Is this happening to you? You have a fever, cough, and nasal congestion. You experience fatigue, body aches, and insist you are coming down with a cold or the flu. Yet, when you take over-the-counter cold or flu remedies, nothing seems to help or your symptoms only get worse. A week or two goes by and you still have the same prognosis. If you are shaking your head yes, then there's a possibility that you might be suffering from sinusitis and not a cold or the flu.
Health experts believe that more than 37 million Americans suffer from sinus infections each year and spend millions of dollars on instant sinus relief. Sinusitis is the medical term used to describe inflamed sinuses usually caused by a bacterial infection, although viruses and fungi could also be the culprits.
Sinuses are the four sets of air cavities: frontal (forehead), maxillary (cheeks above teeth/below eyes), ethmoid (on each side of nose/between eyes), and sphenoid (behind eyes) located in the bone behind your cheeks, eyebrows, and jaw. Sinuses produce mucus that cleans bacteria and other particles in the air we breathe. You could say that sinuses malfunction when they cannot move properly because of changes in temperature, air pressure, smoking, swimming, diving, polyps, or other blockages of the ostia. Interestingly, allergies and even colds increase the odds of getting sinusitis.
The typical symptoms for sinusitis include:
Since sinusitis is a chronic or an acute health problem, it is best to go to a physician for proper diagnosis and treatment, particularly if your symptoms persist. Treatments could include antibiotics, nasal sprays, nose drops, oral decongestants, or surgery in extreme cases. To cut down on the frequency of episodes, you might try using a humidifier during the heating season; air conditioning in the summer; reducing exposure to allergens like pets, mites, molds, and trees; limiting alcohol use; wearing nose plugs when swimming; or getting influenza vaccinations.
Since we are in the midst of the allergy season, it is wise to pay close attention to what your body is telling you. Remember, if symptoms do persist, make an appointment to see a physician.
References American Academy of Family Physicians. (December 2002). Sinusitis. familydoctor.org. Retrieved April 19, 2005.
American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology. (2005). Sinusitis. Public Education. Retrieved April 20, 2005.
The Asthma Center. (2005). Allergies-cold-sinusitis: How do I know? Retrieved April 20, 2005.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. (January 2005). Sinusitis. Health Matters. Retrieved April 20, 2005.