What Is A Severe Sinus Infection

When To See The Doctor For Sinus Infection

Symptoms that last more than 10 days without improvement and are worsening after you started to improve is cause for concern. If you have symptoms like severe headache or facial pain and a fever that lasts longer than three to four days, you should seek immediate medical care. Your doctor will be able to help diagnose the underlying cause of your symptoms and will provide an active plan of treatment.

While sinus infections are common, they can also be life-threatening. If a sinus infection becomes severe and goes untreated, it can spread to the brain.

Symptoms Of Bacterial Sinusitis In Children

In children, the symptoms of sinusitis may differ from those in adults. Children may experience:

• Irritability

• Scar tissue in sinus areas, for example from nasogastric tubes or mechanical ventilation
• Facial fractures
• Tooth or mouth infections such as a

In general, women are slightly more likely than men to get bacterial sinusitis.

If youve had a cold or any of the disorders listed above, and youre concerned that you may have bacterial sinusitis, check out the Ada app for a free symptom assessment.

Cant Get Rid Of A Sinus Infection After Tooth Extraction

My dentist extracted an old root canal tooth because after two root canals from an endodontist, three years apart, the tooth was still painful. After my dentist removed the tooth, he said that an infection in the roots spread into my sinus. He cleaned the sockets, bone grafted the holes, and stitched it. After taking 150mg of clindamyacin for ten days, I still have the infection. Its been a week since I finished the medication, but my sinus is draining, and I feel pressure in my face and gum. Decongestant doesnt work. I have been thinking about scheduling an emergency appointment with another dentist just to get a second opinion, but I decided to find a dentist online to ask. Thats why I am writing your office.

Do I need more clindamyacin or a different antibiotic? Or is what I am experiencing part of the healing process?

Thanks for your help. Leidi

Leidi,

Thank you for your clear explanation. Although Dr. Finley would need to examine your tooth and x-rays for an accurate diagnosis, we can provide some insight on what might be happening. An urgent visit with a dentist that you dont know may do more harm than good. A conscientious dentist will review your dental history and exams and even consider referring you to a specialist.

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Will Allergy Shots Help

Your doctor may call this treatment “immunotherapy.” Hereâs how it works: Theyâll put a little bit of the allergy trigger into your body. Over time you get used to the substance and donât react to it anymore.

Shots work best if you have symptoms for longer than 3 months each year. They can help lower your need for meds to control your symptoms.

Also, the FDA has approved four under-the-tongue tablets that can be taken at home. The prescription tablets treat hay fever and work the same way as shots — the goal is to boost your tolerance of allergy triggers.

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Will My Sinus Infection Clear Up On Its Own

The first few weeks of the common cold aren’ fun, but the acute sinusitis that can develop afterwards doesn’t help either. Unfortunately, sinus congestion and the common cold go hand in hand. Acute sinusitis frequently is caused by the common cold, but also can be caused by allergies and bacterial and fungal infections.

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Treatment For Sinus Infection

Whether you have an acute sinus infection or a chronic infection, a number of treatment options can relieve your discomfort. If youre in the early stage of an acute sinus infection, it may be appropriate to start at-home treatments while you monitor your symptoms. If your sinusitis worsens, youll need to call your doctor for medication and further care. Even if youre receiving treatment from your doctor, at-home care can help ease your symptoms.

Do I Need Antibiotics For Every Sinus Infection

Many sinus infections are caused by viruses, the ones that cause the common cold. These types of infections are not cured by antibiotics. Taking an antibiotic for a viral infection unnecessarily puts you at risk for side effects related to the antibiotic. In addition, the overuse of antibiotics can lead to antibiotic resistance, which may make future infections more difficult to treat.

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What Is The Treatment For Chronic Sinus Infection

When it comes to treating chronic sinusitis, theres no one-size-fits-all solution. While several treatment options are available, what works for one person may not be appropriate for the other. Hence, we tailor the treatment to each individuals needs, symptoms, and whether or not other conditions are also at play.

The goals of treating chronic sinusitis are to address the allergic causes, minimize inflammation, promote free sinus drainage, and eradicate the infection .

Here are a few potential treatment options for chronic sinusitis. We will likely try out a combination of two or more of these options to see what works best for you.

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What Are Warning Signs Of A Dangerous Sinus Infection

If acute sinus infection is caused by viral infection, it is usually easy to treat or even will relieve on its own . Typically, it lasts a few days, 7-10 days, and then will get better. But if it is caused by bacterial infection, it is relatively more difficult to cope and usually will take one or some of the following paths:

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Which Types Of Doctors Treat Sinusitis And Sinus Infections

• Many sinus infections can be treated by your primary care physician or an Internal Medicine doctor.
• However, it is not unusual to consult an ENT specialist, infectious disease specialist, or an allergist or immunologist.
• With some complex sinus infections, a surgeon who specializes in sinus surgery may be necessary to consult.

