Sinusitis: symptoms, duration and treatment
Your child’s cold just won’t go away? It may have developed into sinusitis. In the following article you can learn what exactly sinusitis is, how to recognize it and why sinusitis should definitely be treated.
Index
ToggleHow does sinusitis occur?
Sinusitis usually occurs as a result of a cold that has not been properly cured. Due to the swelling of the nasal mucous membranes, the paranasal sinuses, i.e. the cavities such as the frontal or maxillary sinuses in the area of the facial bones, cannot be adequately ventilated and accumulated secretion cannot drain properly. This allows bacteria to multiply well and eventually trigger inflammation of the paranasal sinuses. Allergies such as hay fever and anatomically caused constrictions, such as a curvature of the nasal septum or nasal polyps, can also promote the development of sinusitis.
In children, too, inflammation of the upper respiratory tract can easily develop into sinusitis. However, since their paranasal sinuses only develop over time, in most cases only the ethmoid cells and the maxillary sinuses are affected. The sphenoid and frontal sinuses develop later and are therefore usually not affected by inflammation until school age.
Symptoms of sinusitis
A typical sign of acute sinusitis is a very long-lasting cold. Other symptoms are:
- Fever
- Headache, especially when bending forward
- exhaustion
- yellow-green nasal discharge
- pain and swelling in the face
- increased pain when pressure is applied to painful areas of the face
- poor sense of smell and taste
- worse hearing
- dizziness
- cough
In chronic sinusitis, a stuffy nose, headaches and fatigue are permanent symptoms in most cases. In flare-ups, these symptoms often get worse or other symptoms mentioned above are added.
Sinusitis that is not cured can have consequences. Pathogens can spread to neighboring tissue and, in severe cases, lead to further inflammation , such as meningitis or eye inflammation. You should therefore take sinusitis seriously and have it treated at an early stage. If you have severe or persistent symptoms, a high fever and suspected chronic sinusitis, you should definitely see a doctor. In principle, however, a visit to the doctor cannot do any harm, even in the case of milder manifestations.
treat sinusitis
In most cases, the symptoms of sinusitis can be relieved with a few simple measures:
- In general, it is first of all important that accumulated secretion can drain off and the inflammation can subside. To do this, the swelling of the mucous membranes must first go down. You can support this, for example, with decongestant nasal sprays or expectorants.
- Treatment with infrared light has also proven itself. In the event of acute symptoms, place your child in front of a red light lamp for about 10 minutes three times a day. The heat relaxes, has a decongestant effect and helps to loosen the stubborn mucus. Attention: Make sure there is enough distance between your face and the lamp to avoid burns.
- Rinsing the nose or inhalations, for example with chamomile steam baths or salt solutions, can also help. However, do not use essential oils, as these can further irritate the mucous membranes.
- Your child should also drink a lot to keep the mucous membranes moist and prevent further irritation.
- When sleeping, it’s a good idea to keep your head higher than the rest of your body so that lying flat doesn’t further block the airway.
- Doctors often prescribe antibiotics for more severe forms and mostly for chronic occurrences. However, recent studies have shown that in many cases this is not necessary. However, if your doctor thinks it is advisable to use antibiotics, then it is important that you follow their instructions for taking them exactly so that they can work effectively.
If drug treatment does not help and the sinusitis is due to anatomical causes, surgery can sometimes help. For example, the nasal septum is straightened or polyps are removed so that adequate ventilation of the paranasal sinuses is possible.
Prevent sinusitis
As with so many other cold-related illnesses, the same applies to sinusitis: A healthy, smoke-free lifestyle with a diet rich in vitamins and sufficient exercise in the fresh air are the best prerequisites for a strong immune system. Especially in winter, when children tend to develop colds anyway, it is also advisable to ensure that the room air is always kept sufficiently humid to prevent the mucous membranes from drying out.