Sinusitis: symptoms and treatment at home

Everyone should know about the symptoms and treatment of sinusitis at home in order to avoid complications such as the growth of adenoids, tonsillitis, pneumonia or meningitis. Signs of the disease may not appear immediately, but after a few days or weeks.

Causes of sinusitis in adults and children

Most often, sinusitis is a complication of an infectious disease, such as flu or a cold. Symptoms of maxillary sinus inflammation appear after the acute phase of the underlying disease has ended.

Important. Sinusitis cannot appear in children under the age of two years, since they have not fully formed maxillary sinuses.

Also, the disease occurs against a background of weakened immunity. The body's defenses are reduced, respectively, the immune system is not able to cope with viruses and bacteria. The probability of getting sick is higher in the cold season.

Main reasons:

• Viruses. SARS, influenza, parainfluenza, adenoviruses cause acute inflammation. It is they who most often provoke the disease in children. Viral sinusitis in most cases is complicated by a bacterial infection, as a result of which a purulent form of the disease develops.
• Bacteria.The causative agent of chronic sinusitis can be staphylococci, streptococci, chlamydia and others.
• Fungal infections. Mushrooms can multiply in the bosom against the background of prolonged use of antibiotics or a decrease in immunity, causing inflammation, which quickly turns into a chronic form.
• Allergic rhinitis. With allergic reactions, the sinus swells, mucus accumulates in it.
• Injuries This may be a fracture of the nasal septum, severe bruising, or the result of an unsuccessful operation.
• Infectious diseases of the teeth and oral cavity. Pathogens enter the bosom.
• Inflammation of the adenoids.
• Foreign bodies in the maxillary sinus.
• Hereditary diseases, in particular cystic fibrosis.
• Congenital malformations of the sinuses.
• Psychosomatic causes. Sinusitis can be caused by restraining the release of negative emotions. Tears cleanse the sinuses, and if you hold them back, mucus builds up and inflammation starts.

Sinusitis can occur against the background of a common cold, if the hygiene of the nasal cavity is incorrect or the inflammatory process is not stopped in time.

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Pathology classification

By the nature of the course, sinusitis occurs:

• acute - develops in less than a month;
• subacute - lasts 1-3 months;
• chronic - symptoms do not go away for more than 3 months.

Depending on the prevalence of the inflammatory process, it is unilateral (left- and right-sided) and bilateral.

By the nature of the change in the mucosa:

• catarrhal - the easiest form;
• purulent sinusitis - occurs against a background of bacteria, inflammation is accompanied by the release of pus;
• hyperplastic - the sinus inlet narrows;
• polypous - polyps grow;
• atrophic - a chronic form in which the glands of the mucosa atrophy.

Sinusitis: symptoms and signs of various forms of the disease
The clinical picture differs depending on the form of the disease. Since the inflammatory process can occur secretly or the symptoms are similar to ordinary rhinitis, the disease often goes into a chronic stage. The disease in this case is difficult to diagnose.

Chronic form

Chronic sinusitis is a consequence of untreated acute illness.

Important. The likelihood of this form increases if the maxillary sinuses are inflamed repeatedly. The disease can aggravate for 2-3 days of a cold.

Signs of sinusitis:

• headache, which intensifies in the evening;
• a feeling of pressure in the nasal cavity, swelling of the sinuses;
• difficulty in nasal breathing;
• decrease in sense of smell;
• fatigue, increased fatigue;
• a slight increase in body temperature.

Purulent discharge from the nose is possible.

With an exacerbation of the chronic form, body temperature can increase to 38.5 ° C, pain spreads to the eyes and cheeks.

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Acute form of the disease

You can guess about the inflammation of the maxillary sinuses by the prolonged signs of a cold, if the health condition does not improve by 5-7 days.

Symptoms of sinusitis:

• Severe headache, aggravated by leaning forward. Painful sensations are given to the forehead or to the upper jaw, can occur with coughing and chewing.
• Pain when pressing the skin near the nose.
• Absence or difficulty in sense of smell.
• The nasal voice.
• Swelling of the mucous membrane. Nasal congestion appears in one or the other.
• Constant discharge of mucus from the nose.
• Purulent discharge. They can be yellow or green, which indicates a bacterial pathogen.
• Bad breath.
• High body temperature (appears on 5-7 days).
• Lethargy, fatigue.