Sore Throat And Hoarse Voice

Postnasal drip can leave you with a raw and aching throat. Although it may start as an annoying tickle, it can get worse.

If your infection lasts for a few weeks or more, mucus can irritate and inflame your throat as it drips, resulting in a painful sore throat and hoarse voice. Frequent coughing and throat clearing can make a hoarse voice worse.

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How Long Do Sinus Infections Or Sinusitis Last

Sinusitis or sinus infections usually clear up if treated early and appropriately. Aside from those who develop complications, the outlook for acute sinusitis is good. People may develop chronic sinusitis or have recurrent attacks of acute sinusitis if they have allergic or structural causes for their sinusitis.

Chronic Sinusitis Complications: Sinus Thrombosis

Another less common but very serious chronic sinusitis complication is called sinus thrombosis. In cavernous sinus thrombosis, your body creates a blood clot as a self defense mechanism. Thrombosis, the blood clot, normally serves as a barrier between a serious infection and other parts of your body, and is supposed to keep an infection from spreading.

However, when the blood clot is occurs in a vein that runs behind the eyes and under the brain, it risks expanding and producing pressure on the brain. This pressure causes droopy eyes, vision loss, seizures, and other symptoms. Thrombosis can be fatal in 1 of 3 occurrences.

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Symptoms Of Bacterial Sinusitis

Symptoms of bacterial sinusitis include:

• Pressure or pain around the nose, in the forehead, in the cheeks or around the eyes. The pain often gets worse if the affected person bends forward.
• Discolored, thick nasal discharge

• Painful teeth
• Painful chewing

Good to know: Bacterial sinusitis can follow a cold or the flu, and often the symptoms occur just when it seems as if the initial infection is clearing up. In this situation it is common to start to feel better, and then to feel worse as the subsequent bacterial sinusitis develops.

If you are concerned that you or a loved one may have bacterial sinusitis, you can do a free symptom assessment using the Ada app at any time.

What Are The Signs Of A Sinus Infection

Everyones experience might be a bit different, but these are typically the symptoms accompanying sinus infections. Again, some individuals might encounter these symptoms for prolonged periods of time, while others experience them for a few weeks. The signs of a sinus infection vary, so dont use this to self-diagnose.

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What Causes Sinus Infections And Sinusitis

Causes of Acute Sinus Infections

• Acute sinusitis usually follows a viral infection in the upper respiratory tract, but allergy-causing substances or pollutants may also trigger acute sinusitis. A Viral infection damages the cells of the sinus lining, leading to inflammation. The lining thickens, obstructing the nasal passage. This passage connects to the sinuses. The obstruction disrupts the process that removes bacteria normally present in the nasal passages, and the bacteria begin to multiply and invade the lining of the sinus. This causes the symptoms of sinus infection. Allergens and pollutants produce a similar effect.
• Bacteria that normally cause acute sinusitis are Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Moraxella catarrhalis. These microorganisms, along with Staphylococcus aureus and some anaerobes , are involved in chronic sinusitis.

Causes of Chronic Sinus Infections

• Chronic sinus infections are caused by viruses, bacteria, allergens, pollutants, and fungal infections, especially people with diseases that weaken the immune system, for example, HIV/AIDS, leukemia and other cancers, and diabetes.
• Medications that are designed to modify the immune system may increase the risk of developing sinus infections.

• Ongoing bad breath unrelated to dental problems

People who have facial pain, headaches, and fever may indicate a sinus infection.

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What Are The Types Of Sinusitis

There are two types of sinusitis.

Acute sinusitis is a temporary inflammation of the sinuses. The mucous membranes of your nose, sinuses and throat swell. This could happen when you have a cold or allergies. Swelling blocks the sinus openings and prevents normal mucus drainage. This causes mucus and pressure to build up.

Chronic sinusitis occurs when symptoms become more frequent or worse. Sinus infections may cause chronic sinus inflammation and symptoms. If you have more than three sinus infections in a year or have symptoms longer than 12 weeks, you could have chronic sinusitis. More than 50 percent of people with moderate to severe asthma also have chronic sinusitis.

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How Do I Prevent Chronic Sinusitis

You may be able to prevent infections and chronic sinusitis if you:

• Treat the underlying conditions behind chronic sinusitis, like asthma and allergies.
• Avoid allergens such as animal dander, dust, pollen, smoke and mold that trigger swelling in the sinuses.
• Quit smoking if you do smoke and avoid any secondhand smoke.
• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.
• Rinse your nasal passages with saline solution, either purchased or with a neti pot.
• Eat healthy foods, stay hydrated and exercise regularly to stay healthy overall.
• Use a humidifier to keep nasal tissues moist.

