Sinusitis is one of the common health issues that often bring people to urgent care centers. People who have asthma, allergies, blockages in the sinuses or weak immune system are often susceptible to sinusitis. Sinusitis is the swelling or inflammation of the membrane that lines the sinuses. The condition prevents the drainage of mucus from the nose. Conditions that often lead to sinus blockages include the nasal polyps, allergic rhinitis, common cold or a deviated septum. Sinusitis can be acute or chronic. If you get several attacks within a year, you may get recurrent sinusitis.
Causes
Symptoms
Diagnosis
If sinusitis is due to allergy, your physician at the urgent care may ask you to go for allergy tests to determine what triggers the sinus infection. Your physician may examine your nasal passage using rhinoscopy or nasal endoscopy. The physician may also recommend MRI or CT scan to check any sinus abnormalities such as deviated septum, polyps, etc. You should immediately visit an urgent care center if you have high fever, swelling in the eye or face, redness, stiff neck and headache.
Treatment
The symptoms of Sinusitis can often be treated using home remedies such as using warm, moist washcloth over your sinuses or use a humidifier to reduce the congestion. Steam inhalation may help in clearing the nasal blockage. Saline nasal sprays are also effective in clearing the nasal passages. It is often advised that the patients with sinusitis should drink plenty of water and other fluids. Some over-the-counter decongestants and pain relievers are also effective in offering relief from mucus and pain.
You can reduce the risk of sinuses by taking precautions such as washing hands frequently, reducing exposure to elements that lead to allergy and avoiding smoking.
Causes
- Viral, bacterial or fungal Infection
- Allergies
- cold
- Autoimmune response to any nasal irritation
- Growths of the mucous membranes (nasal polyps)
- Obstructions in the nasal cavity
- Deviated nasal septum
- Cystic fibrosis
- Weak immune system
- Spending time at a place where other people have infection
- Activities such as scuba diving, etc
Symptoms
- Nasal congestion
- Pain
- Sore throat
- Cough
- Headache
- Toothache and earache
- Tenderness behind eyes, cheeks, nose
- Fatigue
- Loss of smell
- Nasal stuffiness
- Bad breath
- Fever
- Green or yellow mucus
Diagnosis
If sinusitis is due to allergy, your physician at the urgent care may ask you to go for allergy tests to determine what triggers the sinus infection. Your physician may examine your nasal passage using rhinoscopy or nasal endoscopy. The physician may also recommend MRI or CT scan to check any sinus abnormalities such as deviated septum, polyps, etc. You should immediately visit an urgent care center if you have high fever, swelling in the eye or face, redness, stiff neck and headache.
Treatment
The symptoms of Sinusitis can often be treated using home remedies such as using warm, moist washcloth over your sinuses or use a humidifier to reduce the congestion. Steam inhalation may help in clearing the nasal blockage. Saline nasal sprays are also effective in clearing the nasal passages. It is often advised that the patients with sinusitis should drink plenty of water and other fluids. Some over-the-counter decongestants and pain relievers are also effective in offering relief from mucus and pain.
- Medicines: Your physician at the urgent care may prescribe you certain anti-fungal medicines, antibiotics or allergy medicines to treat the severe symptoms of sinusitis.
- Surgery: Surgery may be required to treat the acute sinusitis. The surgeon may remove nasal polyps or tumors, clean the sinuses and correct the deviated nasal septum.
You can reduce the risk of sinuses by taking precautions such as washing hands frequently, reducing exposure to elements that lead to allergy and avoiding smoking.
