Many are careless about health, believing that sinusitis will pass by itself and it is not necessary to treat it. This is a very dangerous misconception that can lead to serious problems. Running sinusitis, the complications and consequences of which can be more serious than the disease itself, is very common. So why bring it to this?
Some general information
The generalized name for inflammatory processes in the sinuses of the nose is sinusitis. This definition includes: sinusitis, frontal sinusitis, ethmoiditis, sphenoiditis. Sometimes the process affects simultaneously the mucous membranes of all the sinuses, then the disease is classified as pansinusitis. If the sinuses are affected only on one side of the face, then this is hemisinusitis.
More about sinusitis
If the inflammatory process is concentrated in the maxillary sinus, which is also called maxillary sinus, then the disease is called sinusitis. Most often, a person encounters this purulent process after suffering acute respiratory infections, flu, runny nose, scarlet fever and measles. The disease may be bacterial or viral in nature.
Sinusitis is infectious, vasomotor or allergic. The incomprehensible word "vasomotor" means that the disease affects the contraction of the muscle membranes of the blood vessels, causing a narrowing of their lumen.
Transition of the disease into a chronic form
If the patient did not treat sinusitis, the consequences can result in the transition of the disease into a chronic form. This means that a potential source of infection will be constantly present in the body. In addition, the allergic sensitivity of the body may increase.
A person will have recurring headaches and a slight runny nose, most often one-sided. In addition, the patient feels a general malaise and decreased performance. From the sinuses, discharge of pus with an unpleasant odor periodically begins. Chronic sinusitis, the consequences of which are less pronounced, but for a long time, is more difficult to treat and longer. As one of the consequences of chronic sinusitis, doctors consider a decrease in immunity. A person picks up viral and infectious diseases easier, and more difficult to get rid of them.
Vision Complications
If the sinusitis in the patient is delayed due to a reluctance to see a doctor or improperly selected treatment, the stagnant purulent masses begin to penetrate through the bone walls and bloodstream to neighboring areas. The closest to the maxillary sinus is the eye. As the consequences of sinusitis, in this case, foci of inflammation appear in the orbit.
Adult patients are more likely to suffer from such complications if the process goes into a chronic form. In children, damage to the orbit often gives an acute form of sinusitis. For both children and adults, an abscess in the eye can have negative consequences, up to complete loss of vision. Inflammatory processes of the orbit of the eye are the most common consequences after sinusitis.
Meningitis
Incompletely treated sinusitis is a time bomb in the immediate vicinity of the brain. The spread of infection can go in any direction, including the meninges are at risk of inflammation. This disease is called meningitis. If you ask your doctor what are the worst consequences of sinusitis, he will undoubtedly name meningitis among the first.
The most obvious symptoms of meningitis are:
- severe headaches;
- a sharp increase in temperature;
- patient rejection of light and sounds (not even of very high intensity).
The treatment of this disease is carried out in stationary conditions, most often in infectious diseases departments of the hospital. The course of treatment is at least ten days, the patient must be prescribed antibiotics and carry out lumbar punctures. If the patient is not provided with medical care, then a fatal outcome is likely.
Osteoperiostitis
Sinusitis, the consequences of which are considered here, sometimes passes from inflammation of the mucous membranes to the bone. In this case, osteoperiostitis begins, that is, inflammation of the bone walls of the orbits and periosteum. The nature of the process may be purulent or simple, but in any case, the disease involves urgent hospitalization. The course of treatment includes local therapy, antiseptics and antibiotics. If necessary, an operation is performed. With the timely start of treatment, the consequences for the patient are insignificant, but if the process is started, it can give an impetus to meningitis and other problems.
Otitis
When a patient has sinusitis, the consequences are often manifested by inflammatory processes in the middle ear (otitis media). Headaches, weakness and nasal congestion are associated with pain in the ear and hearing loss. An even more serious complication is inflammation of the auditory tube (eustachiitis).
