Sinusitis is a rather serious ailment. Most often, it is a complication of a previous infectious disease of the respiratory tract. It requires urgent treatment. The danger of the disease lies in the fact that its neglected form will certainly cause complications.
If the human immune system is strong, then it will successfully cope with sinusitis. With the general weakness of the body, it is extremely difficult to predict the further course of the disease. If sinusitis is not treated, then its acute stage will quickly turn into a chronic form. Chronic sinusitis, the complications of which are insidious, is a difficult to treat disease.
What is sinusitis and what are its complications?
The basis for the occurrence of sinusitis is the introduction of pathogenic microbes into the mucous membrane of the maxillary sinus (hence the name of the disease).
What are the complications of sinusitis? Symptoms of the pathological phenomena caused by the disease are diverse. It all depends on the area of damage and its degree.
With sinusitis, nasal breathing and the separation of mucus from the cavities in the upper jaw are disturbed. Accumulating, it promotes the growth of bacteria, which causes an even more extensive inflammatory process in the maxillary sinuses. So a closed circuit is formed with the further development of complications.
What types of complications emit
Complications of sinusitis are divided into two conditional groups. The first includes negative consequences that affect the state of the respiratory system.
Among them are the following:
- the transition of sinusitis from acute to chronic;
- the occurrence of an inflammatory process in the pharynx and tonsils;
- the development of bronchitis and pneumonia;
- the spread of sinusitis to other sinuses;
- the occurrence of an inflammatory process in the middle ear (otitis media).
Complications of sinusitis in adults, belonging to the second group, go beyond the scope of damage to the respiratory system. In this case, many body systems can take a hit on themselves.
Among the complications can be noted:
- inflammatory process in the meninges with meningitis and encephalitis;
- heart damage (myocarditis);
- joint inflammation (rheumatoid arthritis);
- impaired renal function (nephritis);
- blood poisoning (sepsis).
The main symptoms of sinusitis
The transition of the disease from acute to chronic is difficult to establish, since the list of symptoms of the disease is quite extensive.
The manifestations of a chronic nature include:
- asthenia;
- incessant runny nose;
- persistent migraines;
- discharge from purulent mucus from the nose, often they have an unpleasant odor.
The chronic course of sinusitis can be confused with a simple catarrhal disease or overwork. One of the most striking manifestations of the disease is unilateral nasal congestion. This is due to the inflammatory process occurring in the maxillary sinus. After a certain period of time, nasal congestion can spread to the second side due to the fact that inflammation has captured the neighboring cavity.
Conditions under which acute sinusitis becomes chronic
Sinusitis acquires a chronic course due to various reasons, among which are:
- untimely relief of the disease;
- non-compliance with doctor's recommendations;
- reduced immunity;
- the presence of concomitant respiratory diseases.
The transition of sinusitis into a chronic form can be caused by the presence of a severe pathology of the cardiovascular system or respiratory system. In such conditions, the patient may complain of a lack of air.
In chronic sinusitis, the nasal mucosa and maxillary sinuses thickens and becomes inflamed. A person begins to breathe through his mouth, which contributes to the spread of infection in new areas.
The negative effect of oral breathing is the inaction of the nose and nasopharynx during the respiratory process. Dry, not moistened with mucus air is full of pathogenic microbes. They enter the pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi and lungs. Thus, sinusitis contributes to the entry of microbes through the mouth and inflamed maxillary sinuses.
Visual Impairment in Sinusitis
Complications of sinusitis can hardly be called typical. No one knows which organ or system it will affect. It happens that the intensive use of antibiotics helps to reduce resistance to them. Incorrect treatment of the disease can cause visual impairment. For example, sinusitis can cause swelling of the fiber of the eye, retrobulbar inflammation or thrombosis of the veins of the orbit.
In case of visual impairment, you should immediately seek help from a specialist.
Bone damage
If the inflammatory process has spread to the bone tissue, then this causes osteoperiostitis. The disease can have both a simple and purulent course. This is a very serious complication with a severe clinic.
Therapy is based on the use of antibiotics. In this case, not only general-purpose drugs are prescribed. Certain drugs are injected into the area of inflammation. Sometimes such a disease requires surgery.
Trigeminal neuritis
Complications after sinusitis are very diverse. Quite often, the disease causes inflammation of the trigeminal nerve. In this condition, the nerve endings adjacent to the cerebellum swell and become inflamed, which causes acute pain. The disease is difficult to treat.
Respiratory failure
As a rule, a person does not attach importance to the fact that with sinusitis a runny nose and discharge appear. In fact, the condition of the maxillary sinuses greatly affects the entire body. For example, difficulty breathing through the nose can cause insomnia, which will lead to a drop in performance, an asthenic state and an increase in blood pressure. As a result, apnea syndrome (respiratory arrest during a night's sleep) may appear.
Tonsillitis and adenoids
Complications of acute sinusitis suggest the development of pathological processes in the nose and pharynx. With sinusitis, these areas take the main blow. Inflammation of the maxillary sinuses causes hypertrophy of their mucous membrane. Over time, benign neoplasms - polyps can occur on the inflamed surface. They significantly contribute to the difficulty of nasal breathing and cause even greater swelling of the mucous membrane.
