Sinus Infection
A sinus infection or what is also known as sinusitis is an inflammation of the sinuses and nasal cavities. A sinus infection can make you feel terrible with a headache or pressure in the nose, eyes, cheekbone area, or one side of your face and head. Some people also have a fever, bad breath, a cough, and thick nasal mucus.
To understand where a sinus infection can cause pain you must first know where your sinus cavities are, these are the locations that pain and pressure can develop.
You have four major pairs of hollow air filled sacks better known as sinuses. Your sinuses connect the space between the nostrils and your nasal passage. The frontal sinuses are in your forehead, maxillary sinuses are behind the cheekbones, ethmoid sinuses are between the eyes, and sphenoid sinuses are behind the eyes.
Your sinuses have defenses that help to fight against bacteria however, such things as colds or allergies the defenses may not be able to fight off the bacteria and it will enter your sinuses. When a bacterium enters your sinuses it can stick to the lining cells and cause you to have a sinus infection. When a person has a cold or allergies, mucus that is usually beneficial cannot move freely through the sinus cavities. This is when it begins to build up in the sinuses and bacteria starts to grow.
In the majority of cases of sinus infections, the person has just gotten over a viral infection in the upper respiratory tract, however, allergens or pollutants can also bring on a sinus infection. Anytime your sinuses cannot rid your nasal passages of mucus you can come down with a sinus infection.
A sinus infection is categorized as acute or chronic sinusitis. An acute sinus infection happens no more than 3 times per year and on average does not last longer than 10 days but you may have some symptoms up to 8 weeks. A chronic sinus infection can happen over 4 times per year, normally last over 20 days and symptoms can last more than 8 weeks.
Your body in most cases cannot fight off a sinus infection. Your doctor will have to prescribe medications that fight infection and other decongestants to aid in relieving you of some of the symptoms. Over the counter decongestants will not rid your body of the infection, even though they may help you to breathe easier. The infection may stay in your sinus cavities and lead to a chronic sinus infection.