Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Can A Sinus Infection Cause Eye Discharge

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The Symptoms Of Sinus Infection

Can persistent Sinusitis lead to blocked vision? – Dr. Satish Babu K

Acute sinusitis can last no longer than ten days, and usually happens only once or thrice a year. The symptoms that are most common among all the areas affected are fever, nasal discharge, and postnasal drip. There are some symptoms however, that can only be felt when the infection occurs in specific areas or parts of your sinuses.

If the area behind the eyes are affected, these are the most common symptoms:

  • Nasal congestion with discharge
  • Pain or pressure felt in the inner corners of the eyes
  • Pain or pressure felt down the side of the nose
  • Headache around the temple or behind the eye
  • Pain or pressure becomes worse when straining or coughing
  • Pain or pressure lightens when the head is upright, and worsens when lying on the back

If the affected area lies behind the cheekbones, these are the common sinus infection symptoms:

  • Pain across the cheekbones
  • Pain under or around the eyes
  • Pain around the upper teeth
  • Pain or pressure on one or both sides of the face
  • Swollen, tender, or red cheekbones
  • Pain and pressure lightens when reclining, and worsens when head is upright or bending forward

If the affected area lies behind any area of the forehead, these are the symptoms:

  • Severe headache around the forehead area
  • Pain lightens when the head is upright, and worsens when reclining

If the affected area lies behind the eyes, these are the most common symptoms:

Complications Of Chronic Sinusitis

Some people are troubled by frequent sinus infections, or continuous infection. Chronic sinusitis can linger for weeks or even months at a time. This can sometimes lead to serious complications, including infections in the bones and tissue near to the sinuses. Very rarely this infection can spread to the brain and the fluid around the brain. The person will be very ill and have swelling around the eyes.People with chronic sinusitis may have other problems which affect the nose, throat and ears at the same time, including:

  • Middle ear infection and temporary deafness
  • Post-nasal drip , which can lead to constant coughing, a sore throat and bad breath.

How Long Does Loss Of Taste And Smell Last With A Sinus Infection

As we mentioned, your sense of taste is heavily linked to your sense of smell. Usually, a loss of taste is actually a loss of smell presenting itself elsewhere. Luckily, loss of taste from a sinus infection usually subsides when the infection itself clears up.

The tricky thing is that sinus infections can be chronic. A chronic sinus infection requires treatment that is more involved than using a nasal rinse or antibiotics. Chronic sinusitis complications can require much more immediate medical attention and cause permanent damage to your sense of taste and smell if left untreated.

The chronic inflammation experienced with a sinus infection can also cause swollen nasal polyps. Nasal polyps are non-cancerous growths that appear in the nose, increasing your risk of rhinitis, sinus infections, bad allergies, and of course, a loss of taste and smell. If you have been experiencing chronic sinusitis symptoms seek medical attention and schedule an appointment to see an ENT as soon as possible.

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Can Sinusitis Make You Feel Ill

Sinusitis causes a lot of mucus production, and a person may find they are unable to clear the sinuses no matter how often they blow their nose. Fighting a sinus infection demands energy from the body, so it is common to feel fatigued. Some people feel exhausted because they cannot breathe easily or are in pain.

How Can I Tell If I Have A Sinus Infection Cold Or Nasal Allergy

Acute Sinusitis Eye Discharge

It can be difficult to tell the difference between a cold, allergies, and a sinus infection. The common cold typically builds, peaks, and slowly disappears. It lasts a few days to a week. A cold can transform into a sinus infection. Nasal allergy is inflammation of the nose due to irritating particles . Symptoms of a nasal allergy can include sneezing, itchy nose and eyes, congestion, runny nose, and post nasal drip . Sinusitis and allergy symptoms can happen at the same time as a common cold.

If you are fighting off a cold and develop symptoms of a sinus infection or nasal allergy, see your healthcare provider. You will be asked to describe your symptoms and medical history.

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Treatment For Chronic Sinusitis

Antibiotics: The usual method of treatment for bacterial sinusitis is through a prescription for antibiotics. The length of the antibiotics course depends partially on the type of medicine that is taken, and also it depends on how severe or lengthy the case of sinusitis has been. The normal experience for a patient is that the medicine is taken for 3-28 days.

In light of common issues connected with antibiotics, such as abuse and overuse, there has been an obvious decrease in the effectiveness of these medicines. If a patient has only been experiencing symptoms for a few days, it is likely antibiotics will not be prescribed. If the symptoms are persistent , or worsening, a patient should then acquire a prescription for antibiotics from their doctor.

The purpose of antibiotics is not to alleviate symptoms, but to attack the bacterium that causes the infection in the first place. Therefore, when the antibiotics are taken, the effects may not be felt for a few days until the bacteria have been fully attacked.

If a patient needs immediate pain or symptom relief, there are various over-the-counter medications that can help.

Nasal Decongestant Sprays: Nasal decongestant sprays are not designed to fix the overall issues pertaining to sinus infections, but as a symptom reliever, to reduce swelling in the nasal passages, helping the flow of bacteria and mucus to be facilitated and clear the sinuses.

Surgery for Chronic Sinusitis

Orbital Abscess Subperiosteal Abscess

Abscesses, or pockets of pus, around the eye caused by bacterial, fungal or parasitic infections in the sinuses or eyes can be opened and drained through the nose using an endoscope and minimally invasive surgical instrumentation. The natural nasal opening allows surgeons to address these vision-threatening diseases with simple, minimally invasive approaches, which eliminate disfiguring scars.

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Eye Mucus At Night And After Waking Up

Eye mucus is described as thick, yellow discharge that forms in the corners of the eye. Often settling into a hard crust on the eyelid and lashes, mucus in eye can also be more pus-like, with green, liquid discharge leaking from the eye.

Most commonly, mucus builds overnight while you are sleeping, and it seeps out of your eye throughout the night. In more extreme cases, you might even wake up being unable to open your eyes. If you have an eye infection, such as conjunctivitis, mucus will continue to seep from the eye throughout the day.

Excess Eye Mucus Discharge

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Conjunctivitis will cause your eyes to feel itchy, irritated, and gritty, and produces green, white, or yellow eye mucus that results in severe crusting. Conjunctivitis could make your eyes feel as if they are glued shut upon your waking.

  • Blepharitis This eyelid disorder can often result in the production of excessive yellow or green eye pus, foamy eye discharge, and eyelid crusting.
  • Stye Often caused by an infected eyelash follicle, a stye can trigger yellow pus, eyelid crusting and discomfort while blinking.

These conditions can cause the eye to have excess discharge of mucus in eyes. It would be advisable to seek medical help from your primary healthcare provider.

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Diagnosis And Testing For Sinusitis

There are various tests that can and should be performed to confirm a diagnosis, determine the level of infection and check for other more serious issues.

A physical examination is completed, which includes a full head and neck examination so that more serious issues can be excluded. Swollen lymph nodes may occur in the neck if an infection is present, which is no different than the swelling of lymph nodes that accompanies an acute sore throat or ear infection .

Sinus palpation is used to determine the level of tenderness or swelling. When pain is experienced caused by the palpation, in the frontal or maxillary sinuses, it will be taken into consideration. A doctor may also use transillumination to look at the frontal and maxillary sinuses, though this is not always the most effective test.

The oral cavity and oropharynx is examined to evaluate the palate and condition of dentition, as well as looking for evidence of postnasal drip.

Anterior rhinoscopy, conducted with a nasal speculum, is used to examine the condition of the mucus membranes to look for evidence of purulent drainage or to look for signs of polyps or other masses. This examination is carried out with the use of a nasal decongestant, with treatments both before and after.

An ear examination may be carried out to inspect for possible middle ear fluid. This could be a sign of a mass or growth in the nasopharynx .

  • Conjunctival congestion
  • Lacrimation
  • Proptosis and visual disturbances

What Are The Symptoms Of A Sinus Infection Vs A Cold

While the symptoms may be similarrunny nose, headache, fatiguethere are some differences between the two conditions that can help you determine which one you have.

The main difference between the symptoms of a cold and sinus infection is how long they linger. Dr. Bhattacharyya says cold sufferers typically have a runny nose for two to three days, followed by a stuffy nose for two to three days. After that, most people begin to feel better. The CDC notes that the following symptoms are common with colds:

  • Sneezing
  • Mucus dripping down your throat
  • Watery eyes
  • Fever

Alternately, sinus infections usually last a bit longer than a common cold, and may hang around for seven days or more. A fever may also signal a bacterial infection. As Lord can attest, sinus infections are sometimes accompanied by a low-grade fever, while colds typically are not. Other viruses do cause fevers, however. Heres what the CDC says about the other symptoms of sinus infections:

  • Runny nose
  • Cough
  • Bad breath

Another potentially helpful sign is the color of your nasal discharge. Unlike colds, which generally produce clear mucus, bacterial infections can produce greenish or yellow mucus. However, viruses sometimes produce colorful discharge as well, so this isnt considered a fail-safe test.

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Runny Nose And Postnasal Drip

When you have a sinus infection, you may need to blow your nose often because of nasal discharge, which can be cloudy, green, or yellow. This discharge comes from your infected sinuses and drains into your nasal passages.

The discharge may also bypass your nose and drain down the back of your throat. You may feel a tickle, an itch, or even a sore throat.

This is called postnasal drip, and it may cause you to cough at night when youre lying down to sleep, and in the morning after getting up. It may also cause your voice to sound hoarse.

When To Contact A Medical Professional

Chronic Sinusitis Symptoms and Treatments
  • Your symptoms last longer than 10 to 14 days or you have a cold that gets worse after 7 days.
  • You have a severe headache that is not relieved by over-the-counter pain medicine.
  • You have a fever.
  • You still have symptoms after taking all of your antibiotics properly.
  • You have any changes in your vision during a sinus infection.

A green or yellow discharge does not mean that you definitely have a sinus infection or need antibiotics.

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Can A Sinus Infection Affect Your Eye

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Can a Sinus Infection Affect Your Eye?

Absolutely! Sinusitis, otherwise called a sinus infection, occurs when pesky bacteria and viruses invade the sinus cavities located in the face. These spaces in the face can fill with mucous, and that mucous can become infected. Youll know when you have a sinus infection because the sinus cavities will be filled with fluids and youll feel pressure around them. Sinus Infections can affect your eyes in a few different ways.

One of the hallmark symptoms of a sinus infection is feeling pressure build up in your face. You may even feel pressure behind your eyes. Thats because, all the sinus areas Frontal, Ethmoid, Sphenoid, and Maxillary, sort of surround the eyes anatomically. The Ethmoid sinuses are located at the nose bridge and extend down the nose on each side of the nose, directly beside each eye. The Frontal sinus extends to the nose bridge above each eyebrow.

Our SmartDocMD online physicians currently offer diagnosis and sinus infection treatment online to anyone in the state of California. Our offices are based in the Bay Area but our service is available throughout the state. We are planning on expanding to other states, so check back for updates.

Sore Throat And Cough

When you get a cold that causes production of mucus in eyes, it will most likely to be accompanied by sore throat and a cough that could become severe. This is because for a cold to cause you to experience mucus in eyes, it has to be a really serious cold.

Blurry vision

Your eyes produce mucus throughout the day, but a continuous thin film of tears bathes your eyes when you blink, flushing out the rheum before it hardens in your eyes.

When youre asleep and not blinking eye discharge collects and crusts in the corners of your eyes and sometimes along the lash line, hence the term sleep in your eyes.

Some sleep in your eyes upon waking is normal, but excessive eye discharge, especially if its green or yellow in color and accompanied by blurry vision, light sensitivity or eye pain, can indicate a serious eye infection or eye disease and should be promptly examined by your eye doctor

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How To Get Rid Of Bags Under The Eyes From Sinuses

The first thing you need to do to get rid of eye bags from sinuses is to treat the underlying problem, namely the sinus infection. If you have acute sinusitis, your symptoms will usually go away on their own after a couple of weeks. Many home remedies can also help. Chronic sinusitis on the other hand requires medical attention. Your doctor can prescribe you medicine to help you manage the symptoms of the infection. If they donât help, then you might be recommended to get sinus surgery.

When your sinusitis is gone, dark circles and eye bags are likely to disappear as well. However, the skin below the eyes is delicate, and frequent expanding and shrinking can harm it in the long run. Over time, eye bags may become more noticeable and may be difficult to remove by self-care alone. In such cases, eye bag removal surgery also known as blepharoplasty can help you permanently get rid of bags under the eyes.

Taking The Right Medication For The Right Illness

Sinus Infections Fixed with Balloon Sinus Surgery

The best thing to do for cold or sinus symptoms during the first seven to 10 days is to treat the symptoms, not the illness. You can do this with medications such as:

  • Cough medicine
  • Pain reliever

Cold viruses dont respond to antibiotics, so taking them during the first seven days probably wont help. In fact, taking antibiotics when theyre not needed can increase your risk for being infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria, or other serious antibiotic related problems.

After seven to 10 days, when the symptoms are more likely to indicate a sinus infection, it may be time to ask your doctor about antibiotics. However, sinus infections can and do sometimes go away on their own, just like colds. Ask your doctor if you need an antibiotic or if the infection is likely to go away on its own without medication.

If your symptoms point to allergies, many effective medications are available over the counter to control symptoms, such as antihistamines and nasal steroid sprays. These medications work on all sorts of allergies because they suppress the bodys reactions to allergens, rather than treating the specific allergen. Some antihistamines can cause drowsiness, however, so be cautious of that when taking them. They also do not help stuffiness or pressure symptoms, so adding a decongestant plus a pain reliever as needed can help you ride it out.

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Killer Sinus Infection How To Tell If Yours Is Viral Or Bacterial

You know the symptoms: nasal congestion, facial pressure, pain, fever, too much mucus. Ugh. Its probably another sinus infection.

But is your infection caused by a virus or bacteria and does it really matter?

It does matter. Doctors treat viral and bacterial sinus infections differently. Here is what you need to know about both kinds of infection and how to treat them.

Viral or bacterial?

Most sinus infections are viral, and most are caused by the virus that causes the common cold. How can you tell, based on symptoms, whether your infection is viral or bacterial?

Normally, you can’t.

Symptoms like bad breath, yellow or green mucus, fever and headache are not reliable signs of a bacterial infection. They can be present with viral infections, too. Even your doctor cant tell if your infection is viral or bacterial based solely on symptoms or an exam.

Instead, your doctor looks at symptom duration to determine the source of your infection. A viral sinus infection will usually start to improve after five to seven days. A bacterial sinus infection will often persist for seven to 10 days or longer, and may actually worsen after seven days.

4 steps you can take

Whether your sinus infection turns out to be viral or bacterial, you can help to ease your symptoms early on with supportive care:

  • Use saline spray two to three times per day in each nostril.

  • Drink eight 8-ounce glasses of fluid per day.

  • Get plenty of rest.

  • What to do for chronic sinusitis

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