Causes and Treatment for Sinus Infections

Sinus infections have now become very common among the American population. However, finding an effective treatment for sinus infections remains a mystery. The treatment for sinus infection in Gilbert has got a new and effective dimension with the services from Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology Associates LTD. Although sinus infections are not severe or fatal medical conditions, both short-term and chronic sinus infections make your daily lives harder. So, the sooner you get the treatment, the better.

Let us now know more about the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of sinus infections.

Causes of Sinus Infections

Sinus infection is inflammation or infection of your nasal passages. Any medical condition or substance that affects the drainage pathways of the sinus will result in a sinus infection. Some of the most common causes or medical conditions that lead to sinus infections include partition deformities in nasal bone, nasal polyps, and allergies. People with a weak immune system are particularly more vulnerable to being affected by sinus infections.

Symptoms of Sinus Infections

Most often, sinus infections start as a common cold. The symptoms of both common cold and sinus infection are similar. However, you should consult a doctor if the symptoms persist for a longer time, mostly diagnosed as a sinus infection. There are two types of sinusitis, Acute and Chronic. Acute Sinusitis lasts only for four weeks or less. Whereas the symptoms of Chronic Sinusitis usually last for 12 weeks or more.

The most common symptoms of sinus infections are:

• Congestion of nasal paths.
• Runny nose.
• Facial pain and pressure.
• Toothache.
• Bad breath.
• Cough.
• Dark yellow or green nasal discharge.

Diagnosis of Sinus Infections

We now have a wide variety of procedures and advanced techniques in the medical industry to diagnose sinus infections. However, the most common procedures involved in diagnosing sinus infections are limited to a physical examination and allergy test. Sometimes the doctor may also suggest nasal endoscopy for proper diagnosis of the condition. In rare cases, most often in advanced conditions, doctors recommend taking CT or MRI scans to find the abnormalities of your sinus pathways precisely.

Treatment for Sinusitis

Acute sinusitis usually doesn’t require any prescription-based medication. This condition can be recovered with sinus saline rinses, decongestants, hydration, and some rest. Some antibiotics might also be needed in case you have a bacterial infection along with sinusitis.

In the case of chronic sinusitis, it is essential to find and treat the root cause. Allergy shots, some environmental changes, and avoiding triggers is important in the treatment of chronic sinusitis.