Sinusitis is inflammation of the sinus cavities usually associated with infection. The sinus cavities are air-filled spaces in the skull.
Acute sinusitis lasts for less than three weeks. Chronic sinusitis is diagnosed when symptoms last for at least three months. You may have recurrent sinusitis if you have repeated bouts of acute sinusitis.
Infectious sinusitis is caused by bacterial or fungal infection of the sinus cavities. The most common organisms to cause acute sinusitis include:
These factors increase your chance of developing sinusitis. Tell your doctor if you have any of these risk factors:
Symptoms of sinusitis may include:
The doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history, and perform a physical exam. Sinusitis is diagnosed based on its symptoms and tenderness of the sinuses when pressed.
Tests may include:
You have acute sinusitis when the following occur:
Surgery is a last resort for people with very troublesome, serious chronic sinusitis. It includes:
If you are diagnosed with sinusitis, follow your doctor's instructions .
If you have a tendency to get sinusitis following a cold or allergy attack, try these preventive measures:
RESOURCES:
American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery
http://www.entnet.org/
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
http://www.niaid.nih.gov/
CANADIAN RESOURCES:
Allergy Asthma Information Association
http://aaia.ca/
Calgary Allergy Network
http://www.calgaryallergy.ca/
References:
Fact sheet: allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, and rhinosinusitis. American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery website. Available at: http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/rhinitis.cfm . Accessed June 22, 2008.
Mandell GL, Douglas RG, Bennett JE. Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases . 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Churchill Livingstone, Inc; 2000.
Medical Center of McKinney. So long, sinusitis. Medical Center of McKinney website. Available at: http://medicalcenterofmckinney.com/CustomPage.asp?guidCustomContentID={0D77FEAB-2FF8-41F8-9C33-3FF80A863515}. Published May 26, 2010. Accessed June 10, 2010.
Medications for sinusitis. EBSCO Health Library website. Available at: http://www.ebscohost.com/thisTopic.php?marketID=15topicID=81. Updated September 2009. Accessed December 11, 2009.
Okuyemi KS, Tsue TT. Radiologic imaging in the management of sinusitis. Am Fam Physician. 2002;66:1882-1886.
Rakel RE, Bope ET. Conn's Current Therapy 2001 . 53rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: WB Saunders Company; 2001.
Scheid DC, Hamm RM. Acute bacterial rhinosinusitis in adults. Am Fam Physician . 2004;70:1685-1692:1697-1704.
Sinus infection (sinusitis). National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health (NIH) website. Available at: http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/healthscience/healthtopics/sinus/overview.htm . Accessed June 22, 2008.
Sinusitis. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed/what.php . Accessed November 10, 2007.
Stewart AE, Vaughan WC. Balloon sinuplasty versus surgical management of chronic rhinosinusitis. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep. 2010;10(3):181-187.
1/10/2008 DynaMed's Systematic Literature Surveillance http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed/what.php : Williamson IG, Rumsby K, Benge S, et al. Antibiotics and topical nasal steroid for treatment of acute maxillary sinusitis: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA . 2007;298:2487-2496.
12/11/2009 DynaMed's Systematic Literature Surveillance http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed/what.php: Zalmanovici A, Yaphe J. Intranasal steroids for acute sinusitis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2009;(4):CD005149.
Last reviewed September 2009 by Elie Edmond Rebeiz, MD, FACS
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Copyright © 2007 EBSCO Publishing All rights reserved.