Sinus Cavity Diseases
The human sinus cavities prove to be an Achilles heel in just about everyone at some point, no matter what their health history may be. According to Wrongdiagnoses.com, 37 million people annually visit their doctor to complain of a variety of symptoms that usually indicate a sinus infection. Sinusitis, the medical term for sinus infections, may be irritating and uncomfortable, but luckily for sufferers a variety of remedies exist to help them cope.
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The Anatomy
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The paranasal sinus cavities are a series of paired chambers that rest above the nose in the forehead area. Divided into the maxillary, frontal, ethmoid and sphenoid cavities, the sinuses cause some friction among anatomists who remain relatively unsure of their function in voice or breathing. In any event, they're prone to hosting disease causing germs that in turn wreak havoc on sufferers, causing congestion, pain, lightheadedness and breathing difficulties.
Sinusitis
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The most common and dominant disease is sinusitis, the infection of any one (or combination of) the aforementioned chambers. Frontal infections affect the cavities behind each eye, causing pressure and pain. Maxillary infections cause tooth pain. The ethmoid sinuses lie behind the frontal chambers and also affect the eyes, while sphenoid infections are the main culprit behind "deep" sinus headaches. The three classifications of sinusitis possess the same symptoms, but are diagnosed according to the duration of the infection: acute (less than one month), subacute (one to three months) or chronic (more than three months).
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Rhinitis
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Since the direct pathway to the sinus cavities is through the nasal passageway, the sensitive lining of the nose is sometimes implicated in sinus complications, leading physicians to coin the term "rhinosinusitis". In rhinitis, nasal tissue becomes inflamed and irritated, usually from allergic reactions to chemicals or unfavorable environmental conditions. Rhinosinusitis combines the sinusitis symptoms of headache and intense pressure with rhinitis' sneezing, sore throat (from post nasal drip), fatigue and congestion.
Common Misdiagnoses
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The sinus headaches reported by patients are often misdiagnosed. Migraines, varied in intensity, are responsible for nearly 90 percent of the associated head pains. Diagnosing the difference is often complicated, as both can on occasion exhibit the same symptoms (runny nose, congestion, etc.). The difference lies in the origin of the pain, which are closely related. Migraines attack the trigeminal nerve, the fifth paired cranial nerve, which innervates muscles close to the sinus cavities.
Treatment Options
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Many over the counter and prescription medications exist to handle the symptoms of sinusitis as well as rhinitis. Common ibuprofen or aspirin usually can aid in relieving the acute aches and pains, while chronic infections are treated with antibiotics, such as amoxicillin, although over half the patients administered antibiotic treatment experience no relief. Home remedies such as nasal irrigation (neti pots) use a saline solution to clean the cavities to prevent congestive buildup and prevent germs from collecting. In some extreme cases, the surgical procedure of endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) cleans the cavities without having to create facial incisions, utilizing the openings in the sinuses themselves.
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