| Sinus infections are illnesses that affect the sinuses. | | | | the ethmoids in the upper region of the nose and |
| Also known as sinusitis, this infection causes severe | | | | behind the eyes). |
| inflammation to the sinuses, which are hollow cavities in | | | | Even though everyone gets a sinus attack one time or |
| the bones around the nose. When a person suffers | | | | the other, acute and chronic sinus attacks, which are |
| from fungal or viral infections like hay fever, rhinitis, etc. | | | | of the more severe kind, should be treated early. It is |
| these sinuses become inflamed. Air and mucus may | | | | better to take a specialists opinion before using any of |
| get blocked inside these inflamed sinuses, causing | | | | the over-the-counter drugs available in the market. |
| severe pain and discomfort. Sometimes, there could | | | | Even though pain killers and decongestants may |
| be a vacuum inside the sinuses. The main symptoms | | | | provide some relief, severe sinus infections need a |
| of severe sinus infections are pain in the head, ear, or | | | | more professional treatment with antibiotics and even |
| neck; headaches early in the morning; pain in the upper | | | | steroids. Mostly, severe sinus infections may occur |
| jaw, cheeks, and teeth; swelling of the eyelids; pain | | | | because of some other reason like asthma, allergic |
| between the eyes; stuffy nose; loss of smell; and | | | | rhinitis, allergies to fungi, primary immune deficiency, HIV |
| tenderness near the nose. Sometimes, there could be | | | | infection, cystic fibrosis, and so on. In such cases, |
| fever, tiredness, weakness, severe cough, and runny | | | | treatment should be provided for treating these |
| nose. Very rarely, acute sinusitis can lead to infection in | | | | infections first. |
| the brain or some other complication. | | | | Some most common treatments for severe sinus |
| Sinus infections are basically of thee kinds: acute (up to | | | | infections are saline nasal rinses, topical/oral |
| three weeks), chronic (three to eight weeks or more) | | | | decongestants, antihistamines, mucolytic agents, and |
| and recurring (frequent attacks within a year). Sinus | | | | intranasal corticosteroids. Severe sinus infections that |
| infections may also be classified on the basis of the | | | | cannot be cured by medication call for surgery. |
| kind of sinus: frontal sinuses (over the eyes in the brow | | | | Functional endoscopic sinus surgery is a common |
| area), maxillary sinuses (inside each cheekbone), | | | | surgery for enlarging the sinus openings and allowing |
| ethmoid sinuses (just behind the bridge of the nose | | | | drainage. |
| and between the eyes), and sphenoid sinuses (behind | | | | |