Information on Sinus Problems
The cold, the sniffling, the coughing has lasted way too long now.
You have woken up with the feeling that your head has been in a vice while you slept.
Is this just a cold? Or could it be a sinus infection? How can you possibly tell the difference? What are sinuses? The sinuses are simply spaces within the bones of the face that are filled with air.
Sinusitis is an inflammation or infection of these spaces on either side of and behind the nose.
Bacteria, allergies, viruses and fungi are some of the possible causes of this condition.
An amazing 15%-20% of the population in the United States suffers from chronic sinusitis that spans over three weeks.
Since it carries a large variety of symptoms, people often disregard sinusitis as a common cold or they may mistake it for other medical conditions.
Sinusitis shares many symptoms with the common cold.
Many sinus sufferers complain of a post nasal drip, stuffiness, and pressure around the nose, a runny nose, clear or colored mucus, a cough, a sore or irritated throat, pain in the teeth, headache, or fever.
To make the whole situation worse, symptoms such as loss of hearing, decreased sense of smell and dizziness may also be experienced.
Someone might have all or some of these symptoms since they vary so much from person to person or even infection to infection.
Sinusitis may infect the same person twice, yet have different symptoms making it very hard to recognize.
It may not only cause pressure around the nose, but also around the eyes.
It is often at night that the sinus sufferer deals with their symptoms the most.
During the day when the person is active, the mucus filled spaces have a chance to drain die to gravity.
When the person is lying down at night, head on the pillow, the mucus will not be drained, triggering the person's nose to feel clogged and even more pressure than usual.
The biggest difference is that a sinus infection needs to be treated with antibiotics, and prescription nasal sprays, as well as decongestants and often medications to thin the mucus.
It may also help the sufferer to use a vaporizer at night, and occasionally nasal irrigation, as well as Aspirin (if you can tolerate it).
A sinus infection should be treated early, no later than two to three weeks after the symptoms first start or it could become chronic.
The longer one waits to treat sinus problems, the more difficult they become to treat, the more likely complications will ensue, and the more likely surgery may be necessary as opposed to medical treatment.
The nest thing that sinus sufferers can do for themselves is to understand their symptoms and their bodies.
I have heard over and over again that people do not want to go to the doctor if it is "just a cold".
Like mentioned earlier, a cold might not be just a cold and the only way you will know for sure is if you are diagnosed properly.
You have woken up with the feeling that your head has been in a vice while you slept.
Is this just a cold? Or could it be a sinus infection? How can you possibly tell the difference? What are sinuses? The sinuses are simply spaces within the bones of the face that are filled with air.
Sinusitis is an inflammation or infection of these spaces on either side of and behind the nose.
Bacteria, allergies, viruses and fungi are some of the possible causes of this condition.
An amazing 15%-20% of the population in the United States suffers from chronic sinusitis that spans over three weeks.
Since it carries a large variety of symptoms, people often disregard sinusitis as a common cold or they may mistake it for other medical conditions.
Sinusitis shares many symptoms with the common cold.
Many sinus sufferers complain of a post nasal drip, stuffiness, and pressure around the nose, a runny nose, clear or colored mucus, a cough, a sore or irritated throat, pain in the teeth, headache, or fever.
To make the whole situation worse, symptoms such as loss of hearing, decreased sense of smell and dizziness may also be experienced.
Someone might have all or some of these symptoms since they vary so much from person to person or even infection to infection.
Sinusitis may infect the same person twice, yet have different symptoms making it very hard to recognize.
It may not only cause pressure around the nose, but also around the eyes.
It is often at night that the sinus sufferer deals with their symptoms the most.
During the day when the person is active, the mucus filled spaces have a chance to drain die to gravity.
When the person is lying down at night, head on the pillow, the mucus will not be drained, triggering the person's nose to feel clogged and even more pressure than usual.
The biggest difference is that a sinus infection needs to be treated with antibiotics, and prescription nasal sprays, as well as decongestants and often medications to thin the mucus.
It may also help the sufferer to use a vaporizer at night, and occasionally nasal irrigation, as well as Aspirin (if you can tolerate it).
A sinus infection should be treated early, no later than two to three weeks after the symptoms first start or it could become chronic.
The longer one waits to treat sinus problems, the more difficult they become to treat, the more likely complications will ensue, and the more likely surgery may be necessary as opposed to medical treatment.
The nest thing that sinus sufferers can do for themselves is to understand their symptoms and their bodies.
I have heard over and over again that people do not want to go to the doctor if it is "just a cold".
Like mentioned earlier, a cold might not be just a cold and the only way you will know for sure is if you are diagnosed properly.
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