There are different types of sinuses: frontal, maxillary, ethmoid, and sphenoid and the symptoms might differ when each one is affected; the symptoms also differ for acute and chronic sinusitis.

The role of the sinuses is not completely elucidated, scientists believing that the sinuses are important in absorbing impacts that occur from the front and preventing them from affecting the brain. They are also important in warming, moistening and filtering the inhaled air.

In the air there are numerous bacteria and when breathing we inhale them. If the cilia filter is malfunctioning, these bacteria can get blocked in the sinus cavities and produce an infection.

For acute sinusitis, that generally lasts 2-3 weeks, doctors recommend antibiotic treatment for 5 to 7 days. The chronic sinusitis lasts longer, about 6-8 weeks and it is more difficult to treat. Infectious sinusitis is generally caused by a bacteria; the non-infectious one is caused by pollutants and allergic factors.

The sinus infections affect every year 37 million Americans. Sinusitis also appears when the nasal membrane gets affected by pollutants, cold or dry air and becomes inflamed. People who have a weakened immune system (due to cancer, HIV, diabetes), children and elders can easily develop sinusitis. People who work in places exposed to infections, people who suffer of allergies, and smokers are more vulnerable to sinusitis than others.

If a patient has followed the classical antibiotic therapy and there were no signs of improvement the surgical therapy will be recommended because a complication could have occurred: the infection of the facial bones.

Some general symptoms of sinus infection are: headaches, fatigue, facial and upper jaw pains, and tenderness of the sinus area, sore throat, cough, colored nasal drainage, bad breath and swollen eye lids.

If symptoms last longer than 10 days you should call your doctor before any complications occur.

The doctor will diagnose sinusitis by looking inside the nose with an endoscope, then request for a computerized axial tomography, and even a MRI. Others might perform a rhinoscopy for looking into the back of the nasal passages.

Treating sinusitis is made with drugs prescribed by the doctor, and some home remedies.

The treatment must kill the bacteria, make facial pain and pressure disappear, clear up the nasal cavities and maintain intact the sinus and nasal tissues.

For keeping your cilia system intact and for avoiding or recovering more quickly after sinus infections you should drink hot tea. If you get hydrated, your cilia movements will improve and the mucus from your sinuses will be washed out, so you will cure faster. Chicken soup is also helpful.

Applying wet bandages on your face also helps. The compresses must be soaked in warm water in order to help the cilia move more efficiently. You must apply them three times a day and keep them for five minutes on your face. You can also use steam inhalations to minimize your nasal congestion.

The doctor will prescribe an antibiotic drug (oral or inhale drugs) if the sinusitis is caused by a bacterium; a decongestant, analgesics who will reduce the pain and corticosteroids to slow down the inflammation in the nasal cavities.

The most important thing is preventing sinus infections by keeping your nose clear, quitting smoking and treating well and as soon as possible any type of colds and allergies

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Sinusitis appears when the nasal membrane gets affected by pollutants, cold or dry air and becomes inflamed. Secondary the cilia will slow down their movements, and mucus will be mass produced in order to eliminate the accumulated bacteria. Because cilia are not working properly the mucus will be trapped in the sinuses and cause a local infection. Sometimes even the fact that the secretions are thick can cause sinusitis. In rare cases a tumor can block the sinuses causing a local obstruction.

The infection of the sinuses can last a month and it is known as acute sinusitis or can last more than three months and then it is known as chronic sinusitis. The sub acute sinusitis is situated somewhere in between, meaning that is lasts from one month to less than three months.

There are people who are exposed at this affection due to their profession. Those who work in conditions which expose them to infections like health care personnel, those who work with irritants like smoke, petrol and pain fumes, perfumes and different sprays are also at risk of developing sinusitis.

Those who smoke a lot and who have a weakened immune system are more exposed to sinusitis and infections than others.

A person who has fever, headaches, facial pain and pressure, colored nasal discharge, and even problems with the vision for more than 10 days must go to the doctor and ask for a treatment because left untreated, sinusitis can cause pneumonia, ear infection, bronchitis and even bone infections.

The doctor will try to see if there is redness and swelling of the nasal passages, tenderness at percussion and swelling in the eye area. With the help of a rhinoscope the doctor will want to see if the sinuses are obstructed or not. Sometimes he might even perform an aspiration to collect samples of the material that blocks the sinus and see what kind of bacteria populates this material.

The therapy consists out of medical treatment and home care remedies. They are meant to clear up the infection, open and drainage the sinuses, and reduce as possible the intensity of the symptoms while reassuring prevention to recurrences of the infection.

At home the patient is recommended to drink warm fluids, to apply wet bandages on the face and to make steam inhalations. The doctor will prescribe the patient oral decongestants, and mucus thinning agents. Besides this anti-biotherapy is needed in order to stop the infection that has caused sinusitis. The doctor might try more types of antibiotics until he finds the right one as he can not know which bacteria has caused your infection. Also, cortisone sprays might be helpful as they improve the drainage of the sinuses. Treatment must be followed at least 10 days otherwise the sinus infection might come back after a few days.

For those in whom the treatment is not effective surgery is the last option. This surgery lasts two or three hours and it consists out of straightening the septum, and opening the sinuses in order to improve the drainage. Hospitalization is needed a day or two and the recovery period might last up to two weeks. Even if you have had surgery this does not mean you can not have sinusitis again, but the advantage is that if you develop it again you will be able to treat it more easily.

The easier thing is to prevent sinusitis, not to treat it. You can prevent sinusitis by giving up smoking, by treating any colds as soon as they install, by cleaning up the nose gently when needed and by drinking a lot of warm liquids.

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The sinuses are covered with a mucus layer and cells that contain little hairs on their surfaces called cilia. These help trap and propel bacteria and pollutants outward. The ostiomeatal complex (OMC) connects the nasal passage to the paranasal sinuses.

What Causes Sinusitis?

The most common cause is viral infection.

Sinusitis is more common in adults. It rarely occurs in children under the age of five. People with nasal abnormalities (such as deviated nasal septum), allergic rhinitis or cystic fibrosis are more likely to develop sinusitis. Smoking increases the risk of developing sinusitis.

Symptoms Of Sinusitis

Some of the signs that a person may have bacterial sinusitis are:

· nasal congestion or obstruction

· mucus discharge from the nose (this can occur with both viral and bacterial sinusitis but continuous thick discharge is more likely to be from bacterial sinusitis)

· persistent dull pain or swelling around the eyes

· tenderness or pain in or around the cheekbones

.High temperature (fever) may develop, and you may feel generally unwell.

Other common symptoms of sinusitis may include:

* A headache.

* Bad breath.

* A cough that produces mucus.

* A fever.

* Pain in your teeth.

* A reduced sense of taste or smell.

What treatment is available?

Acute sinusitis will often settle on its own, but in severe cases may be treated with an antibiotic, such as amoxicillin (eg Amoxil), doxycycline (eg Vibramycin) or erythromycin (eg Erythroped).

Decongestant medication may help but should only be used for five to seven days in the case of nasal sprays or drops.

Chronic sinusitis usually requires surgical drainage of the sinuses involved.

How is sinusitis diagnosed?

Your doctor can tell if you have sinusitis by asking questions about your past health and doing a physical exam. You probably won’t need any other tests.

Can I Prevent Sinusitis?

You can lower your risk of getting sinusitis by making some simple changes in your home environment. Try using a humidifier during cold weather to stop dry, heated air from irritating your sinuses, which can make them more susceptible to infection. Clean the humidifier regularly because mold, which can trigger allergies in some people, forms easily in moist environments.