Sinusitis is a condition that often escapes the consciousness of the patient because it is a complication masked by the annoying symptoms of a cold or other viral infection that accompanies and which has caused them. Acute sinusitis, when it is incorrectly treated (or left untreated), can become chronic and last for many months. The gulfs are air-filled double spaces
The paranasal sinuses are even - i.e. double and consist of 2 frontal sinuses, 2 maxillary sinuses, labyrinth (sieve cells) and 2 sphenoid sinuses near the ear. Sinus spaces arranged symmetrically around the nose and eyes. As a rule, the sinuses should have good contact with the nasal cavity. In a sense, they are an extension of the nasal cavities.
Diagram of paranasal sinuses
The frontal sinus - are located above the eyes, while the others are deeper behind the base of the nose. (profile - right)
1- bay, 2 - labyrinth (sieve cells),
3 - maxillary bay, 4 - wedge bay. The largest volumes are the maxillary sinuses located on both sides of the nose. Their capacity is about 15 ml, the upper wall is the bottom of the orbita, the anterolateral - lower wall borders on the upper teeth.
THE COURSE OF ACUTE BURNING OF ZAPOK
How does the acute sinusitis begin?
Acute inflammations have a sudden onset, often accompanied by fever, poor general well-being and impaired nasal breathing, a runny nose, flowing secretion to the throat, often pain in the area of a sick sinus or feeling of pressure. The cause of acute inflammation is usually a cold or other inflammatory viral infection. A bacterial infection may follow. The rhinitis then takes the form of aqueous, mucus or purulent secretion sequentially.
In people with allergies
This form of sinusitis may be accompanied by worsening pollinosis or the addition of a viral or bacterial infection to an allergy caused by house dust mites. This form of sinusitis usually succeeds in curing pharmacologically, but the treatment must last long enough - about two weeks.
Symptoms of a mild course of acute sinusitis
(A mild course of inflammation can be associated with the predominant activity of a viral infection)
- nasal discharge (serous, mucous or mucopurulent)
- partially blocked nose,
- cough,
- head or face pains,
- subfebrile state.
Symptoms of severe course of acute sinusitis
The severe course of sinusitis usually results from the development of a bacterial infection.
- purulent secretion from the nose
- completely blocked nose
- severe head or face pain,
- swollen eyelids,
- above 39 ° C. (especially in young children)
"Touch" pain
The location of the inflammation and the pain caused by it can be recognized by touch. With acute inflammation of the sinus, the pain is located in the area of the affected sinus. In addition, it radiates to the eye socket, to the parietal, temporal and top of the skull. In frontal sinusitis, the lower thin wall of the sinus hurts - the middle section of the orbital top wall (which we can check by pressing with your finger). In the sinusitis, the place of the front wall recess (hypodermic hole) hurts.
Self-healing of sinusitis?
The effects of a virus attack - swelling of the mucous membrane, abundant secretion, mucosal epithelial damage are common to the combined cavities of the nasal cavity and sinus cavities. Therefore, often with the withdrawal of symptoms of colds or other inflammatory viral infection (influenza, smallpox, measles, etc.) if bacterial superinfection is not done in the meantime, symptoms of acute rhinitis and sinusitis may resolve. It can then be said that sinusitis was self-cured. Unfortunately, at approx.every 20 people who have a cold, the initial symptoms of sinusitis have a chance to develop into bacterial complications that need to be treated.
Treatment of acute bacterial sinusitis
Acute sinusitis - complicated by bacteria - is usually severe. We recognize them after the above symptoms of severe course of sinusitis (eg after high fever and severe pain). In this case, antibiotic therapy is used under the supervision of a doctor for about 10-14 days. The purpose of antibiotic therapy is to eliminate bacterial infection and prevent possible complications. In addition, the painful symptoms of inflammation are treated - swelling of the mucosa, sinus and headache, fever, cough, etc.
Treatment of viral sinusitis
If there is no bacterial infection, then there is a mild course of acute sinusitis (See symptoms above). Symptoms of viral inflammation usually disappear after 4-5 days, with regression of the upper respiratory tract infection. In such cases, the so-called symptomatic treatment. This treatment is common for viral and bacterial sinusitis. In bacterial sinusitis, it is a treatment that supports antibiotic therapy
LHealing of symptoms of sinusitis
The aim of the treatment is to fight inflammation causing: swelling of the nasal mucosa and sinuses and liquefaction of secretion (phlegm) remaining in the sinuses. In addition, the treatment of sinus pain, headache, fever, etc. symptoms.
Drugs used to treat the symptoms of sinusitis
- mucosal decongestants (topical sympathomimetic preparations
- in older children, oral preparations of pseudoephedrine)
- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (including: acetaminophen and ibuprofen in children)
- mucolytic drugs that dilute densified phlegm (nasal drops, aerosols, rinses). In addition, you can use natural medicine treatments - such as herbal inhalations with steam, a sauna, hot baths, hot compresses.
Reducing the swelling of the sinuses and nasal mucosa
An important goal of treatment is reduction of mucosal edema and removal of secretions. For this purpose, medications are used to treat the nasal mucosa or orally. Nasal medicines may be in the form of drops, aerosols or gels. In the use of these drugs, it is important that they cover the largest possible surface of the mucous membrane and act mainly on the channel of the mouth-and-duct, connecting the nose with the sinuses (which is located in the upper part of the nasal cavity). sitting in her head is tilted backwards. In young children the recommended form is a gel that stays on longer.
Removal of secretions from the sinuses and the nose.
For this purpose, mucolytic mucus secretion drugs are used - preferably locally acting, in the form of aerosol. Oral medications that reduce mucosal edema, e.g. preparations with pseudoephedrine and medications that normalize the quantity and quality of mucus secreted, can also be used. But note the drugs with ephedrine derivatives can be used for up to 4 days, while mucolytics should not be given to people with asthma. It is helpful to clean the nasal secretions by rinsing the nasal cavity with a physiological saline solution (without a prescription - available at a pharmacy). We suck the solution through the nose, with inhaled air, from the cup-shaped hand shaped palm and then blown out with the secretion.
Diagnostic problems in the treatment of acute sinusitis
Sometimes doctors avoid making a quick decision about antibiotic treatment by suspecting (rightly or wrongly) that inflammation is caused only by viruses. Suspicion is based on the observation that about 40% of cases of acute sinusitis in children subside without treatment. The discrepancies in therapy do not concern acute sinusitis with severe course - usually caused by pathogenic bacteria. This type of inflammation may be so severe in young children that it often requires hospitalization and intensive antibiotic therapy. In other cases, antibiotic treatment can be carried out orally at home. Standard antibiotic therapy can then be extended to a month if the symptoms decrease but do not subside completely. This poses a threat not only to the passage of chronic sinusitis but also to dangerous complications.
Ed. Edward Ozga Michalski, MA
Literature:
1. Sinusitis; Dr hab. n. med. Józef Jordan, prof. Medical Academy in Gdańsk, Head of the Otolaryngological Department of the Municipal Hospital in Gdynia; PharmaNet.pl - art. Internet. E-mail: [email protected]
2.Acute sinusitis in children - Dr. med. Teresa Oleniacz; Health Service No. 3-4 (2998-2999); 2001 Department of Audiology, Phoniatrics and Laryngology IP-CZD Warsaw
3. "Laryngological complications of viral infections of the upper respiratory tract"; Dr n. Med. Urszula Samolińska-Zawisza - Central Clinical Hospital of the Medical Academy in Warsaw; Internet
5. Internet: www.zdrowezatoki
6. Child from A to Z - medical guide - Dr. Miriam Stoppard, ed. Athena 1986
