What may happen if a sinus infection is left without treatment?

If a sinus infection is left untreated, you will continue to experience pain until it is treated. In extremely unusual instances, meningitis, a brain abscess, or a bone infection might result from sinusitis that has not been treated. Discuss your issues with your care physician so they can show you the way forward. Sinus infection is quite common, and it can affect anyone.

This article discusses the illness in detail.

What is Sinus Infection?

Also called sinusitis sinus, sinus flu is the Inflammation or swelling of the tissue that lines the sinuses. The sinuses are cavities (spaces) found in pairs throughout the skull. They are linked together using small channels. The sinuses produce watery mucus that can be expelled through the nose’s drainage canals. This discharge aids in the maintenance of a clean and bacteria-free nasal passageway. The sinuses are usually filled with air, but they can get obstructed and start to fill with fluid. When this occurs, bacteria have the potential to multiply and create an infection.

Types of Sinus Infection

There are various types of sinus infections. They include:

Acute bacterial sinus infection

This term means a sudden onset of cold symptoms such as stuffy nose, facial pain, and runny nose that affect a patient for over ten days. Sometimes the symptoms may improve but return worse than before. Acute bacterial sinusitis responds well to decongestants and antibiotics.

Recurrent acute sinusitis

Recurrent acute sinusitis has the same symptoms as sinus infection, but these infections come back at least four times in one year. The symptoms usually last for less than 14 days every time they come.

Chronic sinusitis

Chronic sinusitis is characterized by drainage, pressure, decreased sense of smell, and nasal congestion. These symptoms can last for more than 12 weeks.

Subacute sinusitis

This type of sinus infection display infections for more than 12 weeks.

Who Can Get Sinusitis?

Anyone is at risk of developing a sinus infection. However, those with a nasal allergy, nasal polyps, asthma, or atypical nose structures are more prone to developing sinusitis than healthy individuals. It’s also possible that smoking will make your sinus infections more frequent. In the US, the number of individuals suffering from sinusitis is estimated to be 31 million.

How Can You Differentiate Between Cold, Nasal Allergy, and Sinus Infection?

It can be challenging to differentiate between these three infections, but it is even more difficult for Sinusitis vs flu since the two have almost the same symptoms. In most cases, the common cold symptoms will worsen before gradually going away. It might last anywhere from a few days up to a week. A cold can, however, turn into a sinus infection.

Inflammation of the nasal passages caused by allergens in the air is known as nasal allergies (dust, pollen, and dander). Sneezing, itchiness in the nose and eyes, congestion, a running nose, and post nasal drip are some symptoms that might accompany a nasal allergy (mucus in the throat). It’s possible to have a cold and experience symptoms of sinusitis and allergies at the same time.

Visit your doctor if you are suffering from a cold but develop signs of a sinus infection or nasal allergy while trying to recover from the cold. You will be questioned regarding your symptoms as well as your health background.

Signs and Symptoms of sinusitis

Various signs and symptoms accompany sinusitis. These symptoms include:

· Cough

· Bad breath

· Nasal discharge

· Facial pressure

· Post nasal drip

· Fever

· Tiredness

Sinus Diagnoses

Your healthcare professional will ask numerous questions to create a comprehensive medical history and assess your symptoms. In addition, there will be a physical examination. During your exam, the doctor will examine your ears, nose, and throat for any signs of edema, drainage, or obstruction. An endoscope (a small illuminated/optical tool) may be used to examine the nasal cavity. In certain instances, you may be referred to an ENT expert.

Treatment

If you have a mild sinus infection, your physician may suggest using a decongestant and saltwater nasal washes. However, you should not use an over-the-counter decongestant for longer than three days at a time because doing so may increase congestion.

You could also consider purchasing an over-the-counter bioelectric device that sends out micro-current waves as an additional treatment option. The device is applied to the face, and once it is in place, it will begin to produce entirely painless vibrations.

If your physician prescribes antibiotics for you, you will most likely need to take them for 10 to 14 days. After receiving treatment, the symptoms will typically vanish.

If you have chronic sinusitis, breathing in warm and wet air may be helpful. Either inhale the steam from a pan of heated water or use a vaporizer to get the desired effect. Check to see that the water is not too hot to drink. There are other things you can do to improve the symptoms of sinus infection, including:

· Drink plenty of water because it will make your mucus thin

· Use saline nose drops at home

· Use warm compresses to ease pain in your nose and sinuses

· You can use decongestant sprays or drops but don’t take them longer than recommended.

· If the issue keeps returning, your doctor may recommend surgery to clean and drain the sinuses.

If possible, you can avoid any triggers associated with making sinusitis worse. If you struggle with allergies, your doctor can tell you to use an antihistamine. Also, the doctor can recommend antifungal medicine if you are struggling with fungus. The doctor may give you immunoglobulin if you are struggling with immune deficiencies.

Preventing Sinusitis

There are no sure ways of preventing sinusitis. However, the following may help you out:

· Avoid smoking or staying close to people who smoke.

· Wash your hands frequently, especially during the flu and cold season. However, try not to touch your face.

· Avoid things that are allergic to you and if the allergies are too high, talk to your doctor for allergy shots, prescription medicine, or other forms of immunotherapy.