Complications Of Nasal Polyps

Nasal polyps can block your airflow and keep fluids like mucus from draining properly. They also cause lots of irritation and inflammation while they’re forming. All of those things can bring complications, including:

• Sinus infections
• Asthma flare-ups
• Obstructive sleep apnea, a potentially serious condition where you stop and start breathing while you sleep

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How Do I Prevent Sinus Infections

There are other lifestyle items you can adhere to in order to avoid these uncomfortable infections. There is no guaranteed way to prevent the illness, but if you do these things, you are less likely to get sinus infections.

• Dont smoke. Avoid people who smoke.
• Wash your hands often, especially during cold and flu season.
• Try not to touch your face in order to avoid distributing germs from your hands to your mouth.
• Stay away from known allergens.

How You Can Treat Sinusitis Yourself

You can often treat mild sinusitis without seeing a GP by:

• getting plenty of rest
• taking painkillers, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen
• avoiding allergic triggers and not smoking
• cleaning your nose with a salt water solution to ease congestion

If you have a high temperature or you do not feel well enough to do your normal activities, try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people until you feel better.

You do not need to use all of the solution, but make a fresh solution each time you clean your nose.

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Symptoms Of Bacterial Sinus Infection

As per the guidelines, a sinus infection is more likely to be bacterial than viral if any of the following conditions are present.

• No clinical improvement occurs in the symptoms even after the passage of at least 10 days.
• The severity of the symptoms is quite high, including facial pain, nasal discharge and a fever in excess of 102°F which remains for at least 4 days on the trot at the start of the illness.
• Worsening of the symptoms is characterized by the development of a new headache or fever or increase in the amount of nasal discharge, usually after a viral infection of the upper respiratory tract that has remained for 6 days and had seemed to improve initially.

Should You Visit A Specialist

If your sinus infection just wont go away or keeps coming back, it may be time to see an ear, nose, and throat specialist. An ENT treats conditions of the ear, nose, throat, head, face, and neck. It may be time to see an ENT if:

• Youve completed several courses of antibiotics without success
• Your doctor suspects nasal polyps or another blockage of the nasal cavity
• You have chronic sinusitis that lasts longer than 12 weeks

Living with a sinus infection is miserable and living with a sinus infection for weeks on end is worse. Contact your doctor or an ENT to get the treatment you need.

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Rare Cases Can Turn Serious

Antibiotics also can help ward off rare but potentially dangerous complications that arise when a sinus infection spreads to the eyes or brain, Dr. Sindwani says.

Complications around the eyes are the more common of the two. These complications can cause redness, swelling around the eyes and reduced vision, and even lead to blindness in a severe form known as cavernous sinus thrombosis. Serious cases are immediately treated with IV antibiotics. Patients are usually admitted to the hospital for a CT scan to see if fluid needs to be drained, Dr. Sindwani says.

Also in rare cases, sinus infections in the rear center of ones head can spread into the brain. This can lead to life-threatening conditions like meningitis or brain abscess, Dr. Sindwani says.

Before antibiotics, people would die from sinusitis, he says. But he emphasizes that such complications are unlikely. In most cases, the bacterial infection goes away, especially if you dont have underlying medical problems.

Its important to monitor your symptoms if you suspect a sinus infection. If the condition lingers or worsens, call your doctor.

Chronic Sinusitis Complications: Meningitis And Brain Abscess

The remaining untreated sinusitis complications are not common experiences, but they do crop up. When these complications do arise, patients are exposed to extreme risks to their health.

If chronic sinusitis goes untreated for a length of time, it is possible the infection can spread to vital parts of your body, including to the bones, spinal fluid, and the brain. These complications, meningitis and brain abscesses, are life-threatening and require immediate emergency surgery.

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What Are The Symptoms Of Sinusitis

When a sinus infection results from blocked sinuses, you can have symptoms like:

• Thick white, yellow or greenish discharge from the nose or drainage down the back of the throat
• Nasal obstruction or congestion
• Tenderness and swelling around the eyes, cheeks, nose and forehead
• A reduced sense of smell and taste

When To Talk To Your Doctor

While most coldsand even sinus infectionsclear up on their own, its important to know when you need medical help. If youre having symptoms, heres when you should call a doctor:

• Your symptoms are persisting or worsening after 10 days.
• Pain and discomfort are severe.
• You have a stiff neck or swelling around the eyes.
• Youre experiencing changes in vision or mental function.
• Symptoms go away but then come back.
• You have a fever that persists beyond a few days.

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Diagnosis Of Nasal Polyps

To find out if you have nasal polyps, your doctor will ask you questions about what you’re feeling. You’ll probably get a physical exam as well.

From there, they’ll take a look at your nose using a tool called a nasal endoscope. It has a magnifying lens or camera that provides a detailed view of your nose and sinuses.

If those things don’t confirm a diagnosis, your doctor may order more tests, which could include:

• Imaging tests, including computerized tomography
• Allergy tests, so that your doctor can know if allergies are causing inflammation.
• Blood tests, to check vitamin D levels. If they’re low, that can lead to polyps.