;
Local provoking factors:
- inflammatory process in the nasal cavity (rhinitis);
- allergy, which turns out to be non-life;
- growths on the nasal septum;
- hypertrophy of the nasal conchas;
- hyperplasia of the mucous membrane of the nasal cavity;
- polyps;
- tumors.
Any violation of the structure of the nasal cavity can disrupt the ventilation and drainage function of the sinuses and lead to fluid stagnation in them and deterioration of aeration (oxygen saturation) of these cavities. The result will be infection of the mucous membrane with staphylococci, streptococci, pneumococci, anaerobic bacteria, viruses and fungi.
Symptoms of sinusitis in adults and children
In the vast majority of cases, the symptoms of sinusitis appear against the background of previous rhinitis (runny nose). When the infection penetrates into the sinuses, local and general manifestations of the disease appear.
Local include nasal congestion on one or both sides, reduction or disappearance of the sense of smell, discharge from the nose (mucous, serous, purulent or mixed), headache. Unilateral complication of nasal breathing usually indicates the side of the affected sinus. Headaches are often highly intense, poorly amenable to available analgesics. Secretions can flow continuously or with interruptions, often they flow into the nasopharynx.
General symptoms of acute sinusitis are the development of intoxication syndrome, which is manifested by weakness, fatigue, fever, headache. In the presence of general symptoms, changes also appear in the tests.
With chronic sinusitis, there are almost no symptoms. Only sometimes, patients may note periodic or constant flow of scanty secretions from the nose and a feeling of slight distension in the area of the "sick" sinus. Aggravation of the process manifests itself in the same way as acute sinusitis.
Laboratory and instrumental diagnostics
After studying the anamnesis data, during the collection of which the doctor finds out how the disease started, what preceded it, how it developed and how it was treated before seeking help, a number of additional studies are prescribed. Some of them serve to clarify the diagnosis, others are used to determine the intensity of the inflammatory process.
First, the ENT doctor performs a rhinoscopy, that is, examines the nasal cavity through the nostrils and through the nasopharynx (a special mirror is used). After that, the following is done:
general blood test;
puncture of an additional sinus with taking its contents for microbiological analysis (detection of the causative agent, determination of an antibiotic that can destroy it;
X-ray of the sinuses in one or more projections.
Treatment of sinusitis
In treatment, the ENT doctor pursues several goals at the same time:
- ensure the removal of its infected contents from the affected sinus;
- suppress the inflammatory process and eliminate its causative agent;
- restore the natural process of evacuation of sinus contents.
People with a severe course of the disease, in the presence of sinusitis against the background of severe concomitant pathologies or immunodeficiency, are admitted to the hospital. Patients who are unable to visit a doctor on their own (non-ambulatory) are also hospitalized for the necessary manipulations.
The main method of removing purulent contents from the nasal sinuses is puncture. With its help, you can reduce the pressure in the sinus cavity, wash out the pus and rinse it with an antiseptic solution. Puncture treatment is not indicated for non-purulent forms of the disease and independent discharge of the contents.
In recent years, YAMIK-catheterization is relatively widely used. This procedure can replace a regular puncture in many situations. At the same time, it is painless and does not cause physical or moral injury to the patient. Until now, it is not widely used only because not all hospitals have specific catheters and not all specialists know how to use them.
Medical therapy of sinusitis has the same goal. Vasoconstricting drops and sprays must be used, as they reduce swelling of the mucous membrane and improve drainage. With high mucus viscosity, it is also possible to use drugs such as Ambroxol and Sinupret, which thin the secretion of the sinuses.
It is preferable to use antibiotics in the form of intramuscular, intravenous injections or inside. It is they who destroy bacteria. It is considered ideal to take exactly the drug that, according to the results of the tests, is recognized as the most effective. Unfortunately, the antibiotic program is carried out within 3-4 days, and this reduces the possibility of prescribing the necessary drug on time.
Parallel with antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, antihistamines are used, and corticosteroid hormones can be used for severe sinusitis.
On the website Dobrobut.com, you can make an appointment with an ENT doctor for an examination. Only with correctly prescribed treatment, recovery is possible within 7–10 days. Self-medication often leads to the development of complications, including fatal sepsis and meningitis.
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