Sinusitis Treatment

Sinuses are air spaces around the nose. They are named according to their location (frontal, maxillary, ethmoid, sphenoid). Sinuses open into the nasal cavities through special channels. They are filled with air. The nasal cavities and sinuses are covered as a whole with the same covering layer (mucosa). This layer constantly produces a cleansing secretion, and this secretion is emptied into the nasal cavity through the sinuses' own channels through the vibrating hairs on the layer.

Sinusitis; It is the name given to infection/inflammation of the sinuses. It is called "Rhinosinusitis" because the same covering layer is usually affected as a whole. The development of infection in the sinuses occurs as a result of some disorders in the functioning of the sinuses, these are the blockage of the special channels of the sinuses, the malfunction of the tremulous hairs, the accumulation of the secretion inside the sinus by not being discharged, as a result of which a suitable environment is created for bacterial growth. The most common cause of sinusitis is upper respiratory tract infections. This is caused by the blockage of the sinuses opening into the nasal cavity during infection due to swelling of the covering layer. The cause of infection may be bacteria or viruses. Another cause of sinusitis is allergies. Other factors that increase the tendency to sinusitis include; tooth root inflammations, curvatures of the middle section of the nose, polyps occupying space in the nasal cavities, foreign bodies, nasal tampons and tumors. In addition, pressure changes that may occur during swimming or flying can block the sinus channels and cause sinusitis.

Symptoms

Pain: In acute sinusitis, it can be felt in different areas depending on the affected sinus, on the cheeks, upper teeth, forehead, around the eyes, between the eyes, and at the back of the head. Pain increases when the head is tilted forward. There is usually no pain in chronic sinusitis. Feeling of pressure, nasal congestion, runny nose, cough, weakness and fever are other symptoms.

Treatment

Akut sinüzitlerde genellikle ilaç tedavisi uygulanır, antibiyotik, burun açıcı spreyler, ağrı kesici ilaçlar kullanılır. Tedaviyi düzenleyen doktorun önerilerine, antibiyotiğin kullanma süresine mutlaka uyulmalıdır. Ayrıca bol sıvı alınmalı, sigara ve duman kesinlikle olmamalıdır. Kronik sinüzitlerde, ilaç tedavisine cevap vermeyen sık tekrarlayan akut sinüzitlerde cerrahi tedavi uygulanır. En sık uygulanan sinüs ameliyatı; "fonksiyonel endoskopik sinüs cerrahisidir (FESS)". Bu ameliyatta yüz ve ağız içine kesiler yapılmadan hastalıklı sinüse ulaşılması ve sinüsün temizlenmesi mümkündür, ayrıca sinüzite eğilimi arttıran bir bozukluk varsa o da düzeltilir.