Sphenoiditis is a type of sinusitis. With this disease, inflammation affects the so-called sphenoid sinus, which borders the base of the skull, carotid and ocular arteries. This anatomical location increases the risk of spreading the pathology to various parts of the facial skull, so its treatment should not be neglected.
Sphenoiditis. What it is?
Sphenoiditis refers to a disease in which an inflammatory process develops on the mucosa of the sphenoid sinus. This pathology belongs to the group of sinusitis and at the same time is the rarest of them. It does not differ in a pronounced clinical picture, so the acute form often proceeds secretly and becomes chronic. If you diagnose sphenoiditis in time, treatment usually does not present any special difficulties.
The sphenoid sinus is otherwise called the main. It is located in the nasal cavity and is filled with air. In the immediate vicinity of it there are several functional anatomical structures: the base of the skull, optic nerves, carotid arteries and the pituitary gland. The inflammatory process can spread from the mucous membrane to the listed areas and cause the corresponding symptoms.
Causes and mechanism of development of sphenoiditis
The causative agents that cause inflammation in the area of the sphenoid sinus are respiratory viruses and bacteria. Among the latter, streptococci, a hemophilic infection and a bacterium called Moraxella catarrhalis take the leading place .
In all patients with a diagnosis of ARVI, the mucosa of the sphenoid sinus is inflamed. With normal immunity and the absence of predisposing factors, the disease quickly passes. Due to some anatomical features of the sinus, when a slight swelling can lead to impaired air exchange and outflow of fluid, pathogenic bacteria begin to develop on the mucosa, and inflammation progresses rapidly.
Among the factors predisposing to sphenoiditis, doctors include the following:
- Narrow sinus outlet.
- Marked curvature of the septum.
- The presence of foreign bodies.
- Tumors, cysts, polyps in the sphenoid sinus.
Acute sphenoiditis, as medical practice shows, develops with the simultaneous exposure to several factors. Their elimination leads to recovery. If the patient neglects treatment, the disease passes into the chronic stage of development.
Acute form
The acute form of the disease usually develops against the background of rhinitis. Influenza and other pathologies of an infectious nature can also cause sphenoiditis. Symptoms and treatment of this disease are similar to purulent or catarrhal inflammation.
Patients note the appearance of thick discharge from the nose, severe headaches, discomfort in the back of the head. Also, an acute form of sphenoiditis is characterized by a violation of smell and a sharp rise in temperature.
The lack of timely treatment threatens the spread of inflammation to nearby organs with the subsequent development of meningitis or optic neuritis.
Chronic form
Chronic sphenoiditis develops against the background of the lack of adequate therapy, with self-medication or late seeking help from a doctor. The transition from one form of the disease to another occurs very quickly. This is due to regular inflammatory processes, as a result of which the pathological secretion from the sphenoid sinus comes partially.
The chronic variant of the disease can appear as a result of benign or malignant tumors, cause bacteriological and viral diseases. In the process of inflammation, the posterior cells of the so-called trellised labyrinth are affected . Among the most common symptoms of the disease, doctors distinguish the following:
- Pain and discomfort in the occipital region.
- The appearance of unpleasant odors.
- The secretion of mucous secretion, which flows to the back of the pharynx.
Since the chronic form of the pathology is inflammatory in nature, patients develop symptoms of general intoxication as it progresses. Feeling of malaise, constant drowsiness, poor appetite - all these signs can accompany the patient for years.
Diagnosis of the disease
This disease is very difficult to diagnose. Firstly, it is extremely rare, and many doctors completely forget about its existence. Secondly, through routine diagnostic methods, it is not possible to identify pathology. Conventional radiography reveals other types of sinusitis (sinusitis, ethmoiditis).
Sphenoiditis can be diagnosed with a physical examination. An ENT doctor usually reveals signs of swelling of the mucosa in the area of the mouth of the sphenoid sinus. One-sided pharyngitis is also alarming.
The main methods for diagnosing the disease today are MRI and CT of the paranasal sinuses, and computed tomography is the most informative research option. MRI is prescribed for patients with headaches and other neurological disorders.
At the consultation, the doctor usually tells what reasons sphenoiditis develops, what it is, what kind of disease, and after a diagnostic examination prescribes appropriate treatment.
Conservative therapy
The main principles of treatment of the acute form of the disease are:
- Elimination of the causative agent of the disease.
- Reduction of swelling of the mucosa.
- Improving the outflow of discharge from the sinuses.
With severe symptoms of intoxication, patients are shown antibiotic therapy (Zinnat, Amoxiclav, Cefix). Drugs are selected taking into account the sensitivity of bacteria to them. In addition, the inflamed mucosa must be treated with special medications. Usually, by probing the paranasal sinuses with a sinus catheter, sphenoiditis can be cured in several procedures. What it is? This procedure involves repeated washing of the nasal cavity with solutions with an antibiotic until the secretion is clear.
To relieve swelling of the mucous membrane twice a day, it is recommended to introduce a gauze bandage soaked in adrenaline into the nasal passage. Also, vasoconstrictive drops are used for these purposes (Nazivin, Sanorin, Nazonex).
An important role in the treatment of the disease is given to immunomodulatory therapy. Specifically designed to increase the body's resistance to infection, drugs significantly accelerate recovery (Immodium, Betaleikin).
At the stage of convalescence, patients are prescribed physiotherapeutic treatment. Endonasal electrophoresis with an antibiotic solution is usually used.
Surgery
Chronic sphenoiditis, whose symptoms gradually become lingering, requires surgical treatment. It is aimed at eliminating the main causes of inflammation in the sphenoid sinus. In case of failure of drug therapy, the patient is also shown surgery.
In medical practice today, endoscopic techniques are actively used to solve the problem quickly and without serious consequences. The essence of the operation is to provide full access to the area of the sphenoid sinus, eliminate existing pathologies and subsequent sanitation of the mucosa. The procedure lasts no more than 30 minutes.
During rehabilitation, the nasal cavity must be washed with isotonic saline. In order to avoid the development of infectious complications, antibiotic therapy is indicated for patients.
Forecast
Doctors strongly recommend that you do not postpone a visit to the hospital if you suspect sphenoiditis. Symptoms identified in a timely manner, and subsequent diagnosis of the disease allow you to choose the most optimal treatment option. In most cases, the prognosis for patients with such a pathology is favorable.
In the chronic version of the disease, the likelihood of a quick recovery is less. Even surgical intervention often leads only to short-term improvement. Final cure is observed in rare cases.
Preventive actions
We have already talked about how to treat sphenoiditis, what it is. How can the development of this pathology be prevented?
Specific prevention of the disease does not currently exist. To prevent the development of sphenoiditis, doctors recommend timely treatment of acute infections of a viral nature, to prevent the transition to a chronic form. You should also pay special attention to the state of the immune system (take vitamin complexes, conduct hardening procedures). If there are factors predisposing to the disease, it is necessary to eliminate them in a timely manner, without waiting for the appearance of complications.