Mouth breathing leads to a sore throat, a cough appears. Without treatment, inflammation can pass to the eyes, ears, and other ENT organs.

Unilateral pathology

With unilateral sinusitis, all symptoms appear on one side. Sin, eyes, forehead and cheek hurts only on one side. Makes one nostril and only mucus or pus flows out of it.

Important. With sinusitis, discharge may not be present at all, if the mucous membrane is severely swollen. Mucus flows down the back of the throat.

Bilateral sinusitis

With bilateral sinusitis, both sinuses are involved in the inflammatory process.

Diagnostic measures when to see a doctor?

It is necessary to visit the ENT, if a runny nose and nasal congestion does not go away after 7 days, a headache appears and body temperature rises.

The diagnosis is made on the basis of visual examination (rhinoscopy) and instrumental techniques (endoscopic examination, sinus radiography, ultrasound, spiral CT).

During the examination, it is important to establish the cause of the disease.

Treatment of acute and chronic sinusitis with drugs

The average course of treatment is 2-3 weeks. It must be comprehensive. In chronic inflammation, therapy may be delayed due to complications.

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Treatment is selected depending on the cause of the disease. In allergic reactions, antihistamines for sinusitis, for example, “Loratadine” or “Kestin”, will be effective.

If the temperature has risen, then you can not do without antipyretics - "Ibuprofen" or "Paracetamol."

Antibiotics for sinusitis

Antibacterial treatment is indicated only for bacterial infections, in other cases it will not be effective.

Antibiotics for sinusitis:

• Amoxiclav;
• Sulbacin;
• "Sumamed";
• "Erythromycin";
• Macropen
• "Cefazolin";
• Ceftriaxone.

Before antibiotic treatment, you need to identify the pathogen in order to find out its sensitivity to drugs.

Nasal drops to treat a disease

You can treat sinusitis with the help of such drops and sprays:

• Vasoconstrictors. They relieve swelling, reduce discharge and help breathe through the nose. Effective "Nazivin" and "Nazol".
• Thinning. Such drops from sinusitis contribute to the removal of mucus and pus from the sinuses, reduce inflammation. This is Sinuforte or Rinofluimucil.
• Antibacterial. Isofra or Polydex.
• Antiseptics. They cleanse the mucosa of bacteria, viruses and fungi. Miramistin and Protargol will do.
• Antiallergic. For allergic rhinitis, Sanorin-Analergin will help.
• Immunomodulators. They activate the body's defenses. This is Nazoferon. In tablets, Cinnabsin has an immunostimulating effect.

Lavage of the sinuses with an antiseptic solution

Washings remove pathogens and contribute to better nasal breathing. Nasal rinsing can be carried out with Miramistin, Humer, Aquamaris or Furatsilin solution.

Effective ointments for sinusitis

There are 2 varieties of ointments - complex and pharmacy. The first are made according to a doctor’s prescription, and the second is available for sale in a pharmacy.

To reduce inflammation, ointment "Vishnevsky", "Fleming", "Ichthyol", "Levomekol" is effective. The antiviral effect is provided by "Oxolinic".

Treatment of acute and chronic sinusitis with alternative methods

Folk remedies act more gently than medicines, but are highly effective. It is advisable to use them for chronic sinusitis and acute treatment (only in combination with drugs).

Traditional medicine recipes

From natural components at home, ointments, drops and solutions for washing can be prepared.

