The air-packed chambers in the skull located in and around the nose are called the sinus. Any infection or inflammation in them leads to sinusitis. This may be either a minor infection or chronic inflammation in the air cavities inside the nasal passage. Symptoms usually include a runny nose or pus-like discharge from the nose, fever, reduced sense of smell, pain in the face, or a sinus headache. Based on the symptoms or the length of persistence, sinusitis is categorized into four types: acute sinus infection, sub-acute sinus infection, chronic sinusitis, and recurrent sinusitis.
Effective home remedies can treat inflammations in the sinus and expert treatment is also available. In this write-up, we will discuss various symptoms and treatments of the infection and inflammation of the sinus.
Symptoms
The symptoms of acute sinus infection usually last for less than two weeks, though chronic sinusitis may last for more than eight to 12 weeks. Let us list symptoms of acute sinus infections or and chronic inflammations.
Symptoms of acute infection:
- Reduced sense of smell
- Pus-like discharge from the nose
- Facial pressure or pain
- Chest congestion and dry or hard cough
- Fever and fatigue
Symptoms of chronic inflammation:
- Nasal blockage or jammed air cavity of the nasal passage
- Facial congestion or swelling of the face
- Pus discharge from the nose
- Fever, fatigue, and severe headache
- Severe dental pain
Symptoms of chronic sinusitis last for about eight to 12 weeks or even longer and require treatment and effective remedies.
In case the symptoms worsen to include swelling and drooping of eyelids, loss of movement in eyelids or vision changes, dilated pupils, or changes in personality or mental changes, immediate medical remedies or emergency treatment from experts is necessary.
Home Remedies
These remedies for acute and chronic sinus inflammations can be tried at home.
- Home remedies for sinus infection or sinusitis include hydration. Drinking lots of water and resting can help fight against discomfort and some other symptoms of a sinus infection.
- Ginger tea, hot chicken soup, or honey and lemon tea may be helpful remedies to try at home.
- Eating spicy food can help clear a sinus infection. This is another home remedy one can try.
- A nasal wash with saline solution is among home remedies to help clear mucus from the nose and provide relief from the symptoms of sinusitis.
Professional Medical Treatments for Sinus Infections
Antibiotics and taking proper care can treat acute sinus infection or symptoms of acute sinusitis in 15 days. However, chronic sinusitis may require longer treatment and higher doses of antibiotics as effective remedies for chronic inflammation. Corticosteroid nasal sprays are included under professional medical treatments for chronic sinusitis when symptoms last for more than 10 to 12 weeks.
These medical treatments or remedies are available for sinusitis.
- Antibiotics like amoxicillin or amoxicillin clavulanate are antibiotic drugs used to treat sinusitis. For patients allergic to amoxicillin, doxycycline is the recommended antibiotic drug.
- Analgesics like guaifenesin and decongestants like pseudoephedrine are effective medical remedies for infection and inflammation.
- Corticosteroids are expert remedies for chronic cases. Corticosteroids like prednisone can reduce inflammation in the nasal passage or the chronic infection in the air cavity of the nose. Such medicines are available as nasal sprays and nasal washes. Corticosteroid nasal sprays are effective for treating symptoms of pathogenic sinus inflammation and for sinusitis caused due to allergies.
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