The sinuses are air cavities inside the bones around the eyes and behind the nose. Acute or chronic inflammation of these cavities is called sinusitis.

The main function of the sinuses is to warm, moisten and purify the air that passes through the nose, and they also play a major role in creating sound.

Sinusitis is more common in winter and may persist for months or even years if left untreated.

This disease affects the nose, eyes and middle ear. It also causes an increase in nasal secretions (if the sinusitis is infectious, the secretions are purulent), a bad taste in the throat, cough, heaviness in the head, and intermittent headaches.

Other symptoms include constant nasal congestion, swollen face, toothache, general fatigue and finally fever.

There are two types of sinusitis:

1- Acute sinusitis : Usually, as a complication, it occurs 5 to 10 days after the initial symptoms of a viral infection of the respiratory tract, such as a cold, and its cause is often a secondary bacterial infection.

2-Chronic sinusitis : This type of sinusitis may also be caused by bacterial infection.

But usually its cause is a chronic inflammatory disorder similar to bronchial asthma.

Although the main cause of acute sinusitis is a cold, allergies may also cause it.

Allergies can cause inflammation of the mucous membrane of the nose and sinuses, which makes the sinuses unable to fight the bacteria entering them and increases the chance of secondary bacterial infection in them.

If you have allergies, your doctor can prevent the onset and progression of an infection in your sinuses by prescribing appropriate medications.

People with sinus problems should avoid environmental irritants such as cigarette smoke and other chemicals to avoid recurrence of symptoms.

Structural defects of the nose such as narrowing of the nasal passages, tumors, polyps or discontinuity of the middle nasal septum are other causes of sinusitis.

The treatment of these cases is often surgery. Many patients with intermittent or chronic sinusitis usually have more than one contributing factor for sinusitis, so identifying only one causative factor is not helpful for treatment.

Even if a person’s symptoms are completely confined to the sinuses, it is still possible that the sinuses are not infected. For this reason, for a correct diagnosis, the doctor must take help from a detailed history and complete physical examination. He may also perform various tests to make a diagnosis.

These tests include allergy tests, x-rays of the sinuses (X-Ray), CT scan and sampling of the nasal secretion glands.

Endoscopy may also be used for diagnosis.

This method involves sending a thin and flexible optical fiber into the nasal cavity and allows the doctor to examine the junction of the middle ear and the sinuses with a non-invasive method.

Treatment of sinus infection is usually done medically. In addition to antibiotics (in bacterial sinusitis), other drugs may be used to keep the sinuses open.

This medication can be a decongestant along with a mucus thickener or a cortisone-like nasal spray.

Antihistamines, cromolyn, and most steroid nasal sprays help control allergies.

For most people with allergies, long-term allergy treatment also helps control sinusitis.

This treatment may include immunotherapy (allergy shots), anti-inflammatory drugs, decongestants, and control of environmental factors.

Non-pharmacological treatments are also helpful.

These treatments include breathing warm and moist air (bukhur) and washing the nasal cavities with normal saline (saline serum).

If the nasal passage is blocked, surgery may be needed, in which case the doctor will refer you to an otolaryngologist.