Sinus Health Info

Chronic Sinusitis

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Chronic Sinusitis

Long term or recurring inflammation of the sinuses is known as chronic sinusitis. Chronic in this context usually refers to the persistence of symptoms for not less than three months. Chronic sinusitis may be due to allergies.

Allergic rhinitis, a nasal inflammatory disease can cause chronic sinusitis. Vasomotor rhinitis is a condition that is aggravated by cold air, humidity, perfumes and alcohol, which lead to sinus infections.

In most cases chronic sinusitis is due to allergic factors in the air that cause sinus inflammation. The allergens include dust, pollen and mold, which trigger allergic rhinitis, the primer stage that is followed by a chronic sinus condition. Two other key factors behind chronic sinusitis are pollution and damp weather. Allergic fungal sinusitis results from the body reacting to outer fungus with the release of chemical compounds that cause inflammation and eventually sinusitis.

In a patient with chronic sinusitis, the localized pain in the affected area proves constant, as are headaches, in addition to bad breath and chronic cough. When it is the maxillary sinuses that are affected, toothaches are likely, as well. There is also acute pain in the morning and wearing glasses will prove to be of no help. Where chronic sphenoid sinusitis is concerned, the infected sinuses result in a general headache.

The occurrence of chronic sinusitis is in cases where the symptoms have persisted for over 3 weeks. Treating this form of the disease is much more complex than the acute cases. The anti-biotherapy period may vary from 3 to 4 weeks and requires association with corticosteroid therapy.

Antibiotic treatment need not necessarily produce results always and this is only where the cause of the sinus infection are fungus or viruses instead of bacteria. This calls for antifungal therapy together with corticosteroid and at times, even surgery. Surgery remains the last treatment option but can prove to be necessary for complications involving the infection of the facial bones.