In the throat, tonsils are infectious. Their basis is lymphoid tissue. Tonsils have a complex branched structure. Thanks to this structure, the infection in them easily takes root and multiplies rapidly.
The inflammatory process in the tonsils is called tonsillitis. With the defeat of the tonsils, adenoids are formed, which are somewhat reminiscent of polyps. But the place of localization is the throat.
The defeat of the bronchi and lungs
As a result of the fact that the infection spreads from the maxillary sinuses down, it can affect the bronchi and lungs. As a result, bronchitis or pneumonia may develop.
Pneumonia is a serious illness. And if it was preceded by sinusitis, then the symptoms of airway toxicity will be more pronounced. Frequently recurring bronchitis can trigger the development of bronchial asthma.
Sinusitis
All the sinuses, frontal, ethmoid and maxillary, have a communication with each other. Therefore, with the localization of bacteria in one of them, inflammation can begin in other areas.
As a rule, frontal sinuses primarily respond to inflammation of the maxillary sinuses , which causes frontal sinusitis. In especially severe cases, the pathological process can spread to all sinuses. This condition is called pansinusitis. Its course is severe. The disease is accompanied by high fever and severe intoxication of the whole organism.
Otitis media
Very often, the inflammatory process localized in the maxillary sinuses extends to the ears. As you know, the pharynx communicates with the middle ear through a channel located in the temple area. This cavity is called the Eustachian tube.
The infectious process from the maxillary sinuses extends to the pharynx, and from there to the auditory tube. The penetration of microbes is facilitated by blowing, which creates an increased pressure in the pharynx. An infection with mucus enters the ear. This provokes the occurrence of otitis media.
The patient complains of congestion in the ear, then pain appears that bother the patient at night. The pain is accompanied by the release of pus from the external auditory canal.
Meningoencephalitis
Otitis is terrible not only the appearance of pain and pus. The middle and inner part of the ear is located near the meninges. The purulent process can easily spread to this area. Meningitis develops, which can cause death.
First, the patient complains of severe migraine and a sharp increase in temperature. Then specific neurological symptoms appear, characterized by partial or complete loss of consciousness. The inflammatory process can affect the substance of the brain, and meningitis will be aggravated by encephalitis.
The effect of sinusitis on the internal organs
The maxillary sinuses filled with pus are the focus of infection. Blood and lymph can carry it to all organs. In this case, complications of sinusitis such as damage to the myocardium, kidneys and joints are possible.
When exposed to the myocardium, the connective tissue structures of the heart valves are destroyed. In case of joint damage, cartilage degeneration occurs. Infections in the kidneys cause a complication such as nephritis. This ailment, in turn, provokes kidney failure.
The onset of sepsis
The most serious complication of sinusitis is blood poisoning. The development of sepsis contributes to weak immunity and the primary purulent focus. In this case, it is represented by the maxillary sinuses.
Bacteria spread with blood to all organs in which secondary foci of inflammation occur.
Sinusitis in children
Children more often than adults suffer from infectious and colds. Untreated infections can be complicated by sinusitis.
This does not apply to infants, since the maxillary sinuses are not developed. Children over 4 years old can get sinusitis. Due to the small size of the sinuses, the symptoms may not be so pronounced.
Complications of sinusitis in children
The main complication of sinusitis in children is otitis media. Unlike adults, in children the ear becomes inflamed much more often. Therefore, the treatment of sinusitis should be carried out as soon as possible. You should pay attention to a prolonged runny nose in a child. If you notice that the discharge has turned yellowish-green, and a putrid odor emanates from them, then this is an occasion to visit the doctor’s office.
In children, sinusitis does not always cause pain and temperature.
Complications of sinusitis in children are as follows:
- inflammation of the bronchi or lungs;
- the appearance of otitis media, ethmoiditis or frontal sinusitis.
In addition to these diseases, sepsis, impaired functioning of the kidneys and heart, and inflammation of the joints can occur.
General recommendations
How to prevent complications of sinusitis from developing? First of all, the disease should be treated in a timely manner. Combined therapy involves taking medications that have anti-inflammatory and antipyretic effects. Antibiotics are also used.
Treatment of sinusitis complications is sometimes difficult. It all depends on the area of localization of the pathological process and the degree of prevalence of inflammation.
Medicines against microbes with sinusitis (antiseptic agents) are used topically in the form of rinses, drops or irrigation.
Folk methods have a good effect. But these funds should be used in combination with drugs prescribed by a doctor.
Hygiene is very important. The process of blowing should not be intense. In this case, it is advisable to keep your mouth open so that the mucus does not penetrate the Eustachian tube.
You should remember about fortifying methods based on the use of multivitamins and stimulants of the immune system. The food should be full, and the atmosphere at work and at home is optimal.
At the first suspicion of the development of sinusitis, you should immediately contact a laryngologist.