Sinusitis

When sinuses get inflamed by persistent irritation due to:

• Pollution
• Allergens
• Bacteria
• Fungus
• Virus

they can close off. This makes them very difficult to access and your immune system can be overwhelmed by pathogens (a biological germ that causes disease or illness). It is important to treat at the first sign of sinus inflammation so that Sinus Relief can reach deep into the passages to help attenuate the pathogens.

Sinusitis, also known as a Sinus infection, is an inflammation of the sinuses and nasal passages that results from a complication due to a cold or allergies. When the lining inside the nose becomes infected, it swells and creates additional mucus. This extra mucus blockage creates an ideal breeding ground in which bacteria can grow, resulting in an infection. Infected sinuses often have a fungal layer that insulates the bacteria from the nasal membranes. This keeps your immune system from being able to access and kill the bacteria and allows them to grow at alarming rates. The fungal layer also produces exotoxins that irritate and inflame the nasal membranes. 

Infected Membrane	Healthy Membrane

The human skull contains four major pairs of hollow air-filled sacks called sinuses that connect the space between the nostrils and the nasal passage. The four major pairs of sinuses are:

• Frontal (behind the forehead)
• Maxillary (behind the cheek bones)
• Ethmoid (between the eyes)
• Sphenoid (behind the eyes)

There are two categories of Sinusitis: acute and chronic. Acute Sinusitis lasts less than 8 weeks or occurs no more than 3 times per year with symptoms lasting no more than 10 days. Chronic Sinusitis is long-term and the most common, lasting more than 8 weeks or occurs more than 4 times per year with symptoms lasting more than 20 days. Sinusitis affects more than 40 million Americans and results in almost $6 billion in health care costs each year. 

Symptoms of Acute Sinusitis

Frontal (behind the forehead)

• Severe headaches
• Fever
• Pain is worse when reclining and better when the head is upright
• Nasal discharge or postnasal drip (mucus drips down the throat behind the nose)

Maxillary (behind the cheek bones)

• Pain across the cheekbone and around the eyes
• Pain or pressure on one or both sides of the cheeks
• Tender or swollen cheekbone
• Pain is worse when the head is upright and better when reclined
• Nasal discharge or postnasal drip
• Fever

Ethmoid (between the eyes)

• Nasal congestion with discharge or nasal drip
• Pain or pressure around the inner corner of the eye or down one side of the nose
• Headache in the temple area or surrounding the eyes
• Pain or pressure is worse when coughing, straining or when reclined and is better when the head is upright

Sphenoid (behind the eyes)

• Deep headache with pain behind and on top of the head
• Fever
• Pain is worse when lying down or bending forward
• Double vision 
• Nasal discharge or postnasal drip

Symptoms of Chronic Sinusitis

Frontal (behind the forehead)

• Persistent headache in the forehead
• History of trauma or damage to the sinus area

Maxillary (behind the cheek bones)

• Pressure below the eyes
• Toothache
• Pain is possibly worse with colds, flu or allergies
• Discomfort increases throughout the day with an increased cough at night

Ethmoid (between the eyes)

• Nasal discharge
• Pain is worse in the late morning or when wearing glasses
• Sore throat and bad breath
• Usually recurs in other sinuses

Sphenoid (behind the eyes)

• A general headache