Acute Sinus Infection

Acute sinusitis comes with many uncomfortable symptoms. Some of these symptoms include frontal headaches, facial pain, post nasal drip, sore throat and persistent cough.

A person can develop a sinus infection if it takes too long a time to recover from the common cold or viral influenza. The main cause of the problem is nasal congestion associated with both illnesses. The blockage of the nasal passages causes poor ventilation of the sinuses. The clogged sinuses provide the ideal environment for bacteria to multiply. Bacterial sinusitis often develops when the immune system of the person is not functional at its optimum.

Classification of sinusitis

1. Mild infection

2. Acute infection

3. Chronic infection

Mild sinusitis is present if symptoms are not serious. Often, the patient is able to tolerate the slight discomforts experienced. In most instances, there is not a need for any medication since most people are able to recover on their own.

Acute infection occurs when a mild infection progresses to a more serious stage. This means that the infection has become full blown with the full spectrum of sinus infection symptoms exhibited often making the patient feel really sick.

Symptoms

1. Pain felt in the areas close to the infected paranasal sinus.

Sinus pain could present itself as a dull ache in the head above the eyebrows when the frontal sinuses are affected. There will be pain and tenderness felt in the cheek area when the maxillary sinuses are involved.

2. Nasal congestion and blocked nose. When the sinuses are infected, the mucosa becomes inflamed and this leads to abnormal production of thick mucus which cannot drain off easily.

3. Persistent cough. This is mainly caused by increased levels of post nasal drip down the throat. Normal mucus secretion is thin and clear.

4. Sore throat. This is closely associated with mucus draining down the throat as coughing episodes can lead to inflammation and bacterial infection of the throat.

5. Fever. A fever usually commences when there is a bacterial infection.

Treatment

Treatment of acute sinus infection involves prescription drugs to control the symptoms experienced by the patient. To alleviate nasal blockage, decongestants such as pseudoephedrine are prescribed.

However, if a bacterial infection is diagnosed, antibiotics have to be prescribed as well. Sometimes the Eustachian tubes are blocked. In such instances, a steroid nasal spray is an effective medication to resolve the problem.

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