After spending time outside, you have probably developed a runny nose and itchy eyes. Your nose is still clogged, and the pressure on your cheeks and forehead is so great that you can't even glance around or move your head without being in excruciating pain. What's going on?
It could be allergic sinusitis, which is a sinus infection caused by allergies. However, because the symptoms of allergies and sinusitis are so similar, it can be difficult to tell.
Even so, there are some key variations in what causes them and how they should be treated. Here's everything you need to know about it.
Causes of sinus problems
Every time we breathe, a variety of small particles from various sources find their way into our noses. Some can cause problems by causing inflammation in the nasal lining in one person while leaving another unaffected.
Some of the risk factors or causes of sinus inflammation are as follows:
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Colds
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Hay fever
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Infections caused by bacteria and viruses
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Fungus
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Barometric pressure, dry air, and cold air
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Spicy foods
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Polyps in the nose
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Deviated septum
Difference between nasal allergies and allergic sinusitis
Allergies and sinusitis can be distinguished by a few factors. The most common is sinus inflammation, which can be observed on imaging tests. On an imaging of your head, evidence of inflammation in the sinuses is the gold standard for diagnosing sinusitis.
In addition, unlike conventional allergy symptoms, sinusitis rarely causes an itchy nose, eyes, or throat. However, if your temperature is rising, it could be an indication of sinusitis. Sinus symptoms migrating lower into the bronchial tree and bronchial symptoms are both red flags.
Types of sinusitis
Sinusitis can be acute or chronic in nature. Acute sinusitis is a bacterial or viral infection that causes a transient inflammation of the sinuses. Acute sinusitis is diagnosed when symptoms disappear in less than 4 to 8 weeks.
If bacteria are causing your symptoms, you usually don't get better or worse within 10 days of becoming ill, even if you felt better at first. When a virus is to blame, you'll usually be sick for less than ten days and the symptoms won't worsen.
Chronic sinusitis is caused by long-term inflammation caused by the nose and sinuses overreacting to what they perceive to be an infection. In most cases, there isn't an infection.
If sinusitis gets worse from time to time, an infection could be partly to blame. A common rule of thumb is if you have had more than three sinus infections in a year or have symptoms that last longer than 12 weeks, it’s definitely chronic sinusitis.
Diagnosis
The traditional indications of sinusitis are looked for during a physical examination of the throat, nose, and sinuses. Nasal blockage, nasal discharge, loss of smell, and face pressure are among the symptoms that doctors are looking for.
A camera attached to a long and thin flexible tubing introduced into the nose is used in a sinus CT scan. It may appear to be a lot, yet it is completely painless. To make it more pleasant, you can ask for a little anesthetic nasal spray.
Mucus cultures can aid in determining the source of the infection. Doctors obtain samples from the nose or the sinuses directly. If a bacteria is found, doctors will prescribe antibiotics for that particular germ. Antifungal drugs, not antibiotics, are used to treat fungi detected in cultures.
Treatment
Stopping seasonal allergies in their tracks by avoiding or at least limiting your exposure is the best strategy to prevent allergy-related sinusitis. If things like dust, mold, and pet dander are waging war on your nose, you should take these actions to decrease or eradicate indoor allergies.
Even yet, there may be situations when allergy symptoms cause sinus inflammation. So, what should you do if you have allergies and sinusitis? Anti-inflammatory therapy is the best alternative for alleviation. Saline sinus irrigations and nasal steroid sprays like Flonase or Rhinocort are examples.
Pain and fever can be treated with over-the-counter pain medications. If bacteria are present, however, cross-over allergy drugs that treat both allergies and sinus infections are the best option. Nasal steroid sprays, sinus or nasal saline rinses, decongestants, and antibiotics to kill the bacteria should suffice.
In severe cases, you may need sinus surgery. If you experience difficulty breathing and inflammation of the nose that doesn’t respond to other treatments, it’s best to turn to a sinus surgeon.
Tags: health