Recipes:

• Wax based anti-inflammatory ointment. It must be used as drops. You will need 250 ml of vegetable oil, 1/2 boiled yolk and 20-30 g of wax.
• Ointment based on laundry soap for thinning mucus and discharge of pus. You will need soap, onion juice, honey, butter and milk. All ingredients are taken in equal proportions.To put tampons in the nasal passages you need 2 times a day, keep for 6 minutes.
• Drops of bay leaf. It will take 30 g of funds. It needs to be poured with 100 ml of vegetable oil, infused for 5 days. Instill 2 drops in each nasal passage.
• Drops from aloe. You need pure juice. It must be instilled 2 drops 3 times a day. To cause sneezing and mucus discharge, you can add Kalanchoe juice.
• Rinse solution. It has an anti-inflammatory effect. In 500 ml of warm water you need to dissolve 0.5 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. decoction of celandine.

You can wash your sinuses with a decoction of chamomile or propolis.

Inhalation and warming up

Is it possible to warm sinusitis? It is impossible, otherwise the inflammation will only intensify. Thermal procedures are allowed when there is no purulent discharge, or already at the stage of recovery. You can warm it with hot salt (preferably sea), egg or paraffin.

Steam inhalation will only benefit. Before the procedure, rinse the sinuses to remove all the mucus, and then instill vasoconstrictor drops. In 2-3 minutes you can start inhalation.

Options:

• Boil the potatoes in their skins, crush and inhale the vapors. For the procedure to be effective, you need to wrap yourself in a blanket or coverlet.
• Inhale a pair of calendula broth, with the addition of 1-2 drops of eucalyptus oil.

The duration of inhalation is 10-15 minutes.

How to do acupressure for sinusitis?

Massage improves sinus drainage and reduces puffiness. It needs to be done 2 times a day for 5-10 minutes.

Important. You can significantly speed up recovery if after 30 minutes. After the massage, inhalation.

Technique of execution:

1. You need to start by stroking the pads of the fingers of the wings of the nose.
2. Gradually increase pressure on the biological point.
3. Alternately massage such areas - the area of ​​intersection of the upper lip with the nose, the tip of the nose, the area between the eyebrows above the nose, the center of the forehead, the area above the cervical vertebrae (at the base of the skull).

Massaging of each point should last 3-5 minutes. The duration of the course is 2 weeks.

When is a puncture necessary for sinusitis?

Indications for puncture:

• purulent sinusitis with a large accumulation of contents inside the sinuses;
• high body temperature (above 38 ° C);
• severe pain (acute pain in the forehead, cheeks or eyes);
• treatment failure, lack of improvement after 1-2 weeks of treatment.

This procedure is painful but effective. Relief comes immediately.

Complications after sinusitis

Complications are serious, can threaten a person’s life. Without treatment, the inflammatory process quickly passes to neighboring organs - eyes, ears, throat and brain.

Possible complications:

• meningitis;
• brain abscess
• pneumonia;
• bronchitis;
• angina;
• visual impairment;
• fistulas of the eyelids;
• osteoperiostitis.

Chronic sinusitis is most dangerous for its consequences, since the inflammatory process can occur after the disappearance of symptoms and seemingly complete recovery.

Prevention of sinusitis at home

The basis of prevention is to strengthen the immune system. So you can protect yourself from viruses and bacterial infections.

Recommendations:

• It is necessary to temper, to walk in the fresh air.
• Eat properly, the nutritional value of the diet should be normal.
• Lead a healthy lifestyle, observe the regime of work and rest.
• Keep fit.
• Dress seasonally so as not to freeze, but not to overheat.
• During flu epidemics or SARS, use personal protective equipment (dressings), as well as drink vitamins. Additionally, you can use antiviral and immunomodulating drugs.
• In time to treat inflammatory diseases, especially pay attention to the condition of the teeth, oral cavity, nasopharynx. Try to cure ENT diseases as soon as possible until they are complicated by a bacterial infection.
• To be vaccinated with an influenza epidemic.

In the prevention of sinusitis in children, the indoor microclimate plays an important role. During the heating period, do not allow air temperatures above 25 ° C. It is necessary to ventilate the rooms daily. It is important to monitor air humidity, if it drops significantly, then the nasal mucosa is overdried. Viruses and bacteria make it easier to get into the body. It is necessary to irrigate the nasal cavity with means based on sea water or do nose washings with saline.

In no case should you start sinusitis, since a purulent chronic form will develop, and it is treated very hard.