What Is The Link Between The Sinuses And The Ears
Sinus pressure in ear: Congestion of the sinuses often leads to a feeling of pressure in the ear, as a result of an accumulation of fluid in the ear canals. This occurs despite the absence of a direct connection between the sinuses and the ear. The Eustachian tube, which is a narrow passage connecting the ear and throat, drains the middle ear into the part of the throat that is behind the nose called the nasopharynx.
Eric L. Winarsky, M.D. contributes to topics such as Otolaryngology.
Cold and flu season isnt quite over yet. If you have congestion that includes sinus pressure, you may have a coldor it could be a sinus infection. How can you be sure that its one or the other, and when is it time to make an appointment with your doctor?
Eric L. Winarsky, M.D., an otolaryngologist and surgeon with Hackensack Meridian Health Medical Group, helps answer the 5 most Googled questions about nasal inflammation and sinus infections.
If you feel pressure behind your eyes and cheeks, have a worsening headache, cough, fever, bad breath, fatigue, decreased sense of smell or taste, nose bleeds, clogged ears and/or postnasal drip, you may have a sinus infection and nasal inflammationand not just a cold.
As such, there is no silver bullet or one pill to take that can alleviate all the symptoms.
How To Treat Clogged Ear Symptoms
If you are wondering how to treat clogged ear symptoms and are having sinusitis symptoms, SmartDocMD can help. To properly treat ear pain or clogged ears, the underlying cause must be identified. Please let your doctor approve these treatments before attempting them yourself. Not all symptoms are effectively treated by the same home remedies and may have an adverse side effect for certain people.
Over the counter pain medication can be used to treat headache caused by clogged ear and sinusitis symptoms. Be sure to blow your nose gently so as not to add more pressure to your head. A humidifier can help relieve the dryness of irritated sinuses and relieve the side effect of pain that comes from this.
Many people experience clogged ears when traveling. Flying in airplanes can cause a rapid change in air pressure, which affects your ear pressure. If you are recovering from a sinus infection and your doctor has approved flying, there are steps that you can take to relieve pressure discomfort. Chewing gum or hard candy is a common method, or swallowing regularly.
If your SmartDocMD doctor suspects that the pressure in your ear is caused by fluid buildup as a result of sinusitis, they may recommend over the counter ear drops that contain alcohol to dry the ear canal. It is also recommended to lie on your side with the congested ear facing downward.
Is There A Vaccine For Meningitis
Yes, there is a vaccine for several types of bacterial meningitis. Meningococcal meningitis, caused by Neisseria meningitidis, is one version for which vaccines are available. While viral meningitis is more common, bacterial meningitis can be more dangerous if its not diagnosed and treated quickly.
For that reason, the two primary vaccines for meningitis are for bacterial causes. The first vaccine, the meningococcal conjugate vaccine, features a vaccine that targets four of the most common types of bacterial serotypes. It lasts longer and offers greater protection, especially if you maintain booster shots.
The second vaccine, MenB, targets one specific strain, and its protection window is much shorter. Only certain populations are recommended to get this vaccine.
Side effects of a meningitis vaccine include soreness, redness, and burning at the injection site. Some people may experience a low-grade fever for a day or two following the injection. Chills, headache, joint pain, and fatigue are also possible.
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Can Allergies Cause Tinnitus And Hearing Loss
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Can allergies cause tinnitus? Can a sinus infection result in hearing loss? What is the treatment for allergy induced Tinnitus? Do allergies cause a Tinnitus spike among people who are already suffering from Tinnitus? We explore the connection between allergies and tinnitus and also hearing loss, below.
When To Seek Medical Care
See a doctor if you have:
- Severe symptoms, such as severe headache or facial pain.
- Symptoms that get worse after initially improving.
- Symptoms lasting more than 10 days without improvement.
- Fever longer than 3-4 days.
You should also seek medical care if you have had multiple sinus infections in the past year.
This list is not all-inclusive. Please see a doctor for any symptom that is severe or concerning.
Other conditions can cause symptoms similar to a sinus infection, including:
- Seasonal allergies
- Colds
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What Types Of Treatments Are Available For Ear Infections
Many children recover from ear infections without medical intervention. However, your doctor may prescribe a course of antibiotics depending on the cause and extent of your childs infection. Usually, treatment includes several days of amoxicillin, azithromycin, or augmentin. You may also need to treat a ruptured eardrum with antibiotic or anti-inflammatory eardrops.
If your child is experience severe ear pain, your doctor may suggest using an over-the-counter pain reliever like ibuprofen or acetaminophen to manage discomfort and aid in sleep. If pain continues, prescription eardrops may be available to anesthetize the eardrum so long as there is no drainage from the ear.
