What can Cause a Sinus Infection and How to Manage It?

A sinus infection is also known as sinusitis and occurs when the nasal cavities become swollen, infected, or swollen. Germs can grow in the sinuses due to fluid build up and that can lead to sinus infection. Sinusitis mainly occurs due to viruses and can last for a long time even when upper respiratory symptoms are gone. Some other conditions like allergies, tooth infections, nasal polyps, etc can increase sinus pain and symptoms.

Types of sinus infections

There are different types of sinus infection depending on the length and frequency of the infection:

Acute sinusitis: This type of infection lasts for a very short time around 3-4 weeks. Acute sinusitis is mainly part of colds and other respiratory illnesses.

Subacute sinusitis: This sinus infection can last for about 4 to 12 weeks.

Recurrent acute sinusitis: Your sinus will be considered recurrent if the acute sinusitis returns about four or more times a year that can last for more than a week.

Chronic sinusitis: This type of sinusitis can last for more than 3 mounts and can recur often.

Symptoms of sinus infection

The symptoms of the sinus infection depend on the type. The common symptoms of sinus infection are:

Facial pain and pressure

This is the most common symptom of sinusitis. A person has different sinuses above and below the eyes and behind the nose. These air-filled cavities hurt when the person has a sinus infection. The acne and pressure occur due to inflammation and swelling. This mainly occurs when the inflammation alters the typical path of mucus. You can feel the pain in the forehead, either side of the nose, upper jaws, and teeth as well between the eyes. This condition may also lead to a headache. Sinusitis headaches are very serious and often misdiagnosed as migraine.

Tenderness in the face

Some people also feel tenderness when you touch the spot. This mainly occurs at the bridge of the nose or under the eyes. Sometimes tenderness may appear in the forehead and cheeks.

Nasal congestion

The inflamed sinuses can also cause problems while breathing. The infection leads to swelling in the sinuses and nasal passages that can cause nasal congestion. You may be unable to smell things or your voice may sound stuffy.

Runny nose and postnasal drip

When a person has a sinus infection, he may need to blow the nose often due to nasal discharge. The nasal discharge comes from the infected sinus and drains into the nasal passages. The discharge can also bypass the nose and drain down to the throat that causes a tickle, itch, or sore throat.

Sinus headaches

People can feel persistent pressure and swelling in the sinuses. These symptoms can cause headaches and the pain can also occur in teeth, jaws, and cheeks. Sinus headaches can be very severe in the morning. The condition can get worse due to barometric pressure when the weather changes suddenly or you change the head position.

Throat irritation and cough

The sinus discharge drains to the throat and irritates. It can lead to persistent and annoying coughing. The condition gets worse when you are laying down to sleep. It can also cause sleeping difficulty.

Sore throat and hoarse voice

Postnasal can cause a raw and aching throat. It usually causes a tickle but the condition may get worse. If you are facing a sinus infection for more than 15 days, mucus can irritate and inflame the throat. Due to this, people can have a sore throat and hoarse voice.

Causes and risk factors of sinus infection

A sinus infection occurs when fluid builds up in the air-filled pockets. The fluid allows germs to grow that often cause a sinus infection. Some common risk factors for sinus infection are previous colds and seasonal allergies. Smoking or second-hand smoke can become a risk factor for sinus sinuses. Growth of the lining of the nose (nasal polyps) or a weak immune system can increase the risk of getting a sinus infection.

Treatment options for sinus infections

OTC medications

You can use a nasal decongestant spray like oxymetazoline to relieve sinus infection. But you should not use these medicines often as they can cause rebound effects in the nasal condition. Using this medicine for a long time can worsen the symptoms. You can also use steroid nasal spray to manage the symptoms. Some common OTC medicines for sinus infection are Sudafed, cetirizine, fexofenadine, and loratadine.

Homeopathy

Homeopathy treatment is very beneficial for treating sinusitis. These medicines may not provide immediate results but you can get good help in a few days. Look for the best homeopathic doctor in USA. Homeopathy medicines are fully safe and you can use these medicines to treat your sinus infection for a long time. This dynamic medication may also treat your chronic sinusitis.

Antibiotics

A few antibiotics like amoxicillin can help treat sinusitis caused by bacterial infection. It can help in reducing symptoms like rinses or irritation. Your doctor only prescribes antibiotics when you are having a bacterial sinus infection for more than 10 days without any improvement in the symptoms. You may face some side effects of antibiotics such as rash diarrhea or stomach ache.

Home remedies to manage sinus infection symptoms

Drink a good amount of water: Sinus infection mainly occurs due to viruses. You should drink a good amount of water to flush out all the viruses. It will keep your body hydrated and help in thinning the mucus that reduces nasal congestion.

Eat good food: You should add food items with antibacterial properties. Food items like garlic, ginger, and onions can help in reducing sinusitis infection. Drink ginger and honey tea to boost your condition.

Add moisture: You should keep the sinuses hydrated to receive the pressure. At night, use a humidifier to relieve nasal blockages. You can use natural saline nasal sprays or can also take a stream for around 10 minutes twice a day.

Clean the sinuses with oils: Use eucalyptus oil that can open the sinuses and remove all mucus. Use only good food-grade oil. Run a drop of oil on the roof of the mount and then drink some water.