The problems in this area are related to the fact that the maxillary sinuses and ear are located close, and there are almost no obstacles to the infection. Inflammation gradually transfers to the mucous membrane lining the inside of the auditory tube and middle ear. As a result, the patient may experience temporary hearing problems or even lose their hearing. In addition, even otitis media treated without complications leads to tinnitus and frequent painful congestion during air travel.
Tonsillitis and adenoids
It is believed that during sinusitis, tonsils and nasopharynx are most affected. Nasal breathing is difficult, the patient has to breathe through the mouth, which leads to drying out of the mucosa. Further, inflammation begins, during which purulent foci can form. The mucous membrane grows uncontrollably, forming polyps. As a result, the patient cannot breathe through his nose even after getting rid of sinusitis.
Bacteria quickly develop on the palatine tonsils, and they become an independent source of infection. With a pathological increase, nasopharyngeal tonsils are called adenoids. During treatment, an ENT doctor can recommend the removal of polyps and adenoids, this facilitates nasal breathing, but eliminates barrier lymph nodes, further accelerating the penetration of infection into the body.
Gastrointestinal tract
As the consequences of sinusitis in adults and children, chronic inflammatory processes of the esophagus, stomach and intestines are often noted. This is due to the ingestion of purulent masses that freely flow along the wall of the larynx into the digestive tract.
The patient has abdominal pain, fever, appetite decreases and stool disorders begin. All these symptoms must be told to the doctor.
Respiratory Complications
The disease spreads through the bloodstream and can cause complications from the bronchi and lungs. If you experience shortness of breath, weakness, signs of intoxication and coughing, you must consult a doctor to rule out bronchitis and pneumonia. If this is not done, then the disease will drag on and may cause hospitalization.
What other organs can be affected?
A long infectious process in the body leads to the fact that with a blood stream the infection gets access to anywhere. Not only organs located in close proximity to the focus can suffer, but also the heart, kidneys, system of lymph nodes and joints. First of all, connective tissues - heart valves, synovial bags of joints, ligaments suffer. The patient may develop renal failure.
Sinusitis during pregnancy
During pregnancy, a woman's immunity is somewhat weakened. Therefore, care must be taken to avoid viral and infectious diseases. If sinusitis is diagnosed during pregnancy, the consequences can affect not only the woman, but also her baby. In addition to the complications described above, as a result of difficulty in nasal breathing, the fetus suffers a lack of oxygen.
Diagnosis and treatment of pregnant women with sinusitis is significantly different. Expectant mothers can not be X-rayed or prescribed antibiotics. Most often, washing, puncture of the maxillary sinuses and drainage of purulent masses is carried out.
Sinusitis: puncture, consequences. Myths and Reality
Patients pass each other many horror stories about maxillary sinus punctures. They say that it is very painful that a complete cure does not occur, and that sinusitis goes into the chronic process and the punctures will have to be repeated again and again.
However, most often these horror stories are told by those who started sinusitis on its own or tried to cure this complex disease with home methods.
The long curved needle, which is punctured, causes "holy horror" in patients. But do not forget that the puncture is performed under local anesthesia. The sinus is punctured in a place where its thickness is minimal. Rinsing with an antiseptic leads to tangible relief. After a certain time, bone tissue at the puncture site is completely restored.
Talk that you will have to do a puncture regularly is groundless. If the patient has undergone a full course of treatment and completely got rid of sinusitis, then the likelihood of re-illness is minimal. If the disease is not treated and has turned into a chronic form, then perhaps the next exacerbation will have to be punctured again.
Today, with a timely visit to a doctor, more than 90% of cases of sinusitis do without punctures. But if a puncture of the maxillary sinus is prescribed, then the patient must understand that this is not a doctor’s whim, but a necessary necessity. The procedure is really unpleasant, but bearable and very effective. So why risk your health and expose the body to danger of complications after sinusitis, if you can cure it?