Some parents find that home remedies are effective for alleviating discomfort during an ear infection. Examples include applying a warm compress to your childs ear or putting a few drops of warm olive oil into the ear canal. However, you should never place anything inside your childs ear without first consulting his or her doctor.
Causes Of A Sinus Infection
It can pop from varied factors, but it always stems from fluid getting trapped in the sinuses.
Viruses: 90% of cases in adults are the result of sinusitis.
Bacteria: 1 case in 10 adults is caused by bacteria.
Pollutants: Irritants and chemicals in the air may cause a sinus infection.
Fungi: Two types of infections are caused by fungi known as allergic fungal sinusitis and chronic indolent sinusitis.
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What Is Otitis Media What Is An Ear Infection
Otitis media is inflammation or infection of your middle ear located between the eardrum and the inner ear and includes the eustachian tubes. This area can become blocked with mucus, bacteria, or pus and an infection can develop.
Ear infections are more common in young children and infants, but can also occur in adults. They are also more common in the winter than any other time of year. While ear infections are not contagious, they sometimes develop after and as a result of a separate, contagious disease .
Warning Signs And Symptoms Of A Dangerous Sinus Infection
Sinusitis describes inflammation of one or more of the paranasal sinuses, the air-filled spaces in the facial bones that open into the nasal cavity. This condition often occurs because of infection. Although infectious sinusitis is certainly uncomfortable, it usually does not pose a serious health threat. However, rare complications of infectious sinusitis can be dangerous and potentially life threatening if not diagnosed and treated promptly. These complications involve spread of the infection to the structures around the eye, the facial bones and/or the nervous system. Although rare, it’s important watch for warning signs and symptoms that might signal a potentially serious infectious sinusitis complication.
If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, seek emergency treatment immediately.
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How To Relieve Sinus
Its always best to see your dentist if youre experiencing any type of tooth pain. He or she will assess the situation to ensure your own diagnosis is correct. Your dentist may also be able to prescribe medication to mitigate the pain and discomfort.
In the interim, here is what you can do to relieve tooth pain from sinus pressure:
- Stay hydrated and drink lots of water
- Eat foods that are known to reduce inflammation, as thats largely the cause of sinus-induced tooth pain.
- Add Calcium and Vitamin C to your diet Calcium-rich foods, such as broccoli, asparagus, leafy greens, and bean sprouts, can counteract histamines, which are inflammation-causing elements. Dont skimp on the orange juice or other citrusy foods that are packed with the power of the essential Vitamin C.
- Eat food rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, like the ones found in salmon, are also great for combating inflammation.
- Breathe in steam with hot, moist air. This will open your nasal passages and relieve sinus pressure.
- Rinse your sinuses with a saline solution. Saline solutions clear any discharge and moisture the sinuses.
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Ear And Sinus Infections
Its the middle of the night, and your child has awakened you crying. Nothing youve tried is consoling her, and you notice she is pulling at her ears. Could she be suffering from an ear infection? Most ear infections are caused by a bacterial accumulation in the middle ear. These infections cause fluid to build up behind the ear drum. The result is painful inflammation and swelling that can trap fluid in the inner ear. Most earaches resolve on their own or with prescription medication. However, some ear infections occur chronically and require additional medical intervention.
Ear infections are highly common among children and adults. In fact, the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders reports that 75 percent of all children experience at least one ear infection by their third birthdays. The condition, also known as otitis media, can be painful for children and worrisome for parents. It causes millions of doctors visits every year not to mention countless prescriptions for antibiotics.
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How To Prevent Sinusitis
- Maintain good hygiene of hands.
- Avoid active smoking and passive smoking.
- Use only valid vaccinations.
- Stay off from people with respiratory infections and colds
- Use humidifiers when the climate is cold.
Remember that in the majority of the cases sinusitis goes away with a healthy lifestyle and OTC drugs and if it doesnt go away you arent maintaining the required hygiene and lifestyle. Now hope all the answers to can sinus infection cause ear pain and are they interrelated are explained.
Sudheendra is a passionate blogger for 8 years and holds a Degree in Journalism & Mass Communications. His writings particularly focus on health, medicine, diet & lifestyle. For him, everything that interlinks and relates to health & medical world entices him. His write-ups aim at educating people not by just giving facts but by infusing human touch.
Eye Signs And Symptoms
An infection in the sinuses can sometimes spread to the eye structures and cause a variety of signs and symptoms, depending on which tissues are involved. Profound swelling, typically affecting one eye, is a characteristic symptom. Eyelid swelling is often so severe that the affected eye can barely be opened. Other signs and symptoms that suggest eye-related complications of a sinus infection include:
- Swelling of the white portion of the eye
- Pus drainage from the involved eye
- Redness of the eye and/or eyelid
- Protrusion of the affected eyeball
- Pain with eye movement
- Inability to move the affected eyeball
- An infection in the sinuses can sometimes spread to the eye structures and cause a variety of signs and symptoms, depending on which tissues are involved.
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Throat Symptoms: Strep Throat And Other Infections
Strep throat is an infection caused by a form of the Streptococcus bacteria, Jones says. Doctors test for strep when someone has a sore throat because of its dangerous complications, such as heart problems that can happen later if the strep is not treated. Strep throat is most common in children between the ages of 5 and 15, and symptoms of strep include sore throat, swollen tonsils, telltale white patches on the throat, fever, body aches, and even stomach pain. Strep throat should be treated with an antibiotic. Not all sore throats are strep throat if your strep test is negative, your sore throat is probably due to a virus and wont respond to antibiotics.
You May Have A Sinus Communication Causing Sinusitis
This is the most common cause of minor sinus problems after root canal therapy. A sinus communication is a small hole in your sinus lining, which may be opened by your dentist while they are performing a root canal.
This happens because the roots of your upper teeth are extremely close to your sinus lining, which is relatively delicate. When cleaning your tooth during a root canal, your dentist will use a special tool to remove decayed material from the roots of your teeth. Itâs possible for them to accidentally poke through the sinus lining and create a very small hole, or sinus communication.
Usually, this results in symptoms like:
- Feeling air go across the socket of your tooth when you breathe
- A runny nose or post-nasal drip
- Congestion, sinus pressure, and pain
âThese symptoms are relatively mild. If your sinus communication is small, it will heal on its own, and you will not have to seek further treatment. However, if your pain and discomfort persists or gets worse, you may have a larger hole in your sinus lining, and you may need treatment to close this opening.
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How To Manage Clogged Ear Sinus Infection Symptoms
If a clogged ear sinus infection is causing you pain, skip the waiting room and use SmartDocMD. Providing affordable, convenient medical care online.
Did you know that sinus infections can cause a variety of ear issues? When suffering from a sinus infection, symptoms can feel like theyre occurring all around your head. There is truth behind the feeling, as your sinus cavities stretch across the face. SmartDocMD is able to provide recommendations and treatment for ear nose and throat sinus infection symptoms.
If you are suffering from the stuffiness ear infections or sinus infections can cause, contact SmartDoc MD. Any condition that affects the sinuses can lead to ear congestion, which will put pressure in various parts of the ear. Dont suffer from ear pain from a sinus infection. Start your care with SmartDocMD.
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.
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About Author: Laura Nightengale
Laura Nightengale was a writing coordinator for OSF HealthCare. She has a bachelors degree in journalism from the University of Kansas and worked as a reporter at a daily newspaper for five years before joining OSF HealthCare. When shes not working, Laura loves to travel, read, and spend time with her family, including her sweet and ornery dog.
What Are The Symptoms Of A Middle
Common symptoms of a middle-ear infection in adults are:
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Pain in 1 or both ears
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Drainage from the ear
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Sore throat
You may also have a fever. Rarely, your balance can be affected.
These symptoms may be the same as for other conditions. Its important totalk with your health care provider if you think you have a middle-earinfection. If you have a high fever, severe pain behind your ear, orparalysis in your face, see your provider as soon as you can.
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How Blurred Vision Is A Result Of Sinus Complications
You must be surprised to know but it is true that many people who have been suffering from chronic sinusitis had to experience blurred vision which is the most critical sinus complication. The constant effect of sinusitis can encourage sight issues in which blurred vision, seeing floaters or double vision are few of them. The vision issues can be an outcome of sinus inflammation or pressure on the backside of eyeballs. An infection to eye socket can create great amount of discomfort that can be managed only with intense medical care. A delay in medical attention can cause blindness or eye damage for permanent.
Sinus Congestion May Affect Vision
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Lower Jaw Pain: Causes And Home Treatment Tips
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Do you experience a popping or a dull ache along your jawline when you yawn or chew food? You could have an issue with your temporomandibular joint, sometimes referred to as the TMJ. There are several causes of jaw pain, and pain in lower jaw and teeth can be associated with an injury, dental problems, and even the serious health issue of a heart attack. TMJ lower jaw pain, or with lower jaw pain right side, should be taken seriously and may be treated with a few simple home remedies.
The jawbone can be referred to as the mandible, and forms the jaw joint with the maxilla bone, which is just above the mouth. This is how we are able to open and close our mouth. Damage to any of the bones, tendons, or muscles of the joint region can result in various symptoms, depending on the cause.
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