Headaches, pressure around the nose, and a chronic runny nose may be associated with sinus disease. If your headache is bothering you and cold medications do not help, be sure to see a doctor - it could be sinusitis.
Interview with Dr. Marek Krajewski, specialist, surgeon of ear, nose and throat diseases
- Doctor, I have had a runny nose for several days, my head hurts and my nose is tight. Could it be sinusitis?
Such symptoms are actually typical for the course of this disease. They can be accompanied by low-grade fever, general body weakness, fatigue, weakened sense of smell, as well as irritation of the throat and vocal cords.headachesare also very characteristic, often occurring also with changes in pressure, e.g. during diving, flight or a change in the weather.
- So I run to the doctor?
It all depends on the severity of the symptoms. Ifrunny nosegoes away and the headache does not bother you too much, the usual cold remedies should be sufficient. If no improvement is seen, an appointment with a general practitioner who will prescribe the appropriate treatment is necessary. However, when it does not bring any effect, there is nothing else to do but visit an ENT specialist.
Let's start with what the sinuses themselves are - these are the air-filled spaces around the nose. Their task is to produce a thin mucus secretion needed to moisturize and purify the air we breathe. They are connected to the openings of the nose through channels, the diameter of which is usually about 4-5 mm. When we have a runny nose, there is a swelling in the entire nasal cavity, including these channels, which reduces their diameter to about 2 mm. This is not terrible, because the secretions that the sinuses produce can still move around. The problem arises when the tubules narrow even more, and the secretion that cannot escape from the sinuses begins to accumulate in them and bacteria multiply in it. This is when we talk about sinusitis.
The most important thing is always the interview with the patient. The next stage that will evaluatethe patient's condition is completely painless endoscopic examination. It consists in inserting an optical device through the nose and observing the sinuses on the monitor. You can also perform rhinometry, which is measuring the flow of air through the nose. If the disease recurs at least four times a year, computed tomography is recommended - it is the most thorough examination that will precisely indicate the cause of the disease.
Important
The cause may be any infection in the upper respiratory tract, but - and this is very important - in people who have abnormalities in the structure of the sinuses. This problem affects about 15 percent of adult people and it is in their case that a common runny nose can be a threat. Other factors contributing to the disease include: allergy, deviated septum of the nose, polyps, and often also untreated teeth. It is also worth adding that, fortunately, sinusitis is hard to catch from someone.
Fortunately, this is a thing of the past. I must say that during my many years of medical practice I performed it only once, and also at the express request of the patient. Currently, puncture is treated only as an emergency, because it is nothing else than a one-time removal of the secretion remaining in the sinuses. In this way, you can bring a pga to a patient who, for some reason, cannot undergo antibiotic treatment.
You must do itHow to avoid sinusitis?
- never leave the house without a hat in winter
- humidify the air in the apartment
- avoid air conditioning
- treat your teeth
- if you are allergic, avoid exposure to known allergens or undergo desensitization
- strengthen immunity
- get a flu shot
Again, it all depends on the severity of the disease. If it is mild, it may be enough to warm it up with lamps or a hot water bottle and take some cold remedies. If the symptoms are more intense, the doctor will prescribe an antibiotic. However, as mentioned earlier, sinusitis mainly affects people with abnormalities in the structure of the nose. These patients must take into account that the disease may recur, and then the only way to get rid of it once and for all is corrective surgery.
Completely unnecessary. The correction is performed under anesthesia - therefore it is completely painless - and lasts up to an hour and a half. The patient can leave the hospital the next day and … forget about the sinuses. Usually, a weekly sick leave is recommended, but most patients return to their duties after two or three days without any problems.
If left untreated, chronic inflammation can occur. Remember that the secretion in the sinuses is the habitat of bacteria that can cause infections in other parts of the body - e.g. inflammation of the joints or the eye. Fortunately, life threatening occurs very rarely. But I repeat - even if there are no more serious complications, there is simply no point in bothering with all the symptoms I talked about earlier. I urge you to get rid of the problem quickly.