Sinusitis is a deeply unpleasant nasal condition that is caused by a viral infection. It is something that may occur after a cold or flu but is usually fairly simple to treat. However, on occasion, it can be persistent and even chronic.
The sinuses themselves are air pockets in the nose and head that are lined with mucous membranes. These are a part of the nasal system that produces mucous for the nose to lubricate it and take away debris you shouldn’t be inhaling. But sometimes they can become infected and inflamed after a respiratory infection.
In most cases, this will go away on its own after about a month. In this instance, the main thing to do is seek treatments that ease the symptoms in the meantime. On the other hand, if it sticks around you may need some treatment prescribed on the NHS to deal with a more persistent or chronic problem.
The first thing to do is establish that you have sinusitis. Your GP may be able to confirm this, but common symptoms include a blocked or runny nose, reduced sense of smell and green and yellow mucus coming from your nose, all of which may seem familiar to cold and flu sufferers. But there are more.
Further symptoms like a high temperature or pain and swelling around your cheeks and forehead could be a symptom that something more is amiss, as may toothache, headaches and pressure around the ears.
Homespun remedies can help to an extent, such as rinsing your nose with warm salt water solution, drinking lots of fluids and getting plenty of sleep. You can also pick up painkillers like Paracetamol or Ibuprofen at a pharmacy.
More specific pharmaceutical remedies include nasal sprays, which can include decongestants or salt water.
If the symptoms are persistent or over-the-counter treatments are ineffective, that is when you should see the GP. Antihistamines or a steroid-based nasal spray may be prescribed. Antibiotics will only rarely be given as sinusitis is usually a viral infection, not a bacterial one.
Persistent sinusitis may be a sign that the condition is chronic. Treatments may include not just steroids or the occasional use of antibiotics, but also medication – sometimes by injection – to remove or reduce polyps, growths that can appear in the sinuses.
Further treatments like immunotherapy might be used for those whose symptoms are caused by an allergy, but this and some other treatments for chronic sinusitis, such as endoscopic surgery, are at the more severe end of the scale and will often go way beyond the kind of things you would pick up in a pharmacy, with or without a prescription.
Most people who catch colds and flu do so without experiencing anything remotely like the nasty effects of sinusitis. If you do suffer it, therefore, you should never suffer in silence. Pick up some remedies from the pharmacy and make sure that if things don’t ease off in three weeks, you go to your GP and get the extra help you need.