Banishing pesky sinusitis pain

Sinusitis can feel like your whole face has been punched in, but luckily, not much is required of you to take care of it. Most times it'll pass naturally, but if it's recurring, you'll want to know why.

Your head and eyes ache, and your nose is stuffed more tightly than an olive. Even your teeth hurt. In other words, you have sinusitis.

• It usually begins with the inflammation of the mucous membranes in your sinus cavities, which are the passages around your nose and throat, after a cold or allergy attack.
• Fluid builds, blocking your sinus cavity, and pretty soon the whole nasal drainage system is clogged.
• The buildup of fluids is a perfect breeding ground for bacteria, and, next thing you know, you have a bacterial infection.

• Other conditions can inflame your sinus membranes as well: a nasal blockage from an injury or a deviated septum (the bone-and-cartilage partition that divides your nose) or complications from other diseases such as cystic fibrosis or HIV.

For years, doctors have relied on antibiotics or steroid nasal sprays as standard treatments. However, a British study found that they were no better at speeding recovery of mild sinusitis than no medicine at all.

• Such findings press home this point: the power to banish the pain lies in your hands. Taking a dose of ibuprofen, inhaling steam, or flushing out your sinuses with salt water — all simple to do at home — may provide all the relief you need.

• A mild sinus infection may run its course in about two weeks. If you have chronic sinusitis or sinusitis accompanied by more than a 38°C (101°F) fever or severe pain, see your doctor.
• In very rare cases, untreated sinusitis, especially in children, can cause meningitis and vision problems.

To assess the cause of your sinusitis, your doctor may use an endoscope, a thin lighted tube inserted into the nose that allows her to see your sinuses.

• She may also order an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) or a CT (computerized tomography) scan, tests that can identify inflammation and obstructions.
• Or she may ask for allergy tests or throat and sinus cultures to determine if bacteria is the culprit.

When chronic sinusitis persists despite medicines and home treatment, you may require surgery. The blockage could come if the septum has a bone spur or if the septum itself is crooked. You might also have a cyst or polyp blocking your sinuses.

• Your doctor may refer you to an otolaryngologist — an ear-nose-throat doctor, also known as an ENT, who performs sinus surgery. The surgeon, using local or general anaesthesia, can straighten the septum, remove the blockages, or make drainage holes in your sinuses.