Sinusitis is the inflammation of any of the sinus cavities, commonly as a result of bacterial infection. It can also be caused by allergies, pollutants in the air, and nasal problems. It is estimated that one in three people will develop sinusitis at one point in their lives. In 2003, studies showed that approximately thirty-five million people in the US had sinusitis. There are two kinds of sinusitis which differ greatly in symptoms and treatment: acute, lasting for less than three or four weeks, or chronic, which lasts much longer. Ethmoid and maxillary sinusitis usually occur more often than sphenoid and frontal sinusitis, which usually aren't seen in children because those sinuses develop later in life.
Acute sinusitis symptoms include those of a cold, such as headache, cough, fatigue, and weakness. Fever, nasal congestion, and pus-like fluid from the nose can also accompany those symptoms. Chronic sinusitis has symptoms that vary and are more difficult to distinguish and can include excessive mucus discharge from the nose (rhinorrhea), mucus draining to the back of the throat (postnasal drip) varying in color, dizziness, and earaches. Physicians usually determine sinusitis if the nasal mucosa is swollen, the posterior pharynx is inflamed (due to post nasal drip), and if pus is draining from the middle meatus.
Diagnosis relies on a physical examination by the physician. It can involve the doctor taking a culture to determine which bacteria is present in order to figure out how the infection can be fought. A procedure known as a fiberoptic nasal endoscopy is sometimes used. X-rays can be used to make the diagnosis of acute sinusitis in the maxillary and sphenoid sinuses, but CT scans are most often used because they can visualize all of the sinuses.
Treatments of sinusitis include antibiotics (amoxicillin and erythromycin) that are taken until the symptoms are gone for at least one week. Decongestants, pain relievers, saline nasal sprays and vaporizers are also sometimes used to relieve pressure. It is estimated that each year 300,000 people will refer to surgery to get rid of their sinusitis when all other treatments have failed. Functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) is a minimal suregery where the sinuses can sometimes be removed. The Calwell-Luc procedure is done by stripping the maxillary sinuc mucosa and creating new ostium in the inferior meatus by entering the maxillary sinus through the palate or below the upper lip.
