How Do Sinus Infections Spread

Where Can I Get Evaluated For My Sinus Infection

The board-certified specialists at DFW Sinus Select have extensive training in relieving sinus issues. We have the expertise and experience to accurately diagnose whats causing your symptoms and offer a wide range of treatment options.

Were dedicated to helping you improve your health by providing the best possible treatment for your sinusitis.

To take the first step toward relief, set up an initial consultation with one of our board-certified specialists. Well evaluate your condition and develop a treatment plan based on your unique needs.

About Author: Lisa Coon

Lisa Coon is a Writing Coordinator for OSF HealthCare, where she has worked since August 2016. A Peoria native, she is a graduate of Bradley University with a degree in journalism. Previously, she worked as a reporter and editor at several newspapers in Iowa and Illinois.She lives in Groveland with her husband and son. In her free time she likes to cook, bake and read. She freely admits that reality TV is a weakness, and she lives by the quote, The beach is good for the soul.

How Are These Infections Treated

People who are suspected of having meningitis or encephalitis should receive immediate, aggressive medical treatment. Both diseases can progress quickly and have the potential to cause severe, irreversible neurological damage.

Meningitis

Early treatment of bacterial meningitis involves antibiotics that can cross the blood-brain barrier . Appropriate antibiotic treatment for most types of meningitis can greatly reduce the risk of dying from the disease. Anticonvulsants to prevent seizures and corticosteroids to reduce brain inflammation may be prescribed.

Infected sinuses may need to be drained. Corticosteroids such as prednisone may be ordered to relieve brain pressure and swelling and to prevent hearing loss that is common in Haemophilus influenza meningitis. Lyme disease is treated with antibiotics.

Antibiotics, developed to kill bacteria, are not effective against viruses. Fortunately, viral meningitis is rarely life threatening and no specific treatment is needed. Fungal meningitis is treated with intravenous antifungal medications.

Encephalitis

Antiviral drugs used to treat viral encephalitis include acyclovir and ganciclovir. For most encephalitis-causing viruses, no specific treatment is available.

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Forehead Pain And Swelling

An infection of one or both frontal sinuses that spreads to the overlying bone can cause a lump-like swelling of the forehead and possibly the front of the scalp. The swelling is usually limited to one side. This uncommon complication of sinusitis, known as frontal bone osteomyelitis, is rare but serious. Usual accompanying symptoms include fever, pain and tenderness of the involved bone, and frontal headaches. Frontal bone osteomyelitis was previously known as Pott puffy tumor, a misnomer because the condition is caused by infection of the frontal bone rather than a tumor. This complication of infectious sinusitis can develop at any age but is more common in adolescents and young adults than it is in older adults.

• An infection of one or both frontal sinuses that spreads to the overlying bone can cause a lump-like swelling of the forehead and possibly the front of the scalp.

Are There Different Types Of Sinus Infections

There are many different types of sinus infections, but they all have one thing in common: they are caused by bacteria or viruses and can be very contagious. Some other examples include colds/flu as well as ear infections if an infection spreads from your nose into these areas where theres poor circulation due to being clogged up with mucus and or fluids stagnant stagnancy due to congestion not draining properly on its own/ with the help of gravity downwards facilitating movement aka aided by a bulb syringe aspirator nasal irrigation system cleaning out the passages without needing to lean over in a seated position while tilting your head sideways, inserted into one nostril at a time flushing it out regularly and as needed rinsing off the infected area with lukewarm sterile saline water , using either over-the-counter or prescription medications.

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What Causes Middle Ear Infections

Most middle ear infections occur when an infection such as a cold, leads to a build-up of mucus in the middle ear and causes the Eustachian tube to become swollen or blocked.

This mean mucus cant drain away properly, making it easier for an infection to spread into the middle ear.

An enlarged adenoid can also block the Eustachian tube. The adenoid can be removed if it causes persistent or frequent ear infections. Read more about removing adenoids.

Younger children are particularly vulnerable to middle ear infections as:

• the Eustachian tube is smaller in children than in adults
• a childs adenoids are relatively much larger than an adults

Certain conditions can also increase the risk of middle ear infections, including:

• having a cleft palate a type of birth defect where a child has a split in the roof of their mouth
• having Downs syndrome a genetic condition that typically causes some level of learning disability and a characteristic range of physical features

Will A Sinus Infection Go Away On Its Own

When you have a sinus infection, you want to do everything you can to make it go away. In cases where a sinus infection is viral, the best treatment is to follow the self-care tips outlined above and let your bodys immune system do its job.

The good news is that most sinus infections are viral and will go away on their own. It can, however, take time for your body to fight off the infection. In most cases, you should start to feel better within a week or two.

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Describing A Sinus Infection By Location

Each of your sinuses has a different name. You can describe a sinus infection according to which sinuses are affected.

For example, if your congestion is in your frontal sinuses, you have a frontal sinus infection. The frontal sinuses are directly behind the lower forehead.

You have four sets of sinuses, called paranasal sinuses, in four areas around your nose:

• frontal sinuses behind your lower forehead
• maxillary sinuses behind your cheekbones
• ethmoid sinuses between your eyes
• sphenoid sinuses deep behind your nose

A sinus infection can block any combination of these sinuses.

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Can A Sinus Infection Spread To Your Eyes

It is extremely unlikely that a sinus infection can spread and cause an infection in your eyes, however many people that experience a sinus infection will have symptoms from the sinus infection that affect their eyes.

Some Symptoms of a Sinus Infection that Involve the Eye are:

• Itchy eyes
• Eye Pain or Pain on your Face around your Eyes
• Feeling as if you have pressure behind your eyes
• Headache just behind your eyes

Acute Sinus Infections usually stem from the common cold virus infection. It can also be caused by bacteria that settles in the sinus cavities. If you experience chronic sinusitis, chronic sinus infections, then you could possibly have some other cause of your sinus infections. SmartDocMD can treat acute sinus infections and make recommendations for further treatment for chronic sinus infections.

If you think that you have a sinus infection, SmartDocMD wants to help! Start your care now, and skip the waiting room. Dont waste time driving to an appointment, only to sit for a long period of time in a waiting area, or filling out health screening forms. SmartDocMD started as an idea between one patient and one doctor: offer convenient, quality health care for basic problems without the waiting room.

If you think you have a sinus infection please complete the FREE online patient interview so we may better understand your problem. At the end, we will tell you if you need a prescription or evaluation by one of our SmartDocMDs.

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The Surprising Connection Between Sinus Infections And Ear Infections

Its 2018, and the Texas weather still cant make up its mind. The fluctuations in temperature, air pressure, and air moisture are causing sinus misery from Galveston to Conroe. As if dealing with one type of infection isnt hard enough, sinus infections and ear infections can often occur at the same time. Read on to understand the relationship between these two pain-causing companions.

What Are The Symptoms Of An Untreated Sinus Infection

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Do I Have Acute Sinusitis

If youre wondering, is acute sinusitis contagious? you need to determine if youre actually suffering from acute sinusitis, first. Spring can make it difficult to diagnose sinus-related ailments, since pollen and other allergens are especially abundant at that time of year.

Sinus infections and acute sinusitis typically cause some of these unique symptoms:

• Drainage of thick mucus, usually yellowish or greenish in color
• Nasal congestion that makes it difficult to breathe through your nose
• Pain and swelling in the cheeks, eyes, nose, and/or forehead
• Dental pain and jaw pain
• Slight cough from mucus build-up

If youre experiencing these symptoms for several days or more, you may have acute sinusitis.

How To Prevent A Sinus Infection

Prevention is really the key, she said. Staying healthy by drinking plenty of fluids, getting adequate rest, decreasing stress and washing your hands are all good preventive steps.

Make sure you get recommended vaccines such as the flu vaccine. Also, dont smoke and avoid secondhand smoke. And avoid close contract with others who have colds or other upper respiratory infections, Melinda said.

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How Is Sinusitis Treated

Sinusitis is treated in several ways, each depending on how severe the case of sinusitis is.

A simple sinusitis infection is treated with:

• Drinking fluids .

If symptoms of sinusitis don’t improve after 10 days, your doctor may prescribe:

• Antibiotics .
• Oral or topical decongestants.
• Prescription intranasal steroid sprays. .

Long-term sinusitis may be treated by focusing on the underlying condition . This is usually treated with:

• Intranasal steroid sprays.
• Topical antihistamine sprays or oral pills.
• Leukotriene antagonists to reduce swelling and allergy symptoms.
• Rinsing the nose with saline solutions that might also contain other types of medication.

When sinusitis isn’t controlled by one of the above treatments, a CT scan is used to take a better look at your sinuses. Depending on the results, surgery may be needed to correct structural problems in your sinuses. This is most likely to happen if you have polyps and/or a fungal infection.

Types Of Sinus Infections

There are several types of sinus infections, which are classified by duration.

They include the following:

• Acute infections that last for about 4 or less weeks
• Subacute infections that last for about 4 12 weeks
• Chronic infections that last for longer than 12 weeks
• Recurrent infections that occur several times a year

Additionally, each type of sinus infection has several potential causes, including bacteria, viruses, or fungi.

Some cases of sinusitis occur with only swelling and inflammation due to blockages in the nasal passages or deformities in the sinus cavities. Allergies and chronic exposure to pollutants can also lead to sinus infections.

Sinus infections often feel like a bad cold. It may be difficult for people to distinguish between a cold and a sinus infection. Some of the most common symptoms resemble a cold. These include:

• pressure in the sinus cavities

Sinus infections caused by bacteria have a few additional symptoms. These symptoms include:

• pus-like or thick nasal discharge
• symptoms lasting longer than a week
• facial pain

For most sinus infections, treatment focuses primarily on symptom relief. There are many options available to relieve bothersome symptoms.

These include:

• nasal irrigation to reduce mucus drainage and remove irritants
• medicated nasal sprays containing corticosteroids that reduce inflammation
• oral steroids for more severe infections

Some of the most common over-the-counter treatments to help treat sinus infections include:

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How Can You Tell If You Have An Acute Sinus Infection

Its tempting to label every nasal issue as a sinus infection, but thats not always the case. Common symptoms of acute sinusitis include:

• Headaches and sometimes, toothaches
• Fever
• Halitosis

Many people believe that green snot means you have a bacterial sinus infection, curable only with antibiotics. Not true. Sage-colored mucus is common with viral infections and allergies and can happen when snot sits in your face for a while before being expelled.

A trip to your doctor may be necessary if you have a bacterial infection, but it can often be difficult to distinguish between that and a viral infection. If your symptoms last longer than 10 days or improve before worsening again, call your HCP.

If you suddenly experience any of these symptoms, its a sign to seek medical attention immediately, even if theyve been present for fewer than seven days:

• Abrupt vision changes

Posted by rashmiap

One of the common queries regarding uncured sinusitis is whether the sinusitis can give vision problem. Actually, sinusitis is closely associated with vision problems and are very much related to one another.

Sinusitis

Eye related problems

You may often experience irritation in the eyes when you suffer from common cold. But when sinusitis is prevailing you may get watery eyes, blurred vision and frequent eye pain.

Why does this happen then

Natural remedies

Let us look into some natural home remedies to get rid of sinusitis problem

Eucalyptus Oil

Does Sinus Infection Lead To Pneumonia

Sinus infection a.k.a. sinusitis can be very bothersome, though many times its mild or not serious. But in a few cases, it may turn serious. For example, the infection can spread to other areas of the body which then may lead to serious complications. A challenging question, does it also lead to pneumonia?

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Describing A Sinus Infection By Cause

Another way to describe a sinus infection is by what kind of germ causes it. Most sinus infections are caused by viruses, just like the common cold.

Viral sinus infections generally end on their own without any medical intervention. They usually only affect the upper respiratory system, with symptoms like runny nose, sore throat, facial pressure, congestion and headache.

But sometimes viral infections can turn into bacterial infections. Inflamed, blocked-off sinuses encourage the kind of moist, vulnerable environment where bacteria can thrive.

You might have a bacterial sinus infection if your symptoms linger beyond about a week. If your drainage turns yellow or green, that could mean your viral infection has turned bacterial.

Bacterial sinus infections typically need a little help from antibiotics to clear up.

Lastly, even though the vast majority of sinus infections are caused by viruses and bacteria, it is possible to have a sinus infection caused by a fungus. Most fungal sinus infections are caused by an allergic reaction to a fungus in the air, like black mold. This type is called allergic fungal sinusitis.

Another type of fungal sinus infection called invasive fungal sinusitis exists, but is extremely rare. People who are otherwise healthy dont get this infection. This type of infection is possible in severely immunocompromised people, such as those going through chemotherapy or with poorly controlled diabetes.

Pain Or Pressure In Your Sinuses

Facial pain is a common symptom of sinusitis. You have several different sinuses above and below your eyes, as well as behind your nose. Any of these air-filled cavities can hurt when you have a sinus infection.

Inflammation and swelling can cause your sinuses to ache with dull pressure. This is because inflammation may alter the typical path of mucus from the nose to the back of the throat.

You may feel pain in:

• your forehead
• on either side of your nose
• in your upper jaws and teeth
• between your eyes

This may lead to a headache. Headaches caused by sinus infections can occur where the sinuses are or in other places.

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What Else Causes Sinus Infections

In most cases, sinus infections are caused by a virus like the rhinovirus which also causes the common cold. Cold symptoms like runny nose and congestion can lead to mucus buildup in drainage pathways and increase risk for a sinus infection.

If you have a sinus infection caused by a cold or similar virus, the only illness youre able to transmit is the virus, not the actual sinus infection. However, if you spread your virus, people who pick it up are at an increased risk for developing a sinus infection, too.

How The Sinus Infection Spreads To The Brain

Although there are various barriers that protect the brain from various pathogens, sometimes bacteria can pass through. The reason is that the space between the sinuses and the brain is very less making it easy for the pathogens to spread. If the infection spreads and infects the brain, it can lead to swelling, seizures, vomiting and abnormal mental health.

Hence, for people looking for the answer to the question can sinusitis lead to brain infection- YES, it can. But remember, only in rare instances this occurs. The likelihood of a patient dying from this condition is very low.

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Fungal Sinus Infection Symptoms

If you seek treatment for your fungal sinus infection, it is important to communicate all of your symptoms to your doctor. In determining whether or not you are suffering from a fungal sinus infection, your doctor will examine you and may use digital imaging to pinpoint fungal debris in the paranasal sinuses. The paranasal sinus most frequently affected is the maxillary sinuses. Specific symptoms that point to a fungal sinus infection include:

• Sinus pressure and pain
• Swelling and inflammation